Life, Physical, and Social Science · Holland code IRC

Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers

Study the composition, structure, and other physical aspects of the Earth. May use geological, physics, and mathematics knowledge in exploration for oil, gas, minerals, or underground water; or in waste disposal, land reclamation, or other environmental problems. May study the Earth's internal composition, atmospheres, and oceans, and its magnetic, electrical, and gravitational forces. Includes mineralogists, paleontologists, stratigraphers, geodesists, and seismologists.

Also called: Geologist, Mine Geologist, Project Geologist, Research Geologist, Engineering Geologist, Environmental Protection Geologist, Exploration Geologist, Geoscientist.

O*NET 19-2042.00

At a glance

US median annual pay: $101,920; Middle half earn $75,110 to $139,380. BLS OEWS, May 2025.
Most common education: Bachelor's Degree; 48% of workers surveyed by O*NET report this level.
Preparation needed: Job Zone 4 of 5; Considerable preparation. Zone 1 is little or none; zone 5 is graduate-level.
US employment outlook, 2024 to 2034: +3% · As fast as average; 25,100 jobs in 2024, projected 26,000. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, which groups this with similar roles as "Geoscientists".

What the work involves

The tasks workers in this occupation rate as most important, from the O*NET survey.

Locate and review research articles or environmental, historical, or technical reports.
Communicate geological findings by writing research papers, participating in conferences, or teaching geological science at universities.
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.
Prepare geological maps, cross-sectional diagrams, charts, or reports concerning mineral extraction, land use, or resource management, using results of fieldwork or laboratory research.
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.
Locate and estimate probable natural gas, oil, or mineral ore deposits or underground water resources, using aerial photographs, charts, or research or survey results.

Skills and knowledge it leans on

Skills

Reading Comprehension4.3 / 5
Science4.3 / 5
Writing4.0 / 5
Speaking4.0 / 5
Critical Thinking4.0 / 5
Active Listening3.9 / 5

Knowledge areas

Geography4.2 / 5
Mathematics4.1 / 5
Chemistry4.0 / 5
Physics3.9 / 5
English Language3.9 / 5
Computers and Electronics3.5 / 5

Importance ratings on O*NET’s 1 to 5 scale. Higher means the occupation depends on it more.

Who tends to enjoy it

How strongly this occupation draws on each of the six Holland interest types, which is the same profile the career interests test compares you against.

Realistic77
Investigative100
Artistic29
Social21
Enterprising11
Conventional53

The same work abroad

Other countries classify jobs differently, so these are the closest matches through the international ISCO-08 standard, not exact equivalents.

European occupation titles (ESCO)

geologist · DE Geologe/Geologin · FR géologue
environmental geologist · DE Umweltgeologe/Umweltgeologin · FR géologue environnementaliste
seismologist · DE Seismologe/Seismologin · FR sismologue
exploration geologist · DE Explorationsgeologe/Explorationsgeologin · FR géologue prospecteur/géologue prospectrice
geochemist · DE Geochemiker/Geochemikerin · FR géochimiste
geophysicist · DE Geophysiker/Geophysikerin · FR géophysicien/géophysicienne

Closest UK occupation groups (SOC 2020)

Civil engineers (2121)94,100 employed
Laboratory technicians (3111)51,100 employed
Physical scientists (2114)31,600 employed

Employment is the UK Annual Population Survey for April 2025 to March 2026, all workers in the group, which can be broader than this one occupation.

Pay across Europe, for the whole group

Median annual earnings of all employees in “Professionals”. This is the broad ISCO group this occupation falls in, not the occupation itself, so treat it as context for the wage level, not as a salary for this job.

Median annual earnings, Professionals, by country
Country	Median pay
Belgium	€61,714
Germany	€59,529
Ireland	€56,877
Austria	€55,374
Netherlands	€53,595
Sweden	€43,567
France	€41,515
Spain	€35,735
Italy	€33,649
Portugal	€26,072
Poland	€14,380

Eurostat Structure of Earnings Survey, businesses with ten or more employees outside public administration, in euro and not adjusted for the cost of living. Reference years differ between sources: the US, Japan and Europe figures on this page come from different survey years, so compare them as rough levels, not to the euro or yen.

Exposure to AI

This occupation sits in the higher third of the 774 occupations scored, with an exposure score of +0.71. The scores are standardized across those occupations, so 0 is the average and a score of 1 is about one standard deviation above it.

Our note on reading it: the dataset links AI applications to the abilities that occupations require, so the score reflects overlap between the two. It is a comparison between occupations, not a forecast about jobs. It does not say whether exposure means tasks are replaced or workers get more done with the tools, and it says little about one employer or one role.

Source: Felten, E., Raj, M., & Seamans, R. (2021). Occupational, industry, and geographic exposure to artificial intelligence: A novel dataset and its potential uses. Strategic Management Journal, 42(12), 2195-2217. Matched to this page by 6-digit SOC code (19-2042).

Is it a fit for you?

Interest is one input, alongside ability, pay and what is hiring near you. The career interests test takes about thirteen minutes and ranks occupations by how closely their profile matches yours.

Take the career interests test