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Geological engineer salary
Average geological engineer salary
$81,506
Average Geological Engineer Salary
The salary for Geological Engineers can vary widely across different states and industries. As of October 2025, the average salary stands at $81,506, which translates to about $39 per hour. This figure reflects the importance of geological engineers in planning and executing projects related to natural resources and environmental protection.
Where Can a Geological Engineer Earn More?
Geological Engineers tend to earn more in states like California, Texas, and Alaska, where demand for their expertise is high. In addition, specialized sectors such as oil and gas extraction and environmental consulting often offer higher wages. According to various sources, industry trends show competitive salaries in urban areas with robust engineering sectors.
How Experience Impacts Salary
Entry-level positions may start at around $60,000, with more experienced professionals earning upwards of $100,000 annually. Continuous education and certifications can further enhance salary prospects.
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Where can a Geological Engineer earn more?
Geological engineer salary estimates from across the web
Average geological engineer salary by state
The average geological engineer salary in New Mexico, Michigan, and Arkansas are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average geological engineer salary states are Kentucky, New York, and South Dakota.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for geological engineers
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Michigan | $103,976 | $49.99 |
| 2 | New Mexico | $105,392 | $50.67 |
| 3 | Oregon | $89,576 | $43.07 |
| 4 | Colorado | $88,317 | $42.46 |
| 5 | Arkansas | $102,030 | $49.05 |
| 6 | California | $90,169 | $43.35 |
| 7 | North Dakota | $95,676 | $46.00 |
| 8 | Washington | $86,704 | $41.68 |
| 9 | Ohio | $92,321 | $44.39 |
| 10 | South Carolina | $91,955 | $44.21 |
| 11 | Delaware | $84,572 | $40.66 |
| 12 | Alaska | $86,096 | $41.39 |
| 13 | Arizona | $83,839 | $40.31 |
| 14 | Florida | $85,203 | $40.96 |
| 15 | Texas | $83,785 | $40.28 |
| 16 | Idaho | $82,838 | $39.83 |
| 17 | Rhode Island | $85,807 | $41.25 |
| 18 | Nevada | $81,947 | $39.40 |
| 19 | Georgia | $83,128 | $39.97 |
| 20 | District of Columbia | $83,870 | $40.32 |
| 21 | Tennessee | $82,749 | $39.78 |
| 22 | Maine | $84,011 | $40.39 |
| 23 | Nebraska | $78,892 | $37.93 |
| 24 | Oklahoma | $82,497 | $39.66 |
| 25 | Pennsylvania | $79,587 | $38.26 |
| 26 | Wyoming | $75,104 | $36.11 |
| 27 | Virginia | $76,429 | $36.74 |
| 28 | Mississippi | $80,704 | $38.80 |
| 29 | North Carolina | $76,983 | $37.01 |
| 30 | Minnesota | $76,973 | $37.01 |
| 31 | Massachusetts | $73,947 | $35.55 |
| 32 | Illinois | $75,014 | $36.06 |
| 33 | New Jersey | $78,216 | $37.60 |
| 34 | Maryland | $72,501 | $34.86 |
| 35 | Utah | $70,975 | $34.12 |
| 36 | New Hampshire | $73,686 | $35.43 |
| 37 | Iowa | $74,562 | $35.85 |
| 38 | Connecticut | $73,765 | $35.46 |
| 39 | Hawaii | $70,859 | $34.07 |
| 40 | Vermont | $73,086 | $35.14 |
| 41 | Louisiana | $72,158 | $34.69 |
| 42 | West Virginia | $71,049 | $34.16 |
| 43 | Kansas | $73,713 | $35.44 |
| 44 | Missouri | $73,501 | $35.34 |
| 45 | New York | $70,322 | $33.81 |
| 46 | Kentucky | $70,631 | $33.96 |
| 47 | South Dakota | $70,177 | $33.74 |
| 48 | Indiana | $67,160 | $32.29 |
| 49 | Alabama | $64,645 | $31.08 |
| 50 | Montana | $71,479 | $34.36 |
| 51 | Wisconsin | $67,469 | $32.44 |
Highest paying cities for geological engineers
The highest-paying cities for geological engineers are Lansing, MI, Bismarck, ND, and Columbus, OH.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lansing, MI | $103,897 | $49.95 |
| 2 | Bismarck, ND | $95,091 | $45.72 |
| 3 | Columbus, OH | $92,210 | $44.33 |
| 4 | Columbia, SC | $91,924 | $44.19 |
| 5 | Grand Junction, CO | $89,658 | $43.10 |
| 6 | Bellevue, WA | $87,200 | $41.92 |
| 7 | Juneau, AK | $86,627 | $41.65 |
| 8 | Carson City, NV | $85,740 | $41.22 |
| 9 | Austin, TX | $84,186 | $40.47 |
| 10 | Washington, DC | $83,865 | $40.32 |
| 11 | Atlanta, GA | $83,115 | $39.96 |
| 12 | Jackson, MS | $80,799 | $38.85 |
| 13 | Harrisburg, PA | $79,266 | $38.11 |
| 14 | Omaha, NE | $79,073 | $38.02 |
| 15 | Chicago, IL | $75,121 | $36.12 |
| 16 | Cheyenne, WY | $74,561 | $35.85 |
| 17 | Des Moines, IA | $74,384 | $35.76 |
| 18 | Boston, MA | $74,012 | $35.58 |
| 19 | Hartford, CT | $73,883 | $35.52 |
| 20 | Ballwin, MO | $73,752 | $35.46 |
Geological engineer salary details
A geological engineer's salary ranges from $65,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $102,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a geological engineer's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $102,000 | $8,500 | $49 |
| 75th Percentile | $91,000 | $7,583 | $44 |
| Average | $81,506 | $6,792 | $39 |
| 25th Percentile | $72,000 | $6,000 | $35 |
| 10th Percentile | $65,000 | $5,417 | $31 |
Highest paying geological engineer jobs
The highest paying types of geological engineers are senior staff engineer, mining manager, and mine safety director.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engineer | $92,077 | $7,673 | $44.27 | 618,207 |
| Staff Engineer | $107,530 | $8,961 | $51.70 | 277,011 |
| Mine Engineer | $83,246 | $6,937 | $40.02 | 3,627 |
Top companies hiring geological engineers now:
Which companies pay geological engineers the most?
