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The differences between staff geologists and consulting 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 a consulting geologist. Additionally, a consulting geologist has an average salary of $112,160, 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 a consulting geologist are GIS, technical reports, and geotechnical.
| Staff Geologist | Consulting Geologist | |
| Yearly salary | $108,966 | $112,160 |
| Hourly rate | $52.39 | $53.92 |
| Growth rate | 5% | 5% |
| Number of jobs | 68,971 | 5,484 |
| Job satisfaction | 2 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 84% | Bachelor's Degree, 77% |
| 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.
Geology Consultants are experts in their field who assist with different geology-related projects and research. They are generally specialized in petroleum, environmental, or hydrology geology.
Staff geologists and consulting geologists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Staff Geologist | Consulting Geologist | |
| Average salary | $108,966 | $112,160 |
| Salary range | Between $62,000 And $189,000 | Between $65,000 And $191,000 |
| 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 a consulting geologist in terms of educational background:
| Staff Geologist | Consulting Geologist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 84% | Bachelor's Degree, 77% |
| 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 consulting geologists' demographics:
| Staff Geologist | Consulting Geologist | |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 75.5% Female, 24.5% | Male, 86.8% Female, 13.2% |
| 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, 1.1% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 7.0% Asian, 3.7% White, 82.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% |
| LGBT Percentage | 4% | 4% |