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Job outlook for research geologists in the United States
Are research geologist jobs in demand?
Research geologist job and salary trends over time
Research geologist jobs over time
Research geologist job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 96 | 0.00% |
| 2020 | 113 | 0.00% |
| 2019 | 118 | 0.00% |
| 2018 | 119 | 0.00% |
| 2017 | 116 | 0.00% |
Average research geologist salary over time
Research geologist salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $116,391 | $55.96 | +1.7% |
| 2024 | $114,475 | $55.04 | +1.0% |
| 2023 | $113,344 | $54.49 | +1.4% |
| 2022 | $111,752 | $53.73 | +0.1% |
| 2021 | $111,664 | $53.68 | +0.1% |
Research geologist jobs by state
Most common states for research geologists
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vermont | 623,657 | 86 | 14% |
| 2 | Oregon | 4,142,776 | 518 | 13% |
| 3 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 171 | 13% |
| 4 | Rhode Island | 1,059,639 | 132 | 12% |
| 5 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 638 | 11% |
| 6 | Colorado | 5,607,154 | 570 | 10% |
| 7 | Delaware | 961,939 | 100 | 10% |
| 8 | South Dakota | 869,666 | 85 | 10% |
| 9 | California | 39,536,653 | 3,749 | 9% |
| 10 | Pennsylvania | 12,805,537 | 1,210 | 9% |
| 11 | New Jersey | 9,005,644 | 807 | 9% |
| 12 | Nebraska | 1,920,076 | 180 | 9% |
| 13 | New Mexico | 2,088,070 | 179 | 9% |
| 14 | Wyoming | 579,315 | 51 | 9% |
| 15 | Virginia | 8,470,020 | 698 | 8% |
| 16 | Missouri | 6,113,532 | 508 | 8% |
| 17 | Utah | 3,101,833 | 258 | 8% |
| 18 | Maine | 1,335,907 | 108 | 8% |
| 19 | Montana | 1,050,493 | 88 | 8% |
| 20 | North Dakota | 755,393 | 61 | 8% |
Research Geologist job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of research geologist experts
Colorado School of Mines
Lafayette College
Calvin University
East Carolina University
The University of Texas at El Paso
San Jose State University
East Carolina University
University of South Carolina - Columbia
Ohio State University
Thomas Monecke
Professor in Economic GeologyColorado School of Mines
Geological And Earth Sciences/Geosciences
What general advice would you give to a Research Geologist?
Thomas Monecke: Broad understanding of geoscience data and being able to integrate knowledge across fields. Solid geoscience background plus 3D modeling (Leapfrog), ArcGIS, basic mapping skills, core logging experience are critical for everybody in economic geology. Spanish.
What will help Research Geologists increase their earning potential?
Thomas Monecke: Want to do a professional master or master of science. It probably makes sense to gain 1-2 years work experience (or extended internships) after the bachelor, but want to come back for these degrees. They basically are the entry level degrees to become a more senior person in most companies. Its not common for senior people in smaller companies to have a PhD, but not uncommon in the big mining companies. I would, however, not recommend to go straight to a PhD without any work experience as there are fewer jobs. MS (with some internships) vs. PhD (with no real work experience) is not a big difference in salary, but 4+ years difference in education plus potentially debt from long grad school attendance. Makes more sense to do a MS, work and come back for a PhD, commonly with a company supporting the PhD research.
What general advice would you give to a Research Geologist?
John Sarao Jr.: Networking at conferences or local and state-level geology working groups is always a good way to make yourself known to potential companies. Obtaining skills and certifications, like the Professional Geologist (PG) certificate can always help boost your potential. I think the final way is projecting what the needs are going to be when you're ready to enter the workforce. Currently in geology the industry side of things is heavily leaning toward carbon capture and sequestration. If you can set yourself up to enter that field (which will most likely require advanced degrees), you'll be set for a long, lucrative career. The climate crisis is at the forefront of geology at the moment.
What Research Geologist skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
John Sarao Jr.: I think Geographic Information Systems (GIS) will always be a marketable skill on any resume. Data science (machine learning and data analytics) is also a skill that needs to be talked about. The sheer size of geological datasets makes data management skills increasingly important and appealing to companies looking to hire new recruits.
What will help Research Geologists increase their earning potential?
