19 Series · SOC 19-2042

Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers Salary

National pay, percentile range, growth outlook, and state-by-state detail from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey (May 2025).

$101,920
Median / year
+2.7%
2024→2025
$200,230
Top 10% earn
+3.2%
Growth '24–'34
23,470
Estimated US jobs

Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers earn a median of $101,920 per year.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, the median annual wage is $101,920, based on the most recent survey of employers. Reported pay ranges from $59,330 (10th percentile) to $200,230 (90th percentile) nationally, across roughly 23,470 estimated jobs in covered establishments. The highest published state median in this ranking is Texas ($145,220).

19 Series · Source: BLS OEWS Compare with another job →
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The pay verdict

Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers earn a median of $101,920, putting them among the better-paid US occupations and higher than 84% of the 825 occupations with a published BLS median. Within Life, Physical, and Social Science, it ranks #14 of 48 by median pay. Employment is projected to grow 3.2% by 2034.

$101,920
Median annual wage
Top 16%
of 825 US occupations with published wages
#14 of 48
in Life, Physical, and Social Science
3.4×
90th-to-10th pay spread

Highest-paying state: Texas at $145,220. Typical entry-level education: Bachelor's degree.

Observed pay change

What changed, BLS OEWS 2019–2025

May 2019 → May 2025
  • The published national median for Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers moved from $92,040 in May 2019 to $101,920 in May 2025 (+10.7%).
  • Across the 749 occupations priced in both releases under SOC-2018, the median occupation changed +24.5%.
  • Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers sits -13.7 pp behind that median, nominal dollars, no price deflator applied.

Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers (SOC 19-2042) has a national median of $101,920 per year in the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025 release. The published 10th-to-90th-percentile boundaries run from $59,330 to $200,230, and the published mean is $116,150. Those summary statistics describe the estimated distribution; their difference alone does not identify its cause. OEWS estimates 23,470 jobs in covered establishments nationally. WageDex has published rows for 50 state or territory areas and 119 metropolitan or nonmetropolitan wage areas. The published national median moved from $99,240 in the May 2024 OEWS release to $101,920 in May 2025, a rise of $2,680 (+2.7%). This is a change between two BLS survey estimates, not an inflation-adjusted same-worker pay raise.

BLS Employment Projections forecast a +3.2% change in employment from 2024 to 2034, which we classify as about as fast as average relative to the all-occupations baseline of 3.1%. About 2,000 openings are projected per year from growth, occupational transfers, and labor-force exits. BLS assigns Bachelor's degree as typical education needed for entry. BLS does not publish a separate occupation-specific fatality and injury rate for this role in the current release. The safety panel below shows its broad Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations SOC-group context and is not an occupation-level measurement or ranking.

Geographic variation matters as much as the headline median. Texas pays the highest state median at $145,220, which is +42% above the national figure. The highest published metropolitan-area median in this ranking is Midland, TX at $219,140. The observed difference does not identify its cause. Pair the national median with the state and metropolitan-area rows below while keeping the geography and statistic consistent. OEWS includes tips, commissions, incentive pay, and production bonuses, but not employer benefits, overtime premiums, stock compensation, or nonproduction bonuses. See our methodology for the sourcing and calculation details.

BLS OEWS May 2025 23,470 jobs Median $101,920/yr

Median Salary

$101,920

per year

Median Hourly

$49.00/hr

per hour

Mean Salary

$116,150

average

Employment

23,470

jobs nationwide

How does this pay compare nationally?

