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Project geologist salary
Average project geologist salary
$94,932
Understanding Project Geologist Salaries
The average salary for a Project Geologist is approximately $94,932 per year. However, this figure can fluctuate based on several factors, including geographical location, years of experience, and the specific industry. For instance, states such as California and Texas often offer higher salaries due to demand in environmental consulting and energy sectors.
Project Geologists typically work in various settings, including government agencies, private firms, and non-profit organizations. The highest paying industries include oil and gas extraction, where salaries can exceed the average range significantly. Additionally, professionals with advanced degrees or specialized certifications often command higher wages.
For those entering the field, opportunities for advancement are plentiful, especially in regions with ongoing infrastructure and environmental projects. Networking and continuous education can also enhance your career prospects and salary potential. Explore job listings on Zippia to find positions that align with your skills and salary expectations.
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Where can a Project Geologist earn more?
Project geologist salary estimates from across the web
Average project geologist salary by state
The highest-paying states for project geologists are Texas, California, and Colorado. The lowest average project geologist salary states are Nebraska, Georgia, and North Carolina.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for project geologists
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nevada | $87,178 | $41.91 |
| 2 | Oklahoma | $92,138 | $44.30 |
| 3 | Maine | $83,037 | $39.92 |
| 4 | Louisiana | $97,839 | $47.04 |
| 5 | Idaho | $85,720 | $41.21 |
| 6 | California | $110,625 | $53.19 |
| 7 | Texas | $112,189 | $53.94 |
| 8 | Ohio | $76,920 | $36.98 |
| 9 | Colorado | $106,068 | $50.99 |
| 10 | West Virginia | $78,127 | $37.56 |
| 11 | Virginia | $91,367 | $43.93 |
| 12 | South Carolina | $78,378 | $37.68 |
| 13 | Washington | $86,509 | $41.59 |
| 14 | Hawaii | $100,512 | $48.32 |
| 15 | Pennsylvania | $80,594 | $38.75 |
| 16 | Alaska | $84,784 | $40.76 |
| 17 | Alabama | $76,402 | $36.73 |
| 18 | Michigan | $74,503 | $35.82 |
| 19 | New Hampshire | $75,395 | $36.25 |
| 20 | Rhode Island | $78,717 | $37.84 |
| 21 | Montana | $77,519 | $37.27 |
| 22 | Connecticut | $78,436 | $37.71 |
| 23 | North Dakota | $70,495 | $33.89 |
| 24 | Tennessee | $71,959 | $34.60 |
| 25 | New Mexico | $71,833 | $34.54 |
| 26 | Kentucky | $72,213 | $34.72 |
| 27 | Delaware | $77,575 | $37.30 |
| 28 | District of Columbia | $75,786 | $36.44 |
| 29 | South Dakota | $69,604 | $33.46 |
| 30 | Mississippi | $70,965 | $34.12 |
| 31 | Massachusetts | $77,345 | $37.19 |
| 32 | Wyoming | $70,435 | $33.86 |
| 33 | New Jersey | $76,602 | $36.83 |
| 34 | Maryland | $75,927 | $36.50 |
| 35 | Minnesota | $65,243 | $31.37 |
| 36 | New York | $76,373 | $36.72 |
| 37 | Vermont | $71,176 | $34.22 |
| 38 | Kansas | $61,483 | $29.56 |
| 39 | Arizona | $71,646 | $34.45 |
| 40 | Florida | $69,509 | $33.42 |
| 41 | Nebraska | $57,207 | $27.50 |
| 42 | Missouri | $58,154 | $27.96 |
| 43 | Iowa | $57,777 | $27.78 |
| 44 | Oregon | $70,091 | $33.70 |
| 45 | Utah | $69,880 | $33.60 |
| 46 | Wisconsin | $51,060 | $24.55 |
| 47 | Arkansas | $54,046 | $25.98 |
| 48 | Indiana | $50,589 | $24.32 |
| 49 | Illinois | $60,396 | $29.04 |
| 50 | North Carolina | $54,276 | $26.09 |
| 51 | Georgia | $55,598 | $26.73 |
Highest paying cities for project geologists
The highest-paying cities for project geologists are El Paso, TX, Oxnard, CA, and Baton Rouge, LA.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | El Paso, TX | $118,393 | $56.92 |
| 2 | Oxnard, CA | $112,070 | $53.88 |
| 3 | Baton Rouge, LA | $98,561 | $47.39 |
| 4 | Richmond, VA | $90,613 | $43.56 |
| 5 | Issaquah, WA | $86,549 | $41.61 |
| 6 | Reno, NV | $85,924 | $41.31 |
| 7 | Moscow, ID | $84,610 | $40.68 |
| 8 | Fairbanks, AK | $83,875 | $40.32 |
| 9 | Harrisburg, PA | $79,600 | $38.27 |
| 10 | Marshfield, MA | $77,889 | $37.45 |
| 11 | Albany, NY | $74,078 | $35.61 |
| 12 | Chattanooga, TN | $72,176 | $34.70 |
| 13 | Laramie, WY | $70,668 | $33.98 |
| 14 | Orlando, FL | $70,450 | $33.87 |
| 15 | Chicago, IL | $60,729 | $29.20 |
| 16 | Topeka, KS | $60,088 | $28.89 |
| 17 | Macon, GA | $56,708 | $27.26 |
| 18 | Cary, NC | $54,779 | $26.34 |
Project geologist salary details
A project geologist's salary ranges from $57,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $156,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a project geologist's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $156,000 | $13,000 | $75 |
| 75th Percentile | $123,000 | $10,250 | $59 |
| Average | $94,932 | $7,911 | $46 |
| 25th Percentile | $72,000 | $6,000 | $35 |
| 10th Percentile | $57,000 | $4,750 | $27 |
Highest paying project geologist jobs
The highest paying types of project geologists are research geologist, exploration geologist, and consulting geologist.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Environmental Scientist | $60,208 | $5,017 | $28.95 | 56,425 |
| 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 |
| Engineer And Geologist | $101,882 | $8,490 | $48.98 | 3,083 |
| Exploration Geologist | $112,376 | $9,365 | $54.03 | 667 |
How would you rate the starting salaries for project geologists, as well as the prospects for salary advancement?