John Sarao Jr.: I would say go into your new career with an open mind, you've learned the basics in undergrad but there's always more to learn. Find someone either in your company or in your field that has the career you aspire to or expertise you think can help you advance and ask if they're open and available to mentor you in either an official capacity or just weekly/monthly coffee chats. So many people would love to tell you about their experiences. You're going to make mistakes, but remember that someone else has made that same mistake before you and has lived through it. Also remember that you have a life outside of work. Some of these field-intensive geology careers can be insanely time-consuming. If you set the precedent that you are available 24 hours a day it's very hard to walk that back in the future. Work-life balance is essential.
Melinda Higley PhD
Assistant Professor of GeologyCalvin University
Geological And Earth Sciences/Geosciences
What general advice would you give to a Research Geologist?
Melinda Higley PhD: A master’s degree is a common expectation in geoscience careers. If you choose to enter the field with a bachelors, the sooner you start in a field, the better. More years of experience will help you advance to higher levels of responsibility and pay. Students and early career professionals should participate in research, attend conferences, field trips, and get internships to gain a sense for a range of opportunities. This will help you to focus on applying for jobs in a sector where you see yourself thriving. However, don’t be afraid to test out different fields as you learn and grow.
What Research Geologist skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Melinda Higley PhD: A day in the life of a geologist will vary depending on the occupation, but it is common to locate and interpret maps, conduct literature reviews, perform data collection, data entry, data analysis, and write grants and reports. In an entry level position, it is common to spend 20 – 60 % of your time in the field. Geologists have transferable skills that can be the gateway to a variety of occupations. Daily, they are doing problem-solving, analytical reasoning, critical thinking, and writing usually in a setting that requires leadership, teamwork, listening, creativity, relationship building, and attention to detail.
What will help Research Geologists increase their earning potential?
Melinda Higley PhD: Geoscientists are employed across the workforce including research, industry, government, academia, and nonprofit sectors. A geoscientist must master the technical aspects of the field but simultaneously develop interests and skills. Think about your technical knowledge, your interests, and skills and how they might be integrated to form a strong portfolio. Recognize that your skills are transferable across different fields.
What general advice would you give to a Research Geologist?
Dr. Timothy Masterlark JSF: Geologists collect laboratory, field, or satellite data and use math, physics, and chemistry to interpret these data. Numerical modeling and computational methods are front-and-center to these investigations and provide the necessary quantitative understanding of Geological systems and the associated uncertainties.
What Research Geologist skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Dr. Timothy Masterlark JSF: Geology is central to the major challenges of our time: Critical Resources, the Energy Transition, and the Great Competition. All of the resources we need come from the Earth System and the acquisition and use of these resources require a balanced responsibility for sustainability. Successful policies related to resources and sustainability require a solid foundation in the physical science of Geology. The past several years provide numerous examples of misguided or ill-conceived local, national, and global initiatives that were based on popular culture and feelings, rather than physical science.
What will help Research Geologists increase their earning potential?
Dr. Timothy Masterlark JSF: Likes: Although a cliché, the world is our laboratory. Geologists investigate our world from the very small through the very large in both space and time. These studies span nuclear particles and minute fractions of a second to vast planetary systems and the age of the universe. The vast majority of our observations are limited to our perspectives as residents of the Earth’s surface over brief moments of time. While these limitations can be frustrating, the challenge of extending our understanding beyond these limitations can be remarkably satisfying. Dislikes: Much of classical Geology is rooted in classification of rocks and fossils. Aspiring students of Geology all too often express an interest in Geology because of childhood hobbies of rock or fossil collecting. Unfortunately, these stereotypes are amplified in popular culture. However, modern Geology is a physical science that is underpinned by mathematics. This realization is a painful process for students who came to the field of Geology with a misguided understanding of expectations.
What general advice would you give to a Research Geologist?
David Mallinson PhD: This gets back to question 1. Take your initial licensure exam to become a Geologist in Training, and work toward becoming a licensed professional geologist. Make sure you have plenty of skills (lab and field work skills) and strong writing skills. As an undergraduate, make sure to take advantage of any opportunities to do research with a professor or do an internship with a company. Experience like that will go a long way to landing you a good job or setting you up for graduate school if you decide to go that route.
What Research Geologist skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
David Mallinson PhD: Be sure to take the licensure exam to become a Geologist in Training. This is the first step to becoming a licensed professional geologist. You can do this even before you graduate. Do it soon before you begin to forget the basics. Have a good idea of where you want to be in 5 years or so and keep your goal in mind as you pursue opportunities. That said, your goals may change so it’s great to be flexible and open to opportunities and able take advantage of work experiences and training that will serve you well in the future. Take advantage of your professors for advice and make sure to stay on their good side so you can get great letters of reference from them.