Where Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers pay sits nationally

Median annual wage vs. 825 detailed BLS occupations with a published median

$101,920 Top 16% higher than 84% of 825 US occupations

$0–$20,000: 0 US occupations (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 98 US occupations (12%). Below this entry. $40,000–$60,000: 298 US occupations (36%). Below this entry. $60,000–$80,000: 209 US occupations (25%). Below this entry. $80,000–$100,000: 82 US occupations (10%). Below this entry. $100,000–$120,000: 58 US occupations (7%). This entry sits in this band. $120,000–$140,000: 32 US occupations (4%). Above this entry. $140,000–$160,000: 14 US occupations (2%). Above this entry. $160,000–$180,000: 9 US occupations (1%). Above this entry. $180,000 and above: 25 US occupations (3%). Above this entry. This job $0 $180,000+ every BLS occupation, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US occupations. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Read the chart as text · as of May 2025
Band Count Share
$0–$20,000 0 US occupations 0%
$20,000–$40,000 98 US occupations 12%
$40,000–$60,000 298 US occupations 36%
$60,000–$80,000 209 US occupations 25%
$80,000–$100,000 82 US occupations 10%
$100,000–$120,000 (this entry) 58 US occupations 7%
$120,000–$140,000 32 US occupations 4%
$140,000–$160,000 14 US occupations 2%
$160,000–$180,000 9 US occupations 1%
$180,000 and above 25 US occupations 3%

$101,920 · 84th percentile of 825 US occupations

Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS · May 2025

Does this job pay well and grow?

Each dot is a 19-series occupation, placed by projected 2024–2034 growth and median pay. The highlighted dot is Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers; the upper-right quadrant is the sweet spot (high pay + fast growth).

Among 24 19-series occupations with growth data, Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers sits on the slower-growing side at +3.2% growth and $101,920 median pay. Scatter plot of 24 data points. $0$50000$100000$150000$200000 -5%0%5%10%15% Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) Median annual wage Medical Scientists, … - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 8.7% · Median annual wage: $103410Occupational Health … - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 12.5% · Median annual wage: $90150Environmental Scient… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 4.4% · Median annual wage: $82220Chemists - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 4.9% · Median annual wage: $91240Clinical and Counsel… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 11.2% · Median annual wage: $100580Life, Physical, and … - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 3.5% · Median annual wage: $62280Biological Technicians - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 3.5% · Median annual wage: $57510School Psychologists - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 0.7% · Median annual wage: $95990Chemical Technicians - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 3.7% · Median annual wage: $60390Biological Scientist… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 1.2% · Median annual wage: $98920Urban and Regional P… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 3.4% · Median annual wage: $89320Social Scientists an… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -1.7% · Median annual wage: $101110Environmental Scienc… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 4% · Median annual wage: $55090Biochemists and Biop… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 5.8% · Median annual wage: $127410Social Science Resea… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 4.4% · Median annual wage: $61990Occupational Health … - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 8.5% · Median annual wage: $61560Forest and Conservat… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -3.2% · Median annual wage: $54560Conservation Scienti… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 3.4% · Median annual wage: $73010Geoscientists, Excep… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 3.2% · Median annual wage: $101920Physical Scientists,… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 0.6% · Median annual wage: $122570Physicists - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 4% · Median annual wage: $172250Forensic Science Tec… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 12.8% · Median annual wage: $72060Microbiologists - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 4.1% · Median annual wage: $87990Psychologists, All O… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 4.3% · Median annual wage: $110840
Among 24 19-series occupations with growth data, Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers sits on the slower-growing side at +3.2% growth and $101,920 median pay.
Read the chart as text
  • Medical Scientists, …: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 8.7%, Median annual wage $103410
  • Occupational Health …: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 12.5%, Median annual wage $90150
  • Environmental Scient…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 4.4%, Median annual wage $82220
  • Chemists: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 4.9%, Median annual wage $91240
  • Clinical and Counsel…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 11.2%, Median annual wage $100580
  • Life, Physical, and …: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 3.5%, Median annual wage $62280
  • Biological Technicians: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 3.5%, Median annual wage $57510
  • School Psychologists: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 0.7%, Median annual wage $95990
  • Chemical Technicians: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 3.7%, Median annual wage $60390
  • Biological Scientist…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 1.2%, Median annual wage $98920
  • Urban and Regional P…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 3.4%, Median annual wage $89320
  • Social Scientists an…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -1.7%, Median annual wage $101110
  • Environmental Scienc…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 4%, Median annual wage $55090
  • Biochemists and Biop…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 5.8%, Median annual wage $127410
  • Social Science Resea…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 4.4%, Median annual wage $61990
  • Occupational Health …: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 8.5%, Median annual wage $61560
  • Forest and Conservat…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -3.2%, Median annual wage $54560
  • Conservation Scienti…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 3.4%, Median annual wage $73010
  • Geoscientists, Excep…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 3.2%, Median annual wage $101920
  • Physical Scientists,…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 0.6%, Median annual wage $122570
  • Physicists: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 4%, Median annual wage $172250
  • Forensic Science Tec…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 12.8%, Median annual wage $72060
  • Microbiologists: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 4.1%, Median annual wage $87990
  • Psychologists, All O…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 4.3%, Median annual wage $110840

