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The differences between staff geologists and assistant geologists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 6-12 months to become both a staff geologist and an assistant geologist. Additionally, an assistant geologist has an average salary of $109,783, which is higher than the $108,966 average annual salary of a staff geologist.
The top three skills for a staff geologist include data collection, OSHA and HAZWOPER. The most important skills for an assistant geologist are site assessments, geotechnical, and GIS.
| Staff Geologist | Assistant Geologist | |
| Yearly salary | $108,966 | $109,783 |
| Hourly rate | $52.39 | $52.78 |
| Growth rate | 5% | 5% |
| Number of jobs | 68,971 | 702 |
| Job satisfaction | 2 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 84% | Bachelor's Degree, 79% |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 12 |
A Staff Geologist performs field explorations, analyzes environmental conditionals, and generates reports for the assigned project. They can work for government environmental agencies, mining companies, engineering firms, or city planning offices.
An assistant geologist performs various support tasks that focus on the studies of earth materials and processes. They typically function as a member of a research team where they are in charge of gathering and analyzing samples such as soil and groundwater, generating maps and guidelines, interpreting data, drawing conclusions and recommendations, and preparing plans and written reports. Moreover, when it comes to employment, an assistant geologist works alongside an experienced geologist at government agencies, research facilities, and private companies.
Staff geologists and assistant geologists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Staff Geologist | Assistant Geologist | |
| Average salary | $108,966 | $109,783 |
| Salary range | Between $62,000 And $189,000 | Between $68,000 And $176,000 |
| Highest paying City | Corpus Christi, TX | - |
| Highest paying state | Texas | - |
| Best paying company | ConocoPhillips | - |
| Best paying industry | Energy | - |
There are a few differences between a staff geologist and an assistant geologist in terms of educational background:
| Staff Geologist | Assistant Geologist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 84% | Bachelor's Degree, 79% |
| Most common major | Geology | Geology |
| Most common college | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill |
Here are the differences between staff geologists' and assistant geologists' demographics:
| Staff Geologist | Assistant Geologist | |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 75.5% Female, 24.5% | Male, 72.9% Female, 27.1% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 1.1% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 6.9% Asian, 3.6% White, 83.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% | Black or African American, 0.9% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 6.3% Asian, 5.5% White, 82.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% |
| LGBT Percentage | 4% | 4% |