Geological engineer salaries at TOPS Well Services and Vector Engineering are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average geological engineer salary at companies like Pinnacle Engineering and SRK Consulting are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | TOPS Well Services | $87,877 | $42.25 |
| 2 | Vector Engineering | $86,382 | $41.53 |
| 3 | Pinnacle Engineering | $85,578 | $41.14 |
| 4 | SRK Consulting | $85,271 | $41.00 |
| 5 | Fort Myer Construction Company | $82,617 | $39.72 |
| 6 | Wsp USA Buildings Inc. | $79,389 | $38.17 |
| 7 | Freeport-McMoRan | $78,845 | $37.91 |
| 8 | RESPEC | $78,825 | $37.90 |
| 9 | Black & Veatch | $78,061 | $37.53 |
| 10 | Stantec | $77,807 | $37.41 |
| 11 | MWH Americas Inc | $77,521 | $37.27 |
| 12 | Kiewit | $77,248 | $37.14 |
| 13 | Knight Piésold | $75,102 | $36.11 |
| 14 | Vulcan Materials | $70,279 | $33.79 |
| 15 | Colorado School of Mines | $63,811 | $30.68 |
| 16 | Graham Holdings | $48,530 | $23.33 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Geological Engineer salary by industry
The average geological engineer salary varies across industries:
- The average geological engineer salary in the utilities industry is $85,510, the highest of any industry.
- The average geological engineer salary in the finance industry is $81,963.
- Geological engineers in the professional industry earn an average salary of $77,568, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for geological engineers
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Utilities | $85,510 | $41.11 |
| 2 | Construction | $81,963 | $39.41 |
| 3 | Energy | $80,623 | $38.76 |
| 4 | Automotive | $77,866 | $37.44 |
| 5 | Professional | $77,568 | $37.29 |
High paying geological engineer jobs
Geological engineer salary trends
The average geological engineer salary has risen by $8,255 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average geological engineer earned $73,251 annually, but today, they earn $81,506 a year. That works out to a 0% change in pay for geological engineers over the last decade.
Compare geological engineer salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average geological engineer salary over time
Compare geological engineer salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Geological engineer salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $81,500 | $39.19 | +2.8% |
| 2025 | $79,200 | $38.08 | -1.2% |
| 2024 | $80,200 | $38.54 | -2.2% |
| 2023 | $81,900 | $39.37 | +0.6% |
| 2022 | $81,400 | $39.15 | -0.3% |
Recently added geological engineer salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GRI | Geological Engineer, Senior-Associate | Portland, OR | 06/13/2025 | $105,000 |
| Respec Acquires Haight & Associates, Inc. | Geological Engineer-Hydrogeology | Denver, CO | 06/10/2025 | $75,000 |
| Respec Acquires Haight & Associates, Inc. | Geological Engineer-Hydrogeology | Rapid City, SD | 06/10/2025 | $75,000 |
| Respec Acquires Haight & Associates, Inc. | Geological Engineer-Hydrogeology | Denver, CO | 04/28/2025 | $75,000 |
| Respec Acquires Haight & Associates, Inc. | Geological Engineer-Hydrogeology | Denver, CO | 03/31/2025 | $75,000 |
| Barr Systems | Geologist or Geological Engineer Hybrid) | Jefferson City, MO | 03/28/2025 | $65,000 |
| Respec Acquires Haight & Associates, Inc. | Geological Engineer-Hydrogeology | Rapid City, SD | 03/27/2025 | $75,000 |
| Respec Acquires Haight & Associates, Inc. | Geological Engineer-Hydrogeology | Rapid City, SD | 02/28/2025 | $75,000 |
| Respec Acquires Haight & Associates, Inc. | Geological Engineer-Hydrogeology | Denver, CO | 02/18/2025 | $75,000 |
| Respec | Geological Engineer-Hydrogeology | Denver, CO | 02/17/2025 | $75,000 |
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