Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
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Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2021
19-2042 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.
National estimates for Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers
Industry profile for Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers
Geographic profile for Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers
National estimates for Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers:
Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers:
| Employment (1) |
Employment
RSE (3) |
Mean hourly
wage |
Mean annual
wage (2) |
Wage RSE (3) |
| 23,620 |
3.2 % |
$ 49.78 |
$ 103,550 |
1.4 % |
Percentile wage estimates for Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers:
| Percentile |
10% |
25% |
50%
(Median) |
75% |
90% |
| Hourly Wage |
$ 23.50 |
$ 30.07 |
$ 40.23 |
$ 61.98 |
$ 82.93 |
| Annual Wage (2) |
$ 48,880 |
$ 62,540 |
$ 83,680 |
$ 128,920 |
$ 172,490 |
Industry profile for Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers:
Industries with the highest published employment and wages for Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers are provided.
For a list of all industries with employment in Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers, see the Create Customized Tables function.
Industries with the highest levels of employment in Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers:
| Industry |
Employment (1) |
Percent of industry employment |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services |
6,230 |
0.41 |
$ 39.01 |
$ 81,150 |
| Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services |
4,460 |
0.29 |
$ 39.81 |
$ 82,810 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises |
2,770 |
0.11 |
$ 87.99 |
$ 183,020 |
| Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) |
2,200 |
0.10 |
$ 51.05 |
$ 106,190 |
| State Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OEWS Designation) |
2,120 |
0.10 |
$ 40.23 |
$ 83,680 |
Industries with the highest concentration of employment in Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers:
| Industry |
Employment (1) |
Percent of industry employment |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| Oil and Gas Extraction |
1,540 |
1.44 |
$ 77.55 |
$ 161,310 |
| Metal Ore Mining |
500 |
1.24 |
$ 45.22 |
$ 94,050 |
| Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services |
6,230 |
0.41 |
$ 39.01 |
$ 81,150 |
| Support Activities for Mining |
830 |
0.39 |
$ 47.11 |
$ 97,990 |
| Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services |
4,460 |
0.29 |
$ 39.81 |
$ 82,810 |
Top paying industries for Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers:
Geographic profile for Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers:
States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers are provided.
For a list of all areas with employment in Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers, see the Create Customized Tables function.
States with the highest employment level in Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers:
| State |
Employment (1) |
Employment per thousand jobs |
Location quotient (9) |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| Texas |
4,960 |
0.41 |
2.42 |
$ 69.69 |
$ 144,950 |
| California |
3,370 |
0.20 |
1.22 |
$ 50.61 |
$ 105,280 |
| Colorado |
1,920 |
0.73 |
4.36 |
$ 51.80 |
$ 107,750 |
| Pennsylvania |
1,090 |
0.20 |
1.17 |
$ 38.06 |
$ 79,150 |
| Washington |
690 |
0.22 |
1.29 |
$ 46.78 |
$ 97,310 |
States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers:
| State |
Employment (1) |
Employment per thousand jobs |
Location quotient (9) |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| Alaska |
370 |
1.24 |
7.38 |
$ 50.38 |
$ 104,800 |
| Wyoming |
210 |
0.80 |
4.76 |
$ 39.14 |
$ 81,410 |
| Colorado |
1,920 |
0.73 |
4.36 |
$ 51.80 |
$ 107,750 |
| Nevada |
670 |
0.52 |
3.12 |
$ 41.56 |
$ 86,440 |
| Montana |
190 |
0.41 |
2.47 |
$ 38.36 |
$ 79,800 |
Top paying states for Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers:
| State |
Employment (1) |
Employment per thousand jobs |
Location quotient (9) |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| Texas |
4,960 |
0.41 |
2.42 |
$ 69.69 |
$ 144,950 |
| Oklahoma |
460 |
0.30 |
1.76 |
$ 65.71 |
$ 136,680 |
| Colorado |
1,920 |
0.73 |
4.36 |
$ 51.80 |
$ 107,750 |
| Massachusetts |
550 |
0.16 |
0.97 |
$ 51.37 |
$ 106,850 |
| California |
3,370 |
0.20 |
1.22 |
$ 50.61 |
$ 105,280 |
Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers:
| Metropolitan area |
Employment (1) |
Employment per thousand jobs |
Location quotient (9) |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX |
2,700 |
0.93 |
5.55 |
$ 77.54 |
$ 161,290 |
| Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO |
1,500 |
1.02 |
6.09 |
$ 52.84 |
$ 109,910 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA |
670 |
0.12 |