What general advice would you give to a Research Geologist?
Jason Ricketts: For any student, I think that having a polished resume when they graduate is key. This takes a lot of work, and includes making the extra effort to volunteer, or participate in research, or attend conferences. Having extra achievements or experience in your resume might give you leverage to request a slightly higher staring salary. Once you secure a job in your field, show initiative by making an effort to work in interdisciplinary teams, learning new skillsets, and continue to practice oral and written communication skills. These could lead to an increase in salary.
What Research Geologist skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Jason Ricketts: Be open to learning new skills and techniques even after you graduate. Current practices and skillsets are changing fast, and staying up to date is sometimes challenging. But if you can continue to grow your skillset and expertise, then you will be at the forefront and be able to address Geology problems that are relevant to society.
What will help Research Geologists increase their earning potential?
Jason Ricketts: Most Geology programs excel at teaching scientific knowledge, and students graduate with a core knowledge of fundamental Earth processes. One thing that also needs to be emphasized is the importance of teamwork, working in interdisciplinary teams, and communication skills (both written and oral). Developing these skills will give you an edge after you graduate.
What general advice would you give to a Research Geologist?
Joseph Petsche: The first thing I would recommend is to get a Master's Degree if you don't have one already. It opens *so many* more career opportunities compared with those available to graduates who enter the job market after earning just a Bachelor's Degree. Furthemore, by completing a master's thesis, you gain skills and experience such as writing grant proposals, articles and abstracts, conducting fieldwork, and learning current and upcoming technology used in the field and the lab. It's also a good way to make connections and learn more about the variety of job options out there.
Take a little bit of time to learn about and explore career options. Think about what you want your typical day to be like; would you prefer to work with lab equipment and computers, or out in the field, or both? You will have lots of options to choose from, including working for private firms (such as those that hire scientists to assess the strength of the soil beneath where a new structure is being built, or determine the best way to prevent mudslides from destroying homes and infrastructure, or figuring out how to remediate an environmental hazard), the public sector (such as the United States Geological Survey (USGS) or any of the various State Geological Surveys), education (especially at the college level), public outreach, and helping to guide government policy.
What Research Geologist skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Joseph Petsche: You will likely make more money with a Master's Degree than a Bachelor's, but it depends on the field. Be aware of what other scientists are making at their jobs, and which fields pay more than others if that's important to you. Jobs in mineral exploration, mining, and fossil fuels tend to pay more than jobs in education and consulting firms. In many jobs, you have to become certified and licensed at some point so you can continue to climb the ladder to higher positions and salaries. Make sure you have a variety of skills and are willing to put up with a lousy job in the short term so that you can gain opportunities for long-term success.
What will help Research Geologists increase their earning potential?
Joseph Petsche: There is going to be an increasing demand for skills relating to space exploration and mining. A background in math, remote sensing, engineering, chemistry and planetary geology will be needed more and more in the field of space exploration, and it's likely that humans will start mining asteroids and the Moon for Rare-Earth Elements in the near future. These materials are in high demand because they are commonly used in electric vehicles, cell phones, batteries, and many other important technologies.
Adriana Heimann-Rios PhD
Associate ProfessorEast Carolina University
Geological And Earth Sciences/Geosciences
What general advice would you give to a Research Geologist?
Adriana Heimann-Rios PhD: I think that core geology skills will continue to be critical and needed, including geologic mapping, mineral and rock identification, geochemistry, structural geology, economic geology, and hydrogeology. As the need for metals, particularly critical minerals for the energy transition, continues to exponentially grow with the need for energy storage devices, turbines, and highly technological applications, the need for well-trained geologists will continue to grow. In addition to also having a good chemistry and math background, knowledge in data analysis or data science, programming or software use, GIS, and the growing applications in the field of machine learning will be very useful. In addition, working in multi-disciplinary teams and knowing how to work jointly with communities facing environmental challenges will be critical. Studies to understand and find solutions for water quality will continue to be a pressing need.
