Occupation salary profile

Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers

SOC 19-2042 BLS OEWS May 2025 H-1B LCAs, last 12 months

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.

National median · BLS
$101,920
▲ +2.7% YoY
H-1B sponsor median
$86,237
▼ -4.19% YoY · 253 LCAs
Average salary · BLS
$116,150
Mean annual wage
U.S. employment
23,470
Jobs (BLS)
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Enter your pay and a location to see where you stand against BLS and H-1B pay, your estimated take-home pay, and your purchasing power.

Pay range for Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers

Annual base pay at each percentile. BLS covers all U.S. workers in this occupation; H-1B covers 253 certified Labor Condition Applications filed by sponsoring employers in the last 12 months.

Percentile All U.S. workers (BLS) H-1B sponsored
10th — entry pay$59,330$62,338
25th$75,110$70,008
Median (50th)$101,920$86,237
75th$139,380$115,895
90th — top pay$200,230$171,900
H-1B sponsors pay a median of $86,237 for Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers — 15.4% below the BLS national median of $101,920.

Hourly ⇄ annual pay

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Based on hrs/week × weeks/year = 2,080 hrs
Projections 2025–2035

Job outlook for Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers

BLS projects employment of geoscientists, except hydrologists and geographers to grow 5.1% from 2025 to 2035, faster than the 3.5% average for all occupations. About 1,800 openings are projected each year, on average, from new jobs and from replacing workers who retire or move to other occupations.

Jobs 2025 → 2035
25,400 → 26,700
+1,300 jobs
Projected change
+5.1%
All occupations: +3.5%
Openings per year
1,800
Average, 2025–2035
Typical entry education
Bachelor's degree
No related experience required
Self-employed
4.9% of workers (2025)
Preparation needed (O*NET Job Zone 4)
Considerable Preparation Needed. Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
Fastest-growing jobs → Best-paying jobs that need a bachelor's degree →

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2025–2035 · BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook →

H-1B sponsored pay

Pay by H-1B wage level

Employers assign every H-1B filing a Department of Labor prevailing-wage level, from Level I (entry) to Level IV (fully competent). Pay rises steeply with level.

H-1B median $86,237
Change vs prior year -4.19%
After inflation (CPI-U) -7.1%
Wage level LCAs Share P25 Median P75
Level I 104 41.1% $64,875 $74,500 $88,850
Level II 63 24.9% $79,955 $90,000 $117,655
Level III 20 7.9% $106,070 $114,600 $147,188
Level IV 29 11.5% $125,600 $172,425 $200,000
H-1B job titles

Salaries by job title in Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers

The 5 most-filed job titles inside SOC 19-2042, from 253 H-1B filings. Seniority words and level numbers are grouped (“Senior Data Engineer II” counts as Data Engineer). Tap a title for its full range, wage levels and the exact titles employers used.

Job title LCAs Share P25 Median P75 YoY
Geologist 24 9.49% $82,538 $89,300 $99,550 +5.83%
Research Associate 20 7.91% $65,004 $70,008 $77,000 -12.49%
Postdoctoral Fellow 11 4.35% $65,000 $65,000 $66,510 +0%
Postdoctoral Scholar 11 4.35% $62,508 $65,640 $70,000 -20.37%
Research Scientist 11 4.35% $83,975 $100,000 $110,643 -14.3%

Titles are cleaned from the employer's own LCA text (codes and typos removed, nothing invented). Rows need 10+ filings in this SOC.

Skills & tools

Skills needed for Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers

How important each skill and knowledge area is for this job, rated by O*NET on a 1–5 scale from surveys of workers and occupational analysts.

Top skills
  • Reading Comprehension4.3
  • Science4.3
  • Critical Thinking4.0
  • Speaking4.0
  • Writing4.0
  • Active Listening3.9
  • Complex Problem Solving3.9
  • Judgment and Decision Making3.9
  • Mathematics3.5
  • Active Learning3.4
Top knowledge areas
  • Geography4.2
  • Mathematics4.1
  • Chemistry4.0
  • English Language3.9
  • Physics3.9
  • Computers and Electronics3.5
  • Engineering and Technology3.5
  • Education and Training3.3
Software and technology used
Autodesk AutoCADESRI ArcGIS softwareGitMicrosoft ExcelMicrosoft Office softwareMicrosoft OutlookMicrosoft PowerPointMicrosoft WordPythonGeographic information system GIS systemsAdobe AcrobatAdobe PhotoshopMicrosoft AccessMicrosoft Active Server Pages ASPMicrosoft ProjectMySQLSASThe MathWorks MATLAB

Highlighted = in demand: frequently listed in employer job postings for this occupation (O*NET).

Source: O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.

About the job

What geoscientists, except hydrologists and geographers do

  • 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.
Also called
GeologistMine GeologistProject GeologistResearch GeologistEngineering GeologistEnvironmental Protection GeologistExploration GeologistGeoscientistPetroleum GeologistProject Geophysicist
More job titles for this occupation (27)
Consultant GeologistDevelopment GeologistEnvironmental GeologistField GeologistGeochemistGeodesistGeomagnetistGeomorphologistInvertebrate PaleontologistMarine GeologistMicro PaleontologistMineralogistMining Production GeologistMud Logging Data AnalystOceanographerOceanologistOperations GeologistPaleontologistPetrographerPetrologistPetrophysicistSedimentationistSeismologistSpectral GeologistStratigrapherVolcanologistWellsite Geologist

Source: O*NET 31.0 (USDOL/ETA, CC BY 4.0). These are general job titles, not H-1B filings; for titles employers actually filed, see “Job titles” above.