Geological Technicians, Except Hydrologic Technicians
The published band from $35,770 to $99,560 is the distinctive signal for this role, not a twin of Physicists.
Same-major-group titles next to Geological Technicians, Except Hydrologic Technicians: Physicists ($172K) , Clinical and Counseling Psychologists ($101K) , Materials Scientists ($118K) , Economists ($125K) . Hash-ordered per card so residual SOC siblings do not share an identical peer sentence.
What Geological Technicians, Except Hydrologic Technicians publish as work
O*NET task statements for SOC 19-4043 - occupation-level descriptions, not every employer's posting. Sibling cards diverge here because the task set is entity-keyed.
- 1. Test and analyze samples to determine their content and characteristics, using laboratory apparatus or testing equipment
- 2. Collect or prepare solid or fluid samples for analysis
- 3. Compile, log, or record testing or operational data for review and further analysis
- 4. Prepare notes, sketches, geological maps, or cross-sections
- 5. Operate or adjust equipment or apparatus used to obtain geological data
- 6. Plan and direct activities of workers who operate equipment to collect data
- 7. Participate in geological, geophysical, geochemical, hydrographic, or oceanographic surveys, prospecting field trips, exploratory drillin…
- 8. Set up or direct set-up of instruments used to collect geological data
- 9. Record readings in order to compile data used in prospecting for oil or gas
- 10. Prepare or review professional, technical, or other reports regarding sampling, testing, or recommendations of data analysis
- 11. Adjust or repair testing, electrical, or mechanical equipment or devices
- 12. Read and study reports in order to compile information and data for geological and geophysical prospecting
Geological Technicians, Except Hydrologic Technicians: O*NET ranks Reading Comprehension first
Importance-ranked O*NET profile for SOC 19-4043 - lead skill Reading Comprehension at 3.8 ; lead knowledge Computers and Electronics. Sibling cards diverge here even when peer titles overlap.
Top skills
- 1. Reading Comprehension 3.8
- 2. Critical Thinking 3.5
- 3. Writing 3.3
- 4. Monitoring 3.3
- 5. Time Management 3.3
- 6. Active Listening 3.1
- 7. Complex Problem Solving 3.1
- 8. Judgment and Decision Making 3.1
Knowledge areas
- 1. Computers and Electronics 3.5
- 2. Engineering and Technology 3.5
- 3. Mathematics 3.5
- 4. English Language 3.5
- 5. Chemistry 3.2
- 6. Physics 3.1
Typical Entry and Preparation Assignments
Top Paying States for Geological Technicians, Except Hydrologic Technicians
Other Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations titles
- 1. Materials Scientists $117,790
- 2. Clinical and Counseling Psychologists $100,580
- 3. Economists $124,720
- 4. Political Scientists $142,080
- 5. Astronomers $128,820
- 6. Physicists $172,250
The OEWS band for Geological Technicians, Except Hydrologic Technicians runs from $35,770 (10th) to $99,560 (90th), about 2.8× wide, with median $53,350. That spread, not the midpoint alone, is the distinctive published fact.
Employment Projections expect +2% change between 2024 and 2034 (about as fast as average vs baseline 3.1%). About 1,300 annual openings are projected. BLS assigns Associate's degree as typical education needed for entry. These are occupation-level assignments, not universal requirements. BLS does not publish a separate occupation-specific safety rate for this role; its broad SOC-group rate is excluded from this career card's grade.
Highest published state median in this ranking: Washington at $63,910. The table records differences without proving causes. Highest-pay peer shown here: Physicists at $172,250. Compare the same statistic in the relevant local wage area before treating the national median as a personal benchmark; OEWS excludes employer benefits.
Geological Technicians, Except Hydrologic Technicians pay-rank #46 in Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations
On the Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations median table (48 detailed occupations with OEWS medians), Geological Technicians, Except Hydrologic Technicians lands at #46, in the lower third. That rank is a table position, not a statement about individual workers.
Other lower-third titles · closest medians
Data from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025. Projections from BLS Employment Projections program, 2024-2034.
Geological Technicians, Except Hydrologic Technicians: pay spread is wide, and location matters
The 10th-to-90th percentile spread for Geological Technicians, Except Hydrologic Technicians is unusually wide, so the state map and peer comparison carry more signal than the median alone.
Geological Technicians, Except Hydrologic Technicians salary map
State, metro, and percentile for SOC 19-4043
Washington · top state for Geological Technicians, Except Hydrologic Technicians
$64K published median
Nevada · #2 state pay
$74K · behind Washington
Physicists
Highest-pay peer vs Geological Technicians, Except Hydrologic Technicians · $172K
Clinical and Counseling Psychologists
Lower-pay peer beside Geological Technicians, Except Hydrologic Technicians · $101K
Compare Geological Technicians, Except Hydrologic Technicians
Head-to-head OEWS medians with another SOC
Frequently Asked Questions
Where does Geological Technicians, Except Hydrologic Technicians land on the Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations median table? ▼
What do geological technicians, except hydrologic technicians do day to day? ▼
Which O*NET skills rank highest for geological technicians, except hydrologic technicians? ▼
How wide is the published pay band for Geological Technicians, Except Hydrologic Technicians? ▼
What employment change does BLS publish for Geological Technicians, Except Hydrologic Technicians? ▼
What typical entry education does BLS assign to Geological Technicians, Except Hydrologic Technicians? ▼
Which three states show the highest OEWS medians for Geological Technicians, Except Hydrologic Technicians? ▼
Source data and WageDex calculations are identified in context on this page. Wage and state figures use BLS OEWS May 2025; growth and education use BLS Employment Projections for 2024-2034; safety fields cite BLS CFOI/SOII; task statements cite O*NET where shown. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OES Occupational wage estimates by area and industry · 2025
Federal sources on this Geological Technicians, Except Hydrologic Technicians card
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS / OES) - national median and percentiles for SOC 19-4043. bls.gov/oes
- O*NET OnLine - task and skill statements for Geological Technicians, Except Hydrologic Technicians. onetcenter.org
- BLS Employment Projections - 2024-2034 change and openings for this occupation. bls.gov/emp
- U.S. Census Bureau ACS - demographic and labor-force context for state and metro geography. census.gov/programs-surveys/acs
- IRS Statistics of Income (SOI) - payroll-tax aggregate context for wage comparisons. irs.gov/statistics