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The differences between staff geologists and geoscientists 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 geoscientist. Additionally, a geoscientist has an average salary of $110,629, 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 geoscientist are seismic data, oil gas, and data collection.
| Staff Geologist | Geoscientist | |
| Yearly salary | $108,966 | $110,629 |
| Hourly rate | $52.39 | $53.19 |
| Growth rate | 5% | 5% |
| Number of jobs | 68,971 | 302 |
| Job satisfaction | 2 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 84% | Bachelor's Degree, 65% |
| 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.
A geoscientist specializes in studying geosciences and performing research and analysis. Typically, their responsibilities revolve around crafting research plans, conducting field mapping and studies to examine geological structures, gathering samples, obtaining photographic evidence, and conducting different experiments and scientific studies. As a geoscientist, it is essential to maintain an extensive record of data, summarize results in reports and presentations, and collaborate with different scientists. They may publish their studies in various publications, utilize them for other projects and programs, or raise public awareness.
Staff geologists and geoscientists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Staff Geologist | Geoscientist | |
| Average salary | $108,966 | $110,629 |
| Salary range | Between $62,000 And $189,000 | Between $79,000 And $154,000 |
| Highest paying City | Corpus Christi, TX | Midland, TX |
| Highest paying state | Texas | Texas |
| Best paying company | ConocoPhillips | Shell |
| Best paying industry | Energy | Energy |
There are a few differences between a staff geologist and a geoscientist in terms of educational background:
| Staff Geologist | Geoscientist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 84% | Bachelor's Degree, 65% |
| 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 geoscientists' demographics:
| Staff Geologist | Geoscientist | |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 75.5% Female, 24.5% | Male, 76.0% Female, 24.0% |
| 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, 6.4% Asian, 5.7% White, 81.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% |
| LGBT Percentage | 4% | 4% |