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Project geologist education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a project geologist. Project geologists usually study geology, geological engineering, or environmental science. 83% of project geologists hold a bachelor's degree, and 13% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 1,055 real project geologist resumes to see exactly what project geologist education sections show.

The most common colleges for project geologists are the San Diego State University and the San Diego State University.

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

There are certain project geologist certifications that you should consider. These project geologist certifications include OSHA Safety Certificate and Certified Petroleum Geologist (CPG).

What education do you need to become a project geologist?

What degree do you need to be a project geologist?

The most common degree for project geologists is bachelor's degree, with 83% of project geologists earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are master's degree degree at 13% and master's degree degree at 2%.
  • Bachelor's, 83%
  • Master's, 13%
  • Associate, 2%
  • Diploma, 1%
  • Other Degrees, 1%

What should I major in to become a project geologist?

You should major in geology to become a project geologist. 83% of project geologists major in geology. Other common majors for a project geologist include geological engineering and environmental science.

Most common colleges for project geologists

Project geologists often get their degrees at San Diego State University, California State University - San Bernardino, and University of California, Santa Barbara. Here are the most common colleges for project geologists in the US based on their resumes.
Project geologist common collegePercentages
San Diego State University8.23%
California State University - San Bernardino8.23%
University of California, Santa Barbara6.96%
Colorado School of Mines6.33%
Humboldt State University5.70%

Best majors for project geologists

RankMajorPercentages
1Geology82.9%
2Geological Engineering4.6%
3Environmental Science3.8%
4Geography1.2%
5Biology1.0%

Best colleges for project geologists

The best colleges for project geologists are Stanford University, Northwestern University, and University of Southern California.

A project geologist with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for project geologists. 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 project geologists.

1. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Chapel Hill, NC • Private

In-state tuition

$8,987

Enrollment

18,946

2. California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo

San Luis Obispo, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$9,816

Enrollment

21,047

3. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$56,225

Enrollment

19,548

4. University of Texas at Austin

Austin, TX • Private

In-state tuition

$10,610

Enrollment

40,329

5. University of California - Davis

Davis, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$14,402

Enrollment

30,698

6. SUNY Stony Brook

Stony Brook, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$9,625

Enrollment

17,407

7. San Jose State University

San Jose, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,796

Enrollment

27,125

8. Texas A&M University

College Station, TX • Private

In-state tuition

$11,870

Enrollment

53,194

9. University of Massachusetts Amherst

Amherst, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$15,887

Enrollment

23,202

10. San Francisco State University

San Francisco, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,260

Enrollment

25,799

20 best online courses for project geologists

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Top 10 most affordable universities for project geologists

The most affordable schools for project geologists are Brooklyn College of the City University of New York, brigham young university, and minot state university.

If the best universities for project geologists 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 project geologists.

1. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York

Brooklyn, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,240

Cost of attendance

13,991

2. Brigham Young University

Provo, UT • Private

In-state tuition

$5,620

Cost of attendance

18,136

3. Minot State University

Minot, ND • Private

In-state tuition

$7,064

Cost of attendance

15,576

4. Queens College of the City University of New York

Queens, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,338

Cost of attendance

14,281

5. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Chapel Hill, NC • Private

In-state tuition

$8,987

Cost of attendance

25,527

6. Florida International University

Miami, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,556

Cost of attendance

19,434

7. University of Puerto Rico - Mayaguez

Mayaguez, PR • Private

In-state tuition

$4,094

Cost of attendance

14,302

8. Florida State University

Tallahassee, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,656

Cost of attendance

21,623

9. Purdue University

West Lafayette, IN • Private

In-state tuition

$9,992

Cost of attendance

22,430

10. Florida Atlantic University

Boca Raton, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$4,831

Cost of attendance

19,559

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for project geologists

The hardest universities for project geologists to get into are Stanford University, Northwestern University, and University of Southern California.

Some great schools for project geologists 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 project geologists 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. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

Admissions rate

4%

SAT average

1,497

2. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

Admissions rate

8%

SAT average

1,508

3. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

13%

SAT average

1,445

4. Vanderbilt University

Nashville, TN • Private

Admissions rate

10%

SAT average

1,514

5. Amherst College

Amherst, MA • Private

Admissions rate

13%

SAT average

1,449

6. Johns Hopkins University

Baltimore, MD • Private

Admissions rate

11%

SAT average

1,513

7. Swarthmore College

Swarthmore, PA • Private

Admissions rate

9%

SAT average

1,465

8. Yale University

New Haven, CT • Private

Admissions rate

6%

SAT average

1,517

9. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Chapel Hill, NC • Private

Admissions rate

23%

SAT average

1,398

10. Tufts University

Medford, MA • Private

Admissions rate

15%

SAT average

1,461

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for project geologists

The easiest schools for project geologists to get into are Wayland Baptist University, kean university, and san francisco state university.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a project geologist 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 project geologists.

1. Wayland Baptist University

Plainview, TX • Private

Admissions rate

98%

SAT average

1,003

2. Kean University

Union, NJ • Private

Admissions rate

86%

SAT average

991

3. San Francisco State University

San Francisco, CA • Private

Admissions rate

72%

SAT average

1,054

4. Old Dominion University

Norfolk, VA • Private

Admissions rate

87%

SAT average

1,093

5. Pennsylvania State University - DuBois

DuBois, PA • Private

Admissions rate

85%

SAT average

1,079

6. Lock Haven University of Pennsylvania

Lock Haven, PA • Private

Admissions rate

94%

SAT average

1,020

7. Midwestern State University

Wichita Falls, TX • Private

Admissions rate

71%

SAT average

1,033

8. Bridgewater State University

Bridgewater, MA • Private

Admissions rate

90%

SAT average

1,073

9. University of Southern Maine

Portland, ME • Private

Admissions rate

85%

SAT average

1,050

10. Saint Cloud State University

Saint Cloud, MN • Private

Admissions rate

86%

SAT average

1,086

Average project geologist salary by education level

Project geologists with a Doctorate degree earn more than those without, at $124,708 annually. With a Master's degree, project geologists earn a median annual income of $109,191 compared to $91,438 for project geologists with an Bachelor's degree.
Project geologist education levelProject geologist salary
Master's Degree$109,191
Bachelor's Degree$91,438
Doctorate Degree$124,708

Project geologist education FAQs

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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
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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