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS (wages, May 2025) and Employment Projections (2024–2034).

Job Outlook (2024–2034)

Projected Growth

+3.2%

About as fast as average

Annual Openings

2,000

per year (projected)

Employment Change

+800

25,100 (2024) → 26,000 (2034)

Typical Education

Bachelor's degree

Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034

Workplace Safety

All safety ratings →
Group

Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations context

Broad SOC context, not an occupation grade

Fatality Rate

1.5/100K

Injury Rate

0.7/100

Danger Index

3.6/100

Source: BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) & Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII), 2023

Career Intelligence

Skills, knowledge, and tasks most important for Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers roles, ranked by importance. Source: O*NET.

Top Skills

Reading Comprehension 4.1
Speaking 4.0
Science 4.0
Critical Thinking 4.0
Active Listening 3.9
Writing 3.9
Complex Problem Solving 3.9
Judgment and Decision Making 3.9
Mathematics 3.4
Active Learning 3.3

Knowledge Areas

Geography 4.0
Mathematics 3.8
English Language 3.8
Chemistry 3.8
Physics 3.6
Computers and Electronics 3.6
Engineering and Technology 3.2
Education and Training 3.2
Biology 2.9
Law and Government 2.9

Key Tasks

  • Plan or conduct geological, geochemical, or geophysical field studies or surveys, sample collection, or drilling and testing programs used to collect data for research or application.
  • Analyze and interpret geological data, using computer software.
  • Investigate the composition, structure, or history of the Earth's crust through the collection, examination, measurement, or classification of soils, minerals, rocks, or fossil remains.
  • Analyze and interpret geological, geochemical, or geophysical information from sources, such as survey data, well logs, bore holes, or aerial photos.
  • Identify risks for natural disasters, such as mudslides, earthquakes, or volcanic eruptions.
  • Assess ground or surface water movement to provide advice on issues, such as waste management, route and site selection, or the restoration of contaminated sites.
  • Prepare geological maps, cross-sectional diagrams, charts, or reports concerning mineral extraction, land use, or resource management, using results of fieldwork or laboratory research.
  • Communicate geological findings by writing research papers, participating in conferences, or teaching geological science at universities.
  • Inspect construction projects to analyze engineering problems, using test equipment or drilling machinery.
  • Provide advice on the safe siting of new nuclear reactor projects or methods of nuclear waste management.

Source: O*NET Online, National Center for O*NET Development. Data represents typical importance ratings for this occupation.

Salary Range

Annual Salary Distribution

10th$59,330
25th$75,110
Median$101,920
75th$139,380
90th$200,230

Hourly Rate Distribution

10th$28.52
25th$36.11
Median$49.00
75th$67.01
90th$96.26

Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers pay history, 2015–2025

Published national median across 11 BLS OEWS releases. Nominal dollars, not inflation-adjusted.

$80,000$85,000$90,000$95,000$100,000$105,000 20152016201720182019202020212022202320242025 National median - 2015: $89,700National median - 2016: $89,780National median - 2017: $89,850National median - 2018: $91,130National median - 2019: $92,040National median - 2020: $93,580National median - 2021: $83,680National median - 2022: $87,480National median - 2023: $92,580National median - 2024: $99,240National median - 2025: $101,920$101,920
National median annual wage for Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers, May 2015 to May 2025 OEWS releases
Read the chart as text
Period National median
2015 $89,700
2016 $89,780
2017 $89,850
2018 $91,130
2019 $92,040
2020 $93,580
2021 $83,680
2022 $87,480
2023 $92,580
2024 $99,240
2025 $101,920

