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The differences between staff geologists and research 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 research geologist. Additionally, a research geologist has an average salary of $116,391, 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 research geologist are GIS, geological survey, and R.
| Staff Geologist | Research Geologist | |
| Yearly salary | $108,966 | $116,391 |
| Hourly rate | $52.39 | $55.96 |
| Growth rate | 5% | 5% |
| Number of jobs | 68,971 | 45,501 |
| Job satisfaction | 2 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 84% | Bachelor's Degree, 61% |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 12 |
Staff geologists and research geologists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Staff Geologist | Research Geologist | |
| Average salary | $108,966 | $116,391 |
| Salary range | Between $62,000 And $189,000 | Between $81,000 And $166,000 |
| Highest paying City | Corpus Christi, TX | Midland, TX |
| Highest paying state | Texas | Texas |
| Best paying company | ConocoPhillips | Exxon Mobil |
| Best paying industry | Energy | - |
There are a few differences between a staff geologist and a research geologist in terms of educational background:
| Staff Geologist | Research Geologist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 84% | Bachelor's Degree, 61% |
| 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 research geologists' demographics:
| Staff Geologist | Research Geologist | |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 75.5% Female, 24.5% | Male, 77.9% Female, 22.1% |
| 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, 6.4% Asian, 5.6% White, 81.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% |
| LGBT Percentage | 4% | 4% |