What Research Geologist skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Adriana Heimann-Rios PhD: To a Geology graduate starting their career I would strongly recommend continuing their education and obtaining a Master’s degree in their favorite area of specialization or doing a post-baccalaureate or bridge program to figure out what they want to do and what options exist. Both will open many windows of opportunities in different fields. Alternatively, I recommend finding a job or an internship, as there are many starting jobs in environmental and geotechnical aspects working for engineering geology/geological engineering/environmental geoscience companies, museums, and geological surveys.
What will help Research Geologists increase their earning potential?
Adriana Heimann-Rios PhD: Be the best you can be, learn how to work well with people, have those “soft skills”, distinguish yourself by taking courses or seminars in your areas of interest, continue learning. A Master’s degree, or a PhD, will for sure help obtaining a well-paid job.
Dr. David Barbeau Jr.
University of South Carolina - Columbia
Geological And Earth Sciences/Geosciences
What general advice would you give to a Research Geologist?
Dr. David Barbeau Jr.: I love geology because it is a dynamic and diverse field that is the foundation upon which all realms of society are built. From physical geography to food, from human history to economies, geology plays an influential role in everything. Geology requires and develops critical thinking, and involves solving puzzles, and generating new knowledge, hence is a very enjoyable pursuit.
What Research Geologist skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Dr. David Barbeau Jr.: There are a wide range of employment opportunities for geoscientists, therefore actual job activities will vary considerably by job. Some geoscientists work in the field, making geologic maps, collecting samples, conducting subsurface analyses using geophysics and drill cores, assisting with engineering projects, or monitoring groundwater wells. Other geoscientists work in geochemistry, mineralogy and related laboratories, analyzing the composition of rocks and minerals and other geologic materials to understand their origins, history, and age. Finally, other geoscientists work in offices, compiling, analyzing, interpreting, and modeling large volumes of geological, geochemical and/or geophysical data. These efforts and the careers associated with them involve a wide range of sectors, including research universities; local, state and federal agencies; extractive industries; environmental monitoring and remediation firms; and geotechnical and engineering firms. Early career geoscientists spend much of their time using the geological fundamentals learned in college to learn and practice job-specific skills on the job.
What will help Research Geologists increase their earning potential?
Dr. David Barbeau Jr.: Nearly all solutions to the impending climate and energy crises require understanding and innovation in the realms of geosciences. For example, an understanding of geology and geologic processes are essential to the locating and the safe, efficient extraction of critical minerals for the transition to renewable energy, as well as the capture, removal and storage of greenhouse gases. Moreover, the growth of human populations will require increasing amounts of natural resources, and the production of those natural resources will impact the environment in greater and greater ways -- a sound understanding of geology is essential to minimizing these impacts. Because of these very important and rapidly growing needs, a career in the geosciences could be beneficial, both in terms of demand, and as a meaningful career with real societal impacts.
What general advice would you give to a Research Geologist?
Loren Babcock PhD: It depends on the type of geologic job. There is quite of variety of occupations that involve geology, not all of which have “geology” in the title. Some who are employed in private industry mine for rock or minerals, some drill for fluid resources; others are employed in searching for new Earth resources and developing plans for mining or drilling for them. Some geologists work with water resources: sampling, testing, or exploiting. Some geologists in government or service professions compile information about geologic resources or conduct research. Some geologists track earthquakes, track volcanoes, study rocks brought from the Moon, or ones that fell to Earth as meteorites. Some geologists study rock layers to refine the chronology of Earth history. Others study climate change and its effects on Earth’s landforms and life forms. There are many, many options open to geologists.
What Research Geologist skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Loren Babcock PhD: Geologic work forms much of the foundation for the global economy. Almost everything we use, and some of what we eat, has come from the Earth. If it was not grown, it had to be mined. Geologists are responsible for producing most of the basic resources that we use every day. Some of these resources are scarce, and it requires the work of geologists to explore for new sources, and to responsibly exploit them. Geologists also are needed to ensure that our environment remains safe for habitation, and where resources have been removed, to ensure that the land will be reclaimed. In general, professional jobs in geology are well compensated.
What will help Research Geologists increase their earning potential?
Loren Babcock PhD: Perhaps the most interesting thing about being a geologist is that your work ties directly into the lives of all people. Every day we interact with our natural world, and we use objects derived or manufactured from Earth materials. Geology is an incredibly interdisciplinary science- it overlaps with all the other natural sciences, with math, and with computing. For many, that is part of the reason they like geology, because there is so much to discover; but for others, that interdisciplinary nature might present challenges, since there is so much to know.