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The average salary for an Engineer and Geologist stands at $101,882 annually. Factors influencing this figure include geographic location, years of experience, and the specific industry in which one is employed. For example, states like California and Texas frequently offer higher salaries due to demand and cost of living adjustments.
Higher-paying industries for engineers and geologists include petroleum extraction and mining, where salaries may exceed the average significantly. Positions in urban areas also tend to offer increased compensation. Additionally, those with advanced degrees or specialized skills can command higher wages.
Salary estimates vary widely based on experience. Entry-level positions may start around $70,000, while seasoned professionals can earn upwards of $120,000 per year. This variability underscores the importance of ongoing education and skills development in maximizing earning potential.
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The average engineer and geologist salary in Texas, California, and Oklahoma are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average engineer and geologist salary states are Nebraska, Georgia, and Arkansas.
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Texas | $122,345 | $58.82 |
| 2 | California | $109,591 | $52.69 |
| 3 | Arizona | $100,397 | $48.27 |
| 4 | Virginia | $97,036 | $46.65 |
| 5 | Washington | $93,953 | $45.17 |
| 6 | Nevada | $93,034 | $44.73 |
| 7 | Maine | $91,070 | $43.78 |
| 8 | Alaska | $97,851 | $47.04 |
| 9 | Idaho | $94,066 | $45.22 |
| 10 | Oklahoma | $106,489 | $51.20 |
| 11 | Colorado | $89,248 | $42.91 |
| 12 | New Mexico | $91,405 | $43.94 |
| 13 | West Virginia | $84,835 | $40.79 |
| 14 | South Carolina | $89,188 | $42.88 |
| 15 | Alabama | $86,412 | $41.54 |
| 16 | Montana | $84,842 | $40.79 |
| 17 | Connecticut | $82,920 | $39.87 |
| 18 | Rhode Island | $84,029 | $40.40 |
| 19 | Delaware | $81,183 | $39.03 |
| 20 | Massachusetts | $83,477 | $40.13 |
| 21 | Ohio | $83,390 | $40.09 |
| 22 | Hawaii | $94,696 | $45.53 |
| 23 | Pennsylvania | $84,463 | $40.61 |
| 24 | Louisiana | $85,943 | $41.32 |
| 25 | Tennessee | $82,978 | $39.89 |
| 26 | Wyoming | $79,280 | $38.12 |
| 27 | New Hampshire | $82,058 | $39.45 |
| 28 | North Dakota | $76,408 | $36.73 |
| 29 | Maryland | $79,638 | $38.29 |
| 30 | Kentucky | $81,401 | $39.14 |
| 31 | Vermont | $77,950 | $37.48 |
| 32 | Michigan | $79,868 | $38.40 |
| 33 | District of Columbia | $79,479 | $38.21 |
| 34 | Oregon | $77,085 | $37.06 |
| 35 | New York | $80,307 | $38.61 |
| 36 | Utah | $77,048 | $37.04 |
| 37 | Florida | $74,671 | $35.90 |
| 38 | South Dakota | $78,234 | $37.61 |
| 39 | New Jersey | $80,276 | $38.59 |
| 40 | Mississippi | $78,767 | $37.87 |
| 41 | Minnesota | $73,511 | $35.34 |
| 42 | Nebraska | $65,059 | $31.28 |
| 43 | Illinois | $67,066 | $32.24 |
| 44 | Kansas | $70,751 | $34.01 |
| 45 | North Carolina | $61,110 | $29.38 |
| 46 | Arkansas | $62,036 | $29.82 |
| 47 | Georgia | $64,119 | $30.83 |
| 48 | Iowa | $65,085 | $31.29 |
| 49 | Indiana | $56,092 | $26.97 |
| 50 | Missouri | $66,682 | $32.06 |
| 51 | Wisconsin | $56,200 | $27.02 |
The highest-paying cities for engineers and geologist are Dallas, TX, Sunnyvale, CA, and Tucson, AZ.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dallas, TX | $122,493 | $58.89 |
| 2 | Sunnyvale, CA | $111,045 | $53.39 |
| 3 | Tucson, AZ | $100,635 | $48.38 |
| 4 | Anchorage, AK | $97,687 | $46.96 |
| 5 | Seattle, WA | $94,168 | $45.27 |
| 6 | Coeur dAlene, ID | $90,564 | $43.54 |
| 7 | Birmingham, AL | $85,832 | $41.27 |
| 8 | New York, NY | $80,608 | $38.75 |
| 9 | Chicago, IL | $67,339 | $32.37 |
| 10 | Atlanta, GA | $63,599 | $30.58 |
| 11 | Indianapolis, IN | $55,810 | $26.83 |
An engineer and geologist's salary ranges from $63,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $164,000 at the 90th percentile.

| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $164,000 | $13,667 | $79 |
| 75th Percentile | $131,000 | $10,917 | $63 |
| Average | $101,882 | $8,490 | $49 |
| 25th Percentile | $79,000 | $6,583 | $38 |
| 10th Percentile | $63,000 | $5,250 | $30 |
The highest paying types of engineers and geologist are exploration geologist, consulting geologist, and geologist.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Environmental Technician | $39,690 | $3,308 | $19.08 | 43,079 |
| Geology Internship | $109,240 | $9,103 | $52.52 | 48,632 |
| Geophysicist | $105,067 | $8,756 | $50.51 | 287 |
| Geoscientist | $110,629 | $9,219 | $53.19 | 302 |
| Environmental Service Technician | $30,862 | $2,572 | $14.84 | 83,697 |
| Environmental Scientist | $60,208 | $5,017 | $28.95 | 56,425 |
Top companies hiring engineers and geologist now:
Engineer and geologist salaries at MWH Americas Inc and Kiewit are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average engineer and geologist salary at companies like Wsp USA Buildings Inc. and Entech Engineering are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | MWH Americas Inc | $91,898 | $44.18 |
| 2 | Kiewit | $85,220 | $40.97 |
| 3 | Wsp USA Buildings Inc. | $82,333 | $39.58 |
| 4 | Entech Engineering | $80,531 | $38.72 |
| 5 | Oneida Total Integrated Enterprises | $77,951 | $37.48 |
| 6 | Tetra Tech | $72,568 | $34.89 |
| 7 | ENGEO | $68,925 | $33.14 |
| 8 | San Bernardino County | $68,519 | $32.94 |
| 9 | Alaska State Library | $59,165 | $28.44 |
| 10 | Indiana State Police | $46,172 | $22.20 |
The average engineer and geologist salary varies across industries:
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Energy | $106,941 | $51.41 |
| 2 | Construction | $90,019 | $43.28 |
| 3 | Government | $78,929 | $37.95 |
| 4 | Professional | $75,212 | $36.16 |
The average engineer and geologist salary has risen by $9,918 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average engineer and geologist earned $91,964 annually, but today, they earn $101,882 a year. That works out to a 4% change in pay for engineers and geologist over the last decade.
Compare engineer and geologist salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Compare engineer and geologist salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $102,000 | $48.98 | +1.6% |
| 2024 | $100,000 | $48.18 | +1.0% |
| 2023 | $99,200 | $47.70 | +1.4% |
| 2022 | $97,800 | $47.03 | +0.1% |
| 2021 | $97,700 | $46.99 | +0.1% |
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