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The differences between geologists and staff geologists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 6-12 months to become both a geologist and a staff geologist. Additionally, a geologist has an average salary of $111,878, which is higher than the $108,966 average annual salary of a staff geologist.
The top three skills for a geologist include oversight, OSHA and data collection. The most important skills for a staff geologist are data collection, OSHA, and HAZWOPER.
| Geologist | Staff Geologist | |
| Yearly salary | $111,878 | $108,966 |
| Hourly rate | $53.79 | $52.39 |
| Growth rate | 5% | 5% |
| Number of jobs | 869 | 68,971 |
| Job satisfaction | 3.5 | 2 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 79% | Bachelor's Degree, 84% |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 12 |
A Geologist studies the composition, structure, and history of the earth's crust. They may work for private industries, the federal government, colleges and universities, or museums.
A Staff Geologist performs field explorations, analyzes environmental conditionals, and generates reports for the assigned project. They can work for government environmental agencies, mining companies, engineering firms, or city planning offices.
Geologists and staff geologists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Geologist | Staff Geologist | |
| Average salary | $111,878 | $108,966 |
| Salary range | Between $63,000 And $196,000 | Between $62,000 And $189,000 |
| Highest paying City | El Paso, TX | Corpus Christi, TX |
| Highest paying state | Texas | Texas |
| Best paying company | Devon Energy | ConocoPhillips |
| Best paying industry | Energy | Energy |
There are a few differences between a geologist and a staff geologist in terms of educational background:
| Geologist | Staff Geologist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 79% | Bachelor's Degree, 84% |
| Most common major | Geology | Geology |
| Most common college | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill |
Here are the differences between geologists' and staff geologists' demographics:
| Geologist | Staff Geologist | |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 78.7% Female, 21.3% | Male, 75.5% Female, 24.5% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 1.0% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 6.7% Asian, 4.9% White, 81.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% | Black or African American, 1.1% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 6.9% Asian, 3.6% White, 83.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% |
| LGBT Percentage | 4% | 4% |