0.70 |
$ 44.89 |
$ 93,380 |
| Austin-Round Rock, TX |
620 |
0.58 |
3.43 |
$ 61.08 |
$ 127,040 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX |
600 |
0.17 |
1.00 |
$ 61.66 |
$ 128,250 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA |
520 |
0.06 |
0.36 |
$ 41.38 |
$ 86,060 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV |
480 |
0.16 |
0.98 |
$ 52.81 |
$ 109,850 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA |
450 |
0.20 |
1.19 |
$ 56.71 |
$ 117,950 |
| Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA |
440 |
0.45 |
2.70 |
$ 51.07 |
$ 106,230 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA |
430 |
0.23 |
1.35 |
$ 48.76 |
$ 101,410 |
Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers:
| Metropolitan area |
Employment (1) |
Employment per thousand jobs |
Location quotient (9) |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| Gulfport-Biloxi-Pascagoula, MS |
260 |
1.77 |
10.57 |
$ 44.40 |
$ 92,340 |
| Midland, TX |
160 |
1.67 |
9.98 |
$ 75.13 |
$ 156,270 |
| Fairbanks, AK |
60 |
1.67 |
9.95 |
$ 42.19 |
$ 87,760 |
| Casper, WY |
50 |
1.35 |
8.04 |
$ 42.66 |
$ 88,740 |
| Anchorage, AK |
210 |
1.33 |
7.91 |
$ 51.14 |
$ 106,360 |
| Corvallis, OR |
40 |
1.16 |
6.91 |
$ 46.68 |
$ 97,090 |
| Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO |
1,500 |
1.02 |
6.09 |
$ 52.84 |
$ 109,910 |
| Cheyenne, WY |
40 |
0.98 |
5.86 |
$ 35.91 |
$ 74,690 |
| Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX |
2,700 |
0.93 |
5.55 |
$ 77.54 |
$ 161,290 |
| Kennewick-Richland, WA |
80 |
0.70 |
4.15 |
$ 44.76 |
$ 93,100 |
Top paying metropolitan areas for Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers:
| Metropolitan area |
Employment (1) |
Employment per thousand jobs |
Location quotient (9) |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX |
2,700 |
0.93 |
5.55 |
$ 77.54 |
$ 161,290 |
| Corpus Christi, TX |
100 |
0.54 |
3.25 |
$ 75.42 |
$ 156,870 |
| Midland, TX |
160 |
1.67 |
9.98 |
$ 75.13 |
$ 156,270 |
| Greeley, CO |
50 |
0.44 |
2.63 |
$ 72.51 |
$ 150,820 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA |
120 |
0.40 |
2.39 |
$ 71.37 |
$ 148,440 |
| Tulsa, OK |
140 |
0.34 |
2.00 |
$ 69.96 |
$ 145,520 |
| Oklahoma City, OK |
240 |
0.40 |
2.37 |
$ 66.35 |
$ 138,010 |
| Bakersfield, CA |
190 |
0.60 |
3.55 |
$ 65.57 |
$ 136,390 |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX |
170 |
0.17 |
1.02 |
$ 62.57 |
$ 130,140 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX |
600 |
0.17 |
1.00 |
$ 61.66 |
$ 128,250 |
Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest employment in Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers:
Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers:
Top paying nonmetropolitan areas for Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers:
About May 2021 National, State, Metropolitan, and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates
These estimates are calculated with data collected from employers in all industry sectors, all metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas, and all states and the District of Columbia.
The top employment and wage figures are provided above. The complete list is available in the downloadable XLS files.
The percentile wage estimate is the value of a wage below which a certain percent of workers fall.
The median wage is the 50th percentile wage estimate—50 percent of workers earn less than the median and 50 percent of workers earn more than the median.
More about percentile wages.
(1) Estimates for detailed occupations do not sum to the totals because the totals include occupations not shown separately. Estimates do not include self-employed workers.
(2) Annual wages have been calculated by multiplying the hourly mean wage by a "year-round, full-time" hours figure of 2,080 hours;
for those occupations where there is not an hourly wage published, the annual wage has been directly calculated from the reported survey data.
(3) The relative standard error (RSE) is a measure of the reliability of a survey statistic. The smaller the relative standard error, the more precise the estimate.
(7) The value is less than .005 percent of industry employment.
(8) Estimate not released.
(9) The location quotient is the ratio of the area concentration of occupational employment to the national average concentration.
A location quotient greater than one indicates the occupation has a higher share of employment than average, and a location quotient less than one indicates the occupation is less prevalent in the area than average.
Other OEWS estimates and related information:
May 2021 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates
May 2021 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates
May 2021 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates
May 2021 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates
May 2021 Occupation Profiles
Technical Notes
Last Modified Date: March 31, 2022
United States Department of Labor