2015 median

$89,700

2025 median

$101,920

2019–2025 change (same SOC)

+$9,880 (+10.7%)

Avg/year (same SOC)

+1.7%

Published national median annual wage and estimated employment for Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers by OEWS release year
Release Median Change Estimated jobs
May 2015 $89,700 First banked release 31,800
May 2016 $89,780 +0.1% 30,420
May 2017 $89,850 +0.1% 28,520
May 2018 $91,130 +1.4% 29,260
May 2019 $92,040 Classification break 29,200
May 2020 $93,580 +1.7% 27,890
May 2021 $83,680 -10.6% 23,620
May 2022 $87,480 +4.5% 25,230
May 2023 $92,580 +5.8% 24,620
May 2024 $99,240 +7.2% 22,510
May 2025 $101,920 +2.7% 23,470

Across the 11 releases WageDex holds for this occupation, the published national median went from $89,700 in May 2015 to $101,920 in May 2025. Within the SOC-2018 classification (2019–2025), the like-for-like change averages +1.7% per year in nominal terms. Within the same SOC classification, estimated employment went from 29,200 in May 2019 to 23,470 in May 2025.

Each figure is a separate BLS survey estimate, so a change between releases reflects the estimated occupation-wide median in each year. It is not the raise any individual worker received, and it is not adjusted for inflation. Years where BLS did not publish an annual median for this occupation are omitted rather than filled in. This span also crosses a classification change: releases before May 2019 use the 2010 Standard Occupational Classification and later releases use the 2018 SOC, so figures either side of that boundary are not strictly like-for-like. Headline change rates on this page use only the same-classification subset.

Salary by State

View all 50 states →
# State Median Salary vs National
1 Texas $145,220 +42% above national
2 Rhode Island $121,010 +19% above national
3 Oklahoma $119,990 +18% above national
4 Colorado $114,410 +12% above national
5 Mississippi $112,400 +10% above national
6 Maryland $110,510 +8% above national
7 Massachusetts $108,210 +6% above national
8 Alaska $107,410 +5% above national
9 California $106,500 +4% above national
10 Hawaii $106,270 +4% above national
11 Washington $105,020 +3% above national
12 New Hampshire $101,150 1% below national
13 Nevada $99,890 2% below national
14 Oregon $98,110 4% below national
15 Illinois $96,950 5% below national
16 North Carolina $95,260 7% below national
17 Florida $95,140 7% below national
18 Delaware $93,640 8% below national
19 Louisiana $91,560 10% below national
20 Idaho $91,170 11% below national
21 Utah $89,990 12% below national
22 Alabama $88,610 13% below national
23 New Mexico $88,530 13% below national
24 New Jersey $88,500 13% below national
25 Virginia $88,390 13% below national
26 Vermont $87,070 15% below national
27 Maine $86,840 15% below national
28 New York $86,410 15% below national
29 South Carolina $86,070 16% below national
30 Nebraska $85,550 16% below national
31 Arizona $85,190 16% below national
32 Pennsylvania $84,180 17% below national
33 North Dakota $84,070 18% below national
34 Missouri $83,390 18% below national
35 Ohio $81,220 20% below national
36 Michigan $80,990 21% below national
37 Minnesota $80,540 21% below national
38 Kansas $80,080 21% below national
39 Wisconsin $78,610 23% below national
40 Tennessee $77,870 24% below national
41 Kentucky $77,510 24% below national
42 West Virginia $76,060 25% below national
43 Montana $75,520 26% below national
44 Wyoming $74,910 27% below national
45 Iowa $74,460 27% below national
46 Georgia $73,920 27% below national
47 South Dakota $71,150 30% below national
48 Indiana $68,240 33% below national
49 Arkansas $67,880 33% below national
50 Connecticut $61,810 39% below national

