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Geoscientist salary
Average geoscientist salary
$110,629
Understanding Geoscientist Salaries
The average salary for a geoscientist is $110,629 per year, translating to approximately $53 per hour. Salaries in this field can vary based on factors such as geographic location, years of experience, and specialization. For instance, states like Alaska and Texas often offer higher salaries due to local demand for geoscience expertise.
Salary Insights by State
Geoscientists in states such as California and New York also enjoy competitive salaries, reflecting the high cost of living and robust job markets. By examining regional salary trends, professionals can identify locations that provide the best financial opportunities.
Career Growth Potential
In addition to geographic factors, experience plays a critical role in salary progression. Entry-level geoscientists might start at lower salaries, but with expertise and advanced degrees, earnings can significantly increase. Professionals are encouraged to seek mentorship and pursue continuous learning to enhance their career trajectories.
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Where can a Geoscientist earn more?
Geoscientist salary estimates from across the web
Average geoscientist salary by state
The average geoscientist salary in Texas, Alaska, and Oklahoma are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average geoscientist salary states are Nebraska, Georgia, and Arkansas.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for geoscientists
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Texas | $135,226 | $65.01 |
| 2 | Alaska | $121,240 | $58.29 |
| 3 | Idaho | $111,472 | $53.59 |
| 4 | Nevada | $103,213 | $49.62 |
| 5 | West Virginia | $100,238 | $48.19 |
| 6 | Oklahoma | $120,813 | $58.08 |
| 7 | Hawaii | $108,773 | $52.29 |
| 8 | Virginia | $110,184 | $52.97 |
| 9 | California | $106,054 | $50.99 |
| 10 | Washington | $112,943 | $54.30 |
| 11 | Tennessee | $98,295 | $47.26 |
| 12 | Maine | $105,321 | $50.64 |
| 13 | Kentucky | $99,244 | $47.71 |
| 14 | New Mexico | $100,213 | $48.18 |
| 15 | South Carolina | $102,855 | $49.45 |
| 16 | Montana | $104,147 | $50.07 |
| 17 | Ohio | $100,118 | $48.13 |
| 18 | Colorado | $103,348 | $49.69 |
| 19 | Alabama | $98,296 | $47.26 |
| 20 | South Dakota | $99,323 | $47.75 |
| 21 | Louisiana | $95,605 | $45.96 |
| 22 | Rhode Island | $91,602 | $44.04 |
| 23 | Michigan | $96,943 | $46.61 |
| 24 | North Dakota | $97,261 | $46.76 |
| 25 | Pennsylvania | $94,671 | $45.51 |
| 26 | Wyoming | $95,311 | $45.82 |
| 27 | New Hampshire | $91,368 | $43.93 |
| 28 | Utah | $89,039 | $42.81 |
| 29 | Minnesota | $93,262 | $44.84 |
| 30 | Oregon | $89,598 | $43.08 |
| 31 | Vermont | $90,897 | $43.70 |
| 32 | Massachusetts | $91,502 | $43.99 |
| 33 | Maryland | $89,746 | $43.15 |
| 34 | Delaware | $90,246 | $43.39 |
| 35 | Mississippi | $88,497 | $42.55 |
| 36 | Nebraska | $80,777 | $38.84 |
| 37 | Connecticut | $90,796 | $43.65 |
| 38 | District of Columbia | $89,785 | $43.17 |
| 39 | New Jersey | $88,257 | $42.43 |
| 40 | Kansas | $85,079 | $40.90 |
| 41 | Arizona | $82,246 | $39.54 |
| 42 | Florida | $85,187 | $40.96 |
| 43 | New York | $88,414 | $42.51 |
| 44 | Iowa | $82,021 | $39.43 |
| 45 | Illinois | $83,242 | $40.02 |
| 46 | Missouri | $81,828 | $39.34 |
| 47 | Wisconsin | $69,901 | $33.61 |
| 48 | North Carolina | $70,643 | $33.96 |
| 49 | Arkansas | $70,842 | $34.06 |
| 50 | Georgia | $73,623 | $35.40 |
| 51 | Indiana | $68,923 | $33.14 |
Highest paying cities for geoscientists
The highest-paying cities for geoscientists are Midland, TX, Oklahoma City, OK, and Anchorage, AK.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Midland, TX | $136,641 | $65.69 |
| 2 | Oklahoma City, OK | $121,579 | $58.45 |
| 3 | Anchorage, AK | $121,418 | $58.37 |
| 4 | Los Gatos, CA | $108,139 | $51.99 |
| 5 | Littleton, CO | $103,539 | $49.78 |
| 6 | Carlsbad, NM | $100,851 | $48.49 |
| 7 | Grand Forks, ND | $97,137 | $46.70 |
| 8 | Detroit, MI | $97,009 | $46.64 |
| 9 | Baton Rouge, LA | $95,699 | $46.01 |
| 10 | Laramie, WY | $95,435 | $45.88 |
| 11 | Pittsburgh, PA | $93,909 | $45.15 |
| 12 | Frederick, MD | $89,742 | $43.15 |