A. Alonso Aguirre Ph.D.
Department Chair & Professor, George Mason University
Top companies hiring project geologists now:
Which companies pay project geologists the most?
Project geologist salaries at Clean Harbors and URS E&C; Holdings Inc are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average project geologist salary at companies like Apex Companies and Engineering/remediation Resources Group, Inc. are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Clean Harbors | $118,529 | $56.99 |
| 2 | URS E&C Holdings Inc | $106,158 | $51.04 |
| 3 | Apex Companies | $96,426 | $46.36 |
| 4 | Engineering/remediation Resources Group, Inc. | $94,880 | $45.62 |
| 5 | Ramboll | $91,996 | $44.23 |
| 6 | Geosyntec Consultants | $90,208 | $43.37 |
| 7 | AEI Consultants | $88,229 | $42.42 |
| 8 | Barrick Gold | $87,481 | $42.06 |
| 9 | Coeur Mining | $86,846 | $41.75 |
| 10 | Universal Engineering Sciences | $79,461 | $38.20 |
| 11 | Wsp USA Buildings Inc. | $78,696 | $37.83 |
| 12 | RGA Environmental, A Terracon Company | $75,793 | $36.44 |
| 13 | Arcadis | $75,780 | $36.43 |
| 14 | Stantec | $75,345 | $36.22 |
| 15 | Colliers Engineering & Design | $74,222 | $35.68 |
| 16 | AECOM | $73,349 | $35.26 |
| 17 | Tetra Tech | $71,736 | $34.49 |
| 18 | Triad Engineering | $71,711 | $34.48 |
| 19 | Ardaman & Associates | $70,398 | $33.85 |
| 20 | TRC Companies | $65,151 | $31.32 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Project Geologist salary by industry
The average project geologist salary varies across industries:
- The average project geologist salary in the manufacturing industry is $102,147, the highest of any industry.
- The average project geologist salary in the finance industry is $87,766.
- Project geologists in the technology industry earn an average salary of $76,178, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for project geologists
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Manufacturing | $102,147 | $49.11 |
| 2 | Government | $87,766 | $42.20 |
| 3 | Professional | $76,270 | $36.67 |
| 4 | Technology | $76,178 | $36.62 |
High paying project geologist jobs
Project geologist salary trends
The average project geologist salary has risen by $9,242 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average project geologist earned $85,690 annually, but today, they earn $94,932 a year. That works out to a 4% change in pay for project geologists over the last decade.
Compare project geologist salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average project geologist salary over time
Compare project geologist salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Project geologist salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $94,900 | $45.64 | +1.6% |
| 2025 | $93,400 | $44.89 | +1.0% |
| 2024 | $92,400 | $44.45 | +1.4% |
| 2023 | $91,100 | $43.82 | +0.1% |
| 2022 | $91,100 | $43.79 | +0.1% |
Recently added project geologist salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weaver Consultants Group | Project Geologist | Centennial, CO | 06/03/2025 | $75,000 |
| TRC Companies, Inc. | Project Geologist/Engineer | Albuquerque, NM | 05/26/2025 | $70,000 |
| TRC Companies, Inc. | Project Geologist or Environmental Engineer | Bellevue, WA | 05/22/2025 | $67,683 |
| Actalent | Project Geologist | Irvine, CA | 05/20/2025 | $120,000 |
| Montrose Environmental Group | Project Geologist, Engineer or Scientist-Soil Sampling | Denver, CO | 05/13/2025 | $80,000 |
| Wood Rodgers | Project Geologist | Orange, CA | 05/08/2025 | $91,828 |
| QAI Laboratories | Project Geologist | Orange, CA | 04/26/2025 | $80,000 |
| Leidos Holdings Inc. | Project Geologist | Twinsburg, OH | 04/17/2025 | $57,850 |
| Roux | Project Geologist | Oak Brook, IL | 04/15/2025 | $80,000 |
| TRC Companies, Inc. | Project Geologist or Environmental Engineer | Bellevue, WA | 03/30/2025 | $67,683 |
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