Salary by Metro Area

View all 105 metro areas →
# Metro Area Median Salary vs National
1 Midland, TX $219,140 +115% above national
2 Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX $174,490 +71% above national
3 Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL $154,390 +51% above national
4 Lubbock, TX $140,660 +38% above national
5 San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA $136,120 +34% above national
6 Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA $136,120 +34% above national
7 Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA $132,790 +30% above national
8 Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX $132,780 +30% above national
9 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV $132,620 +30% above national
10 Odessa, TX $129,730 +27% above national
11 New Orleans-Metairie, LA $125,570 +23% above national
12 San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $122,310 +20% above national
13 Gulfport-Biloxi, MS $122,100 +20% above national
14 Grand Junction, CO $121,820 +20% above national
15 Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO $120,480 +18% above national
16 Providence-Warwick, RI-MA $120,240 +18% above national
17 Oklahoma City, OK $119,990 +18% above national
18 Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA $119,950 +18% above national
19 Fresno, CA $117,420 +15% above national
20 San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA $117,420 +15% above national
21 Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN $114,030 +12% above national
22 Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA $111,830 +10% above national
23 Redding, CA $111,830 +10% above national
24 Anchorage, AK $111,290 +9% above national
25 Boulder, CO $107,860 +6% above national
26 Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA $107,800 +6% above national
27 Urban Honolulu, HI $106,260 +4% above national
28 Longview, TX $105,450 +3% above national
29 Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA $105,020 +3% above national
30 San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA $104,760 +3% above national
31 Wilmington, NC $102,990 +1% above national
32 Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH $102,730 +1% above national
33 Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL $101,750 same as national
34 Fairbanks-College, AK $100,250 2% below national
35 Wichita, KS $100,160 2% below national
36 Durham-Chapel Hill, NC $99,560 2% below national
37 Billings, MT $99,270 3% below national
38 Asheville, NC $99,160 3% below national
39 Kennewick-Richland, WA $97,770 4% below national
40 Manchester-Nashua, NH $97,610 4% below national
41 Jacksonville, FL $97,470 4% below national
42 Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL $97,330 5% below national
43 Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL $95,140 7% below national
44 Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD $94,850 7% below national
45 Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA $94,660 7% below national
46 Reno, NV $94,610 7% below national
47 Fort Collins-Loveland, CO $94,300 7% below national
48 Salt Lake City-Murray, UT $93,030 9% below national
49 Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX $92,930 9% below national
50 Omaha, NE-IA $92,340 9% below national
51 Trenton-Princeton, NJ $92,150 10% below national
52 Lansing-East Lansing, MI $91,100 11% below national
53 New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ $90,810 11% below national
54 Tucson, AZ $90,700 11% below national
55 Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA $90,270 11% below national
56 Kansas City, MO-KS $90,060 12% below national
57 Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC $89,770 12% below national
58 San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX $88,990 13% below national
59 Boise City, ID $88,640 13% below national
60 Columbia, SC $88,290 13% below national
61 Raleigh-Cary, NC $87,220 14% below national
62 Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY $86,870 15% below national
63 Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD $86,650 15% below national
64 Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC $86,420 15% below national
65 College Station-Bryan, TX $86,260 15% below national
66 Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV $84,910 17% below national
67 Madison, WI $84,520 17% below national
68 Corvallis, OR $84,190 17% below national
69 Columbus, OH $84,140 17% below national
70 Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN $83,970 18% below national
71 Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI $83,100 18% below national
72 Akron, OH $83,010 19% below national
73 Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ $81,750 20% below national
74 Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY $81,710 20% below national
75 Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA $81,630 20% below national
76 Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN $81,330 20% below national
77 Colorado Springs, CO $80,660 21% below national
78 Jackson, MS $80,660 21% below national
79 Richmond, VA $80,490 21% below national
80 Albuquerque, NM $79,820 22% below national
81 Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA $79,780 22% below national
82 Lafayette, LA $79,240 22% below national
83 Springfield, IL $79,190 22% below national
84 Syracuse, NY $78,680 23% below national
85 St. Louis, MO-IL $78,630 23% below national
86 Burlington-South Burlington, VT $78,570 23% below national
87 Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI $78,500 23% below national
88 Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN $78,290 23% below national
89 Cleveland, OH $77,890 24% below national
90 Knoxville, TN $77,870 24% below national
91 Baton Rouge, LA $76,640 25% below national
92 Pittsburgh, PA $76,410 25% below national
93 Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC $76,060 25% below national
94 Duluth, MN-WI $75,450 26% below national
95 Cheyenne, WY $74,150 27% below national
96 Rochester, NY $73,320 28% below national
97 Charleston-North Charleston, SC $71,500 30% below national
98 Tallahassee, FL $70,200 31% below national
99 Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA $70,180 31% below national
100 Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR $69,230 32% below national
101 Lexington-Fayette, KY $67,700 34% below national
102 Chattanooga, TN-GA $63,270 38% below national
103 Tyler, TX $62,840 38% below national
104 Shreveport-Bossier City, LA $59,390 42% below national
105 Casper, WY $55,130 46% below national

