Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers Salaries by State
Mean and median pay, wage percentiles, employment, and top-paying metro areas for geoscientists, except hydrologists and geographerss across the U.S. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 (data.bls.gov OEWS tool /OESServices/combo/table, all-occupation crawl by area).
National mean salary $116,150 ≈ $56/hr
National median salary $101,920
Total employment 23,470 nationwide
Job Outlook, 2024–2034
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034.
Projected growth +3.2%
About as fast as average
Annual openings 2,000 per year (avg)
Employment 2024→2034 25,100 → 26,000 (+800)
Typical entry education Bachelor's degree
Salary Map
Brighter tiles = higher average pay; dashed tiles have no data. Click a state for details.
💰 Top 5 Highest-Paying States
- Texas$160,070
- Massachusetts$133,880
- Colorado$132,120
- Oklahoma$123,090
- Rhode Island$119,270
📉 5 Lowest-Paying States
- Connecticut$67,580
- South Dakota$72,030
- Indiana$76,640
- Arkansas$76,830
- Iowa$77,720
State Rankings
| # | State | Mean | Median | Hourly | vs. U.S. | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Texas | $160,070 | $145,220 | $77 | +37.8% | 4,900 |
| 2 | Massachusetts | $133,880 | $108,210 | $64 | +15.3% | 420 |
| 3 | Colorado | $132,120 | $114,410 | $64 | +13.7% | 1,480 |
| 4 | Oklahoma | $123,090 | $119,990 | $59 | +6% | 770 |
| 5 | Rhode Island | $119,270 | $121,010 | $57 | +2.7% | — |
| 6 | Alaska | $118,750 | $107,410 | $57 | +2.2% | 430 |
| 7 | Washington | $117,140 | $105,020 | $56 | +0.9% | 840 |
| 8 | Mississippi | $115,470 | $112,400 | $56 | -0.6% | 250 |
| 9 | Maryland | $114,240 | $110,510 | $55 | -1.6% | 390 |
| 10 | Illinois | $109,290 | $96,950 | $53 | -5.9% | 410 |
| 11 | California | $108,910 | $106,500 | $52 | -6.2% | 3,350 |
| 12 | Nevada | $106,850 | $99,890 | $51 | -8% | 520 |
| 13 | Hawaii | $106,100 | $106,270 | $51 | -8.7% | 110 |
| 14 | Virginia | $105,120 | $88,390 | $51 | -9.5% | 300 |
| 15 | Idaho | $104,530 | $91,170 | $50 | -10% | 130 |
| 16 | Florida | $103,290 | $95,140 | $50 | -11.1% | 660 |
| 17 | Oregon | $103,270 | $98,110 | $50 | -11.1% | 380 |
| 18 | Louisiana | $100,990 | $91,560 | $49 | -13.1% | 440 |
| 19 | North Carolina | $100,170 | $95,260 | $48 | -13.8% | 570 |
| 20 | New Hampshire | $98,390 | $101,150 | $47 | -15.3% | — |
| 21 | New York | $97,780 | $86,410 | $47 | -15.8% | 600 |
| 22 | Utah | $97,600 | $89,990 | $47 | -16% | 300 |
| 23 | New Mexico | $94,290 | $88,530 | $45 | -18.8% | 160 |
| 24 | Delaware | $93,330 | $93,640 | $45 | -19.6% | 110 |
| 25 | New Jersey | $93,180 | $88,500 | $45 | -19.8% | 300 |
| 26 | Vermont | $93,070 | $87,070 | $45 | -19.9% | — |
| 27 | Pennsylvania | $92,830 | $84,180 | $45 | -20.1% | 910 |
| 28 | Minnesota | $92,530 | $80,540 | $44 | -20.3% | 240 |
| 29 | North Dakota | $92,300 | $84,070 | $44 | -20.5% | 100 |
| 30 | Maine | $91,660 | $86,840 | $44 | -21.1% | 70 |
| 31 | Missouri | $91,250 | $83,390 | $44 | -21.4% | 260 |
| 32 | South Carolina | $91,120 | $86,070 | $44 | -21.5% | 230 |
| 33 | Arizona | $90,240 | $85,190 | $43 | -22.3% | 550 |
| 34 | Kansas | $90,000 | $80,080 | $43 | -22.5% | 190 |
| 35 | Alabama | $89,960 | $88,610 | $43 | -22.5% | 110 |
| 36 | Wisconsin | $88,150 | $78,610 | $42 | -24.1% | 110 |
| 37 | Nebraska | $87,510 | $85,550 | $42 | -24.7% | 110 |
| 38 | Michigan | $86,420 | $80,990 | $42 | -25.6% | 320 |
| 39 | Ohio | $86,230 | $81,220 | $41 | -25.8% | 410 |
| 40 | Montana | $85,330 | $75,520 | $41 | -26.5% | 210 |
