Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations
BLS May 2025 wages Wide pay band SOC 19-4043

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.

Full salary details → About this data

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. 1. Test and analyze samples to determine their content and characteristics, using laboratory apparatus or testing equipment
  2. 2. Collect or prepare solid or fluid samples for analysis
  3. 3. Compile, log, or record testing or operational data for review and further analysis
  4. 4. Prepare notes, sketches, geological maps, or cross-sections
  5. 5. Operate or adjust equipment or apparatus used to obtain geological data
  6. 6. Plan and direct activities of workers who operate equipment to collect data
  7. 7. Participate in geological, geophysical, geochemical, hydrographic, or oceanographic surveys, prospecting field trips, exploratory drillin…
  8. 8. Set up or direct set-up of instruments used to collect geological data
  9. 9. Record readings in order to compile data used in prospecting for oil or gas
  10. 10. Prepare or review professional, technical, or other reports regarding sampling, testing, or recommendations of data analysis
  11. 11. Adjust or repair testing, electrical, or mechanical equipment or devices
  12. 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. 1. Reading Comprehension 3.8
  2. 2. Critical Thinking 3.5
  3. 3. Writing 3.3
  4. 4. Monitoring 3.3
  5. 5. Time Management 3.3
  6. 6. Active Listening 3.1
  7. 7. Complex Problem Solving 3.1
  8. 8. Judgment and Decision Making 3.1

Knowledge areas

  1. 1. Computers and Electronics 3.5
  2. 2. Engineering and Technology 3.5
  3. 3. Mathematics 3.5
  4. 4. English Language 3.5
  5. 5. Chemistry 3.2
  6. 6. Physics 3.1
Published pay band (10th to 90th)
$35,770 to $99,560
median $53,350 · ~2.8× spread
$53K
National median
↑ +2%
Growth 2024-2034
1,300
Annual openings
6,980
Estimated US jobs
Physicists
Highest-pay peer · $172K

Typical Entry and Preparation Assignments

Entry education Associate's degree

Top Paying States for Geological Technicians, Except Hydrologic Technicians

1. Washington $63,910
2. Nevada $73,700
3. Tennessee $63,050
4. Indiana $79,290
5. Nebraska $63,160
6. California $69,410
7. Alaska $76,090
8. West Virginia $69,350
9. Wyoming $63,070
10. Maryland $102,090

Other Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations titles

  1. 1. Materials Scientists $117,790
  2. 2. Clinical and Counseling Psychologists $100,580
  3. 3. Economists $124,720
  4. 4. Political Scientists $142,080
  5. 5. Astronomers $128,820
  6. 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

Full Salary Details Compare this role

Data from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025. Projections from BLS Employment Projections program, 2024-2034.

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
Compare Geological Technicians, Except Hydrologic Technicians with another occupation →

Pay-band next reads

Entry-Level vs Experienced Pay

What percentile bands reveal

Using Salary Data for Negotiation

Leverage BLS percentiles

Frequently Asked Questions

Where does Geological Technicians, Except Hydrologic Technicians land on the Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations median table? ▼
Geological Technicians, Except Hydrologic Technicians is pay-rank #46 of 48 in this major group, lower third of the median table. Closest lower-third titles: Forest and Conservation Technicians ($55K), Food Science Technicians ($52K), Environmental Science and Protection Technicians, Including Health ($55K), Agricultural Technicians ($50K). That position is a table rank, not a worker percentile.
What do geological technicians, except hydrologic technicians do day to day? ▼
O*NET lists published task statements for Geological Technicians, Except Hydrologic Technicians. Leading ones include: Test and analyze samples to determine their content and characteristics, using laboratory apparatus or testing equipment; Collect or prepare solid or fluid samples for analysis; Compile, log, or record testing or operational data for review and further analysis; Prepare notes, sketches, geological maps, or cross-sections. These are occupation-level task descriptions, not every employer's job description.
Which O*NET skills rank highest for geological technicians, except hydrologic technicians? ▼
For SOC 19-4043, O*NET importance scores lead with Reading Comprehension (3.8), Critical Thinking (3.5), Writing (3.3), Monitoring (3.3). Knowledge areas emphasize Computers and Electronics, Engineering and Technology, Mathematics. These are occupation-level profiles, not a hiring checklist for every employer.
How wide is the published pay band for Geological Technicians, Except Hydrologic Technicians? ▼
OEWS places the 10th percentile at $35,770 and the 90th at $99,560 for Geological Technicians, Except Hydrologic Technicians (2.8× spread). The national median is $53,350. OEWS does not isolate experience, employer, or geography as the cause of that spread.
What employment change does BLS publish for Geological Technicians, Except Hydrologic Technicians? ▼
The 2024-2034 projection for Geological Technicians, Except Hydrologic Technicians is +2%. Projected annual openings: about 1,300. Relative to the current all-occupations baseline of 3.1%: about as fast as average.
What typical entry education does BLS assign to Geological Technicians, Except Hydrologic Technicians? ▼
BLS assigns Associate's degree as the typical-education-needed-for-entry category for Geological Technicians, Except Hydrologic Technicians. These are occupation-level labels, not every employer's hiring rule.
Which three states show the highest OEWS medians for Geological Technicians, Except Hydrologic Technicians? ▼
Washington ($63,910), Nevada ($73,700), Tennessee ($63,050) lead this ranking. The table does not identify why those state estimates differ.

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.

Disclaimer: Wage and outlook figures on this page are provided for informational purposes only and do not constitute career, financial, or salary-negotiation advice. Actual pay varies by employer, experience, and local conditions; consult a career counselor or the hiring employer for guidance specific to your situation.

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