Same SOC major group

Other detailed occupations in SOC major group 19 (Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations) - category peers, not a pay match.

Showing 5 of 47 detailed occupations BLS assigns to this SOC major group.

Nationwide occupations with similar pay or employment scale

Two OEWS peer sets outside this SOC major group (Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations). Same-category cards above stay inside the group; these neighborhoods are cross-group nearest neighbors on national median pay ($101,920 here) and reported employment (23,470 jobs here).

Peers are nearest-neighbor matches on BLS OEWS national median annual wage and reported employment. Employment peers exclude occupations already listed in the pay column so the two link sets stay distinct.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much do Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers make?
The median annual salary for Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers is $101,920 ($49.00/hour). The salary range spans from $59,330 at the 10th percentile to $200,230 at the 90th percentile.
Where does Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers pay rank nationally?
At a published national median of $101,920, Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers pay is higher than 84% of the 825 detailed occupations with a published BLS annual median in the May 2025 OEWS release. This compares occupation-level medians, not individual workers, job offers, or this occupation's own worker pay-percentile range.
What state pays Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers the most?
Texas pays the highest median salary for Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers at $145,220/year, which is +42% above the national median.
What education do Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers need?
BLS assigns Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers to Bachelor's degree for typical education needed for entry.
Does BLS publish a safety rate for Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers?
BLS does not publish a separate occupation-specific fatality and injury rate for Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers in this release. WageDex shows the Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations SOC-group rate only as broad context and does not rank it as this occupation's measured rate.
Is Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers a good career?
Employment for Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers is projected to grow 3.2% from 2024 to 2034, which is about as fast as average. About 2,000 openings are projected each year.
How does Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers pay vary by state?
Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers salaries vary significantly by state. The highest-paying state is Texas at $145,220/year, while Connecticut pays the least at $61,810/year. BLS data covers 50 states and territories.
Which metro areas pay the most for Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers?
The highest published metropolitan-area median in this ranking is Midland, TX at $219,140/year. BLS reports a median for 105 metropolitan areas for this occupation. The ranking does not establish why values differ.

What to do with this data

How to use Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers pay figures in a real decision

  • The 75th-percentile wage is about $139,380/year. Treat it as the upper-quartile market boundary, not an automatic target for experience alone; role scope, location, industry, credentials, performance, and employer context still need separate evidence. Salary calculator
  • Location moves pay significantly: Texas leads at $145,220/year for this role. Weigh state pay against local cost of living before relocating or negotiating remote. Pay by state
  • Compare this occupation against similar roles before you decide, so you are reading the pay band in context rather than in isolation. Compare jobs

These are BLS survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. Your pay depends on experience, employer, exact role, and location.

Data as of May 2025. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 annual release. Employment projections from BLS Employment Projections program, 2024–2034. Data reflects cross-industry estimates for all ownership types.

These are survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. See how to use them.

Source data and WageDex calculations are identified in context on this page. Occupation wages use BLS OEWS May 2025; outlook uses BLS Employment Projections for 2024–2034; safety, skills, knowledge, and task panels identify their BLS or O*NET sources in context. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.

This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or career advice. Actual pay for a specific role, employer, or offer may differ from these national/state figures, consult a qualified career counselor, recruiter, or financial advisor before making decisions based on this data.