| 41 | Georgia | $85,320 | $73,920 | $41 | -26.5% | 340 |
| 42 | Tennessee | $84,130 | $77,870 | $40 | -27.6% | 230 |
| 43 | West Virginia | $83,010 | $76,060 | $40 | -28.5% | 90 |
| 44 | Wyoming | $80,550 | $74,910 | $39 | -30.7% | 220 |
| 45 | Kentucky | $79,810 | $77,510 | $38 | -31.3% | 170 |
| 46 | Iowa | $77,720 | $74,460 | $37 | -33.1% | 40 |
| 47 | Arkansas | $76,830 | $67,880 | $37 | -33.9% | 70 |
| 48 | Indiana | $76,640 | $68,240 | $37 | -34% | 270 |
| 49 | South Dakota | $72,030 | $71,150 | $35 | -38% | 80 |
| 50 | Connecticut | $67,580 | $61,810 | $32 | -41.8% | — |
Top-Paying Metro Areas
Highest median pay among 121 metro areas.
| # | Metro area | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Midland, TX | $219,140 | $192,880 | 370 |
| 2 | Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | $174,490 | $179,730 | 2,380 |
| 3 | Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL | $154,390 | $146,810 | 40 |
| 4 | Lubbock, TX | $140,660 | $157,570 | 40 |
| 5 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $136,120 | $141,410 | 170 |
| 6 | Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | $136,120 | $142,520 | 50 |
| 7 | Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $132,790 | $119,950 | 60 |
| 8 | Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $132,780 | $146,630 | 610 |
| 9 | Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $132,620 | $136,890 | 320 |
| 10 | Odessa, TX | $129,730 | $146,260 | 60 |
Pay by Industry
Highest-paying industries employing geoscientists, except hydrologists and geographerss (BLS OEWS, by median).
| # | Industry | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oil and Gas Extraction | $206,950 | $198,230 | 2,780 |
| 2 | Oil and Gas Extraction | $206,950 | $198,230 | 2,780 |
| 3 | Management of Companies and Enterprises | $168,680 | $171,000 | 910 |
| 4 | Management of Companies and Enterprises | $168,680 | $171,000 | 910 |
| 5 | Sector 55 - Management of Companies and Enterprises | $168,680 | $171,000 | 910 |
| 6 | Sector 21 - Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction | $158,590 | $161,440 | 4,350 |
| 7 | Machinery Manufacturing | $139,490 | $156,880 | 70 |
| 8 | Machinery Manufacturing (3331, 3332, 3334, and 3339 only) | $139,490 | $156,880 | 70 |
| 9 | Utilities | $133,170 | $141,130 | 120 |
| 10 | Sector 22 - Utilities | $133,170 | $141,130 | 120 |
| 11 | Fossil Fuel Electric Power Generation | $133,030 | $133,620 | 40 |
| 12 | Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution | $133,020 | $130,520 | 90 |
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do geoscientists, except hydrologists and geographers make in the U.S.?
The median geoscientists, except hydrologists and geographers salary in the United States is $101,920 per year (mean $116,150), and about 80% earn between $59,330 and $200,230.
How much do geoscientists, except hydrologists and geographers make per hour?
Roughly $56 per hour, based on a mean annual wage of $116,150 and 2,080 work hours per year.
Which state pays geoscientists, except hydrologists and geographers the most?
Texas has the highest average pay for geoscientists, except hydrologists and geographers at $160,070 per year (median $145,220).
What is the job outlook for geoscientists, except hydrologists and geographers?
Employment is projected to change +3.2% from 2024 to 2034 (About as fast as average), with about 2,000 openings per year.
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Common U.S. search queries related to this occupation.
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