| 13 | New York, NY | $88,404 | $42.50 |
| 14 | Saint Petersburg, FL | $86,227 | $41.46 |
| 15 | Kennesaw, GA | $73,260 | $35.22 |
| 16 | Evansville, IN | $69,347 | $33.34 |
Geoscientist salary details
A geoscientist's salary ranges from $79,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $154,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a geoscientist's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $154,000 | $12,833 | $74 |
| 75th Percentile | $131,000 | $10,917 | $63 |
| Average | $110,629 | $9,219 | $53 |
| 25th Percentile | $92,000 | $7,667 | $44 |
| 10th Percentile | $79,000 | $6,583 | $38 |
Highest paying geoscientist jobs
The highest paying types of geoscientists are research geologist, exploration geologist, and consulting geologist.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engineer And Geologist | $101,882 | $8,490 | $48.98 | 3,083 |
| Exploration Geologist | $112,376 | $9,365 | $54.03 | 667 |
| Development Geologist | $110,970 | $9,247 | $53.35 | 45,844 |
| Consulting Geologist | $112,160 | $9,347 | $53.92 | 5,484 |
| Petroleum Geologist | $111,574 | $9,298 | $53.64 | 1,291 |
| Geology Internship | $109,240 | $9,103 | $52.52 | 48,632 |
Top companies hiring geoscientists now:
Which companies pay geoscientists the most?
Geoscientist salaries at Shell and ConocoPhillips are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average geoscientist salary at companies like Statoil and Denbury Resources are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Shell Trading | $142,257 | $68.39 |
| 2 | ConocoPhillips | $140,829 | $67.71 |
| 3 | Statoil | $140,356 | $67.48 |
| 4 | Denbury Resources | $136,708 | $65.72 |
| 5 | Chevron | $133,293 | $64.08 |
| 6 | Geokinetics | $132,944 | $63.92 |
| 7 | Exxon Mobil | $131,340 | $63.14 |
| 8 | BP America Inc | $130,247 | $62.62 |
| 9 | Sandia National Labs | $128,782 | $61.91 |
| 10 | Marathon Oil | $125,618 | $60.39 |
| 11 | EOG Resources | $125,515 | $60.34 |
| 12 | Pioneer Natural Resources | $124,819 | $60.01 |
| 13 | Weatherford International | $122,627 | $58.96 |
| 14 | Swift Energy Company | $119,987 | $57.69 |
| 15 | Repsol Energy North America Corporation | $118,394 | $56.92 |
| 16 | Baker Hughes | $115,263 | $55.41 |
| 17 | Halliburton | $114,837 | $55.21 |
| 18 | Bluware | $113,744 | $54.68 |
| 19 | Leica Geosystems | $110,146 | $52.95 |
| 20 | Uhl Company | $109,442 | $52.62 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Geoscientist salary trends
The average geoscientist salary has risen by $10,770 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average geoscientist earned $99,859 annually, but today, they earn $110,629 a year. That works out to a 4% change in pay for geoscientists over the last decade.
Compare geoscientist salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average geoscientist salary over time
Compare geoscientist salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Geoscientist salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $111,000 | $53.19 | +1.6% |
| 2024 | $109,000 | $52.31 | +1.0% |
| 2023 | $108,000 | $51.79 | +1.4% |
| 2022 | $106,000 | $51.07 | +0.1% |
| 2021 | $106,000 | $51.03 | +0.1% |
Recently added geoscientist salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Montrose | Environmental Geoscientist (Geology/Geoscience) | Knoxville, TN | 06/11/2025 | $50,000 |
| Weston Solutions Holdings, Inc. | Environmental Project Geoscientist | Lakewood, CO | 05/10/2025 | $71,135 |
| Weston Solutions Holdings, Inc. | Project Geoscientist | Tulsa, OK | 05/03/2025 | $71,135 |
| Weston Solutions Holdings, Inc. | Project Geoscientist | Frisco, TX | 04/28/2025 | $71,135 |
| Weston Solutions Holdings, Inc. | Environmental Project Geoscientist | Lakewood, CO | 04/28/2025 | $71,135 |
| Weston Solutions Holdings, Inc. | Project Geoscientist | Tulsa, OK | 04/28/2025 | $71,135 |
| Bp Products N.A | Development Geoscientist | Nome, TX | 04/28/2025 | $140,000 |
| BP Americas, Inc. | Development Geoscientist | Houston, TX | 04/24/2025 | $140,000 |
| BP | Development Geoscientist | Houston, TX | 04/24/2025 | $140,000 |
| Idaho National Lab | Computational Geoscientist | Idaho Falls, ID | 03/30/2025 | $111,888 |
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