Geotechnician education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a geotechnician. Geotechnicians usually study geology, business, or environmental science. 77% of geotechnicians hold a bachelor's degree, and 11% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 114 real geotechnician resumes to see exactly what geotechnician education sections show.

The most common colleges for geotechnicians are the Sierra Nevada College and the Sierra Nevada College.

There are also many online geotechnician courses to help get the education required to be a geotechnician.

What education do you need to become a geotechnician?

What degree do you need to be a geotechnician?

The most common degree for geotechnicians is bachelor's degree, with 77% of geotechnicians earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 11% and associate degree degree at 6%.

Bachelor's, 77%

Associate, 11%

Master's, 6%

High School Diploma, 4%

Other Degrees, 2%

What should I major in to become a geotechnician?

You should major in geology to become a geotechnician. 47% of geotechnicians major in geology. Other common majors for a geotechnician include business and environmental science.

Geology, 47%

Business, 8%

Environmental Science, 8%

Geography, 5%

Other Majors, 32%

Most common colleges for geotechnicians

Geotechnicians often get their degrees at Sierra Nevada College, University of Arizona, and University of Houston. Here are the most common colleges for geotechnicians in the US based on their resumes.

Geotechnician common college	Percentages
Sierra Nevada College	10.00%
University of Arizona	10.00%
University of Houston	6.67%
Boise State University	6.67%
Mississippi State University	6.67%

Show more common geotechnician colleges

Best majors for geotechnicians

Rank	Major	Percentages
1	Geology	47.0%
2	Business	7.6%
3	Environmental Science	7.6%
4	Geography	4.5%
5	Graphic Design	3.0%

Show more common geotechnician majors

Best colleges for geotechnicians

The best colleges for geotechnicians are Duke University, Stanford University, and Northwestern University.

A geotechnician with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for geotechnicians. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become geotechnicians.

1. Duke University

Durham, NC • Private

In-state tuition

$55,695

Enrollment

6,596

2. University of California, Berkeley

Berkeley, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$14,184

Enrollment

30,845

3. SUNY at Binghamton

Vestal, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$9,808

Enrollment

13,990

4. Colby College

Waterville, ME • Private

In-state tuition

$55,210

Enrollment

2,000

5. North Carolina State University

Raleigh, NC • Private

In-state tuition

$9,101

Enrollment

23,708

6. University of Washington

Seattle, WA • Private

In-state tuition

$11,207

Enrollment

30,905

7. University of California - Davis

Davis, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$14,402

Enrollment

30,698

8. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$51,354

Enrollment

7,083

9. University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

Minneapolis, MN • Private

In-state tuition

$14,760

Enrollment

31,451

10. Harvard University

Cambridge, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$50,420

Enrollment

7,582

20 best online courses for geotechnicians

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Top 10 most affordable universities for geotechnicians

The most affordable schools for geotechnicians are University of Florida, brooklyn college of the city university of new york, and brigham young university.

If the best universities for geotechnicians are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for geotechnicians.

1. University of Florida

Gainesville, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,381

Cost of attendance

21,034

2. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York

Brooklyn, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,240

Cost of attendance

13,991

3. Brigham Young University

Provo, UT • Private

In-state tuition

$5,620

Cost of attendance

18,136

4. California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,798

Cost of attendance

18,306

5. New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology

Socorro, NM • Private

In-state tuition

$7,770

Cost of attendance

21,244

6. Queens College of the City University of New York

Queens, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,338

Cost of attendance

14,281

7. Florida International University

Miami, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,556

Cost of attendance

19,434

8. Florida State University

Tallahassee, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,656

Cost of attendance

21,623

9. Minot State University

Minot, ND • Private

In-state tuition

$7,064

Cost of attendance

15,576

10. California State University - Los Angeles

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,749

Cost of attendance

14,823

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for geotechnicians

The hardest universities for geotechnicians to get into are Duke University, Stanford University, and Northwestern University.

Some great schools for geotechnicians are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for geotechnicians based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.

1. Duke University

Durham, NC • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,516

2. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,497

3. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,508

4. University of California, Berkeley

Berkeley, CA • Private

Admissions rate

15%

SAT average

1,448

5. Johns Hopkins University

Baltimore, MD • Private

Admissions rate

11%

SAT average

1,513

6. Amherst College

Amherst, MA • Private

Admissions rate

13%

SAT average

1,449

7. Yale University

New Haven, CT • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,517

8. Harvard University

Cambridge, MA • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,520

9. Colby College

Waterville, ME • Private

Admissions rate

13%

SAT average

1,437

10. Tufts University

Medford, MA • Private

Admissions rate

15%

SAT average

1,461

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for geotechnicians

The easiest schools for geotechnicians to get into are Wayland Baptist University, william paterson university of new jersey, and midwestern state university.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a geotechnician without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for geotechnicians.

1. Wayland Baptist University

Plainview, TX • Private

Admissions rate

98%

SAT average

1,003

2. William Paterson University of New Jersey

Wayne, NJ • Private

Admissions rate

93%

SAT average

994

3. Midwestern State University

Wichita Falls, TX • Private

Admissions rate

71%

SAT average

1,033

4. San Francisco State University

San Francisco, CA • Private

Admissions rate

72%

SAT average

1,054

5. Central Washington University

Ellensburg, WA • Private

Admissions rate

78%

SAT average

1,062

6. Sonoma State University

Rohnert Park, CA • Private

Admissions rate

90%

SAT average

1,072

7. Curry College

Milton, MA • Private

Admissions rate

93%

SAT average

1,026

8. Saint Cloud State University

Saint Cloud, MN • Private

Admissions rate

86%

SAT average

1,086

9. Hardin-Simmons University

Abilene, TX • Private

Admissions rate

84%

SAT average

1,085

10. Saint Joseph's College of Maine

Standish, ME • Private

Admissions rate

84%

SAT average

1,069

Average geotechnician salary by education level

According to our data, geotechnicians with a Master's degree earn the highest average salary, at $60,877 annually. Geotechnicians with a Associate degree earn an average annual salary of $53,637.

Geotechnician education level	Geotechnician salary
Master's Degree	$60,877
High School Diploma or Less	$48,390
Bachelor's Degree	$50,917
Some College/ Associate Degree	$53,637

Geotechnician education FAQs

What is the best college for Geotechnicians?

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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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