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Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics

Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2021

19-4043 Geological Technicians, Except Hydrologic Technicians

Assist scientists or engineers in the use of electronic, sonic, or nuclear measuring instruments in laboratory, exploration, and production activities to obtain data indicating resources such as metallic ore, minerals, gas, coal, or petroleum. Analyze mud and drill cuttings. Chart pressure, temperature, and other characteristics of wells or bore holes.


National estimates for Geological Technicians, Except Hydrologic Technicians
Industry profile for Geological Technicians, Except Hydrologic Technicians
Geographic profile for Geological Technicians, Except Hydrologic Technicians

National estimates for Geological Technicians, Except Hydrologic Technicians:

Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for Geological Technicians, Except Hydrologic Technicians:

Employment (1) Employment
RSE (3)
Mean hourly
wage
Mean annual
wage (2)
Wage RSE (3)
9,210 6.4 % $ 28.40 $ 59,080 2.5 %

Percentile wage estimates for Geological Technicians, Except Hydrologic Technicians:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median)
75% 90%
Hourly Wage $ 14.71 $ 18.57 $ 23.23 $ 35.43 $ 47.43
Annual Wage (2) $ 30,590 $ 38,620 $ 48,310 $ 73,690 $ 98,650


Industry profile for Geological Technicians, Except Hydrologic Technicians:

Industries with the highest published employment and wages for Geological Technicians, Except Hydrologic Technicians are provided. For a list of all industries with employment in Geological Technicians, Except Hydrologic Technicians, see the Create Customized Tables function.

Industries with the highest levels of employment in Geological Technicians, Except Hydrologic Technicians:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services 4,090 0.27 $ 24.75 $ 51,470
Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services 870 0.06 $ 27.17 $ 56,520
Support Activities for Mining 750 0.35 $ 26.29 $ 54,680
Oil and Gas Extraction 500 0.47 $ 44.61 $ 92,780
Management of Companies and Enterprises 470 0.02 $ 46.89 $ 97,530

Industries with the highest concentration of employment in Geological Technicians, Except Hydrologic Technicians:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Oil and Gas Extraction 500 0.47 $ 44.61 $ 92,780
Metal Ore Mining 160 0.40 $ 28.09 $ 58,430
Support Activities for Mining 750 0.35 $ 26.29 $ 54,680
Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services 4,090 0.27 $ 24.75 $ 51,470
Pipeline Transportation of Natural Gas 60 0.18 $ 51.02 $ 106,120

Top paying industries for Geological Technicians, Except Hydrologic Technicians:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Pipeline Transportation of Natural Gas 60 0.18 $ 51.02 $ 106,120
Management of Companies and Enterprises 470 0.02 $ 46.89 $ 97,530
Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing 100 0.10 $ 44.64 $ 92,840
Oil and Gas Extraction 500 0.47 $ 44.61 $ 92,780
Natural Gas Distribution 40 0.04 $ 38.58 $ 80,240


Geographic profile for Geological Technicians, Except Hydrologic Technicians:

States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for Geological Technicians, Except Hydrologic Technicians are provided. For a list of all areas with employment in Geological Technicians, Except Hydrologic Technicians, see the Create Customized Tables function.



Map of employment of geological technicians, except hydrologic technicians by state, May 2021


States with the highest employment level in Geological Technicians, Except Hydrologic Technicians:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Texas 2,200 0.18 2.75 $ 28.43 $ 59,130
California 740 0.05 0.69 $ 34.61 $ 71,980
Colorado 530 0.20 3.06 $ 32.40 $ 67,400
Florida 510 0.06 0.91 $ 19.52 $ 40,590
Oklahoma 490 0.31 4.76 $ 35.00 $ 72,800


Map of location quotient of geological technicians, except hydrologic technicians by state, May 2021


States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Geological Technicians, Except Hydrologic Technicians:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Alaska 170 0.58 8.92 $ 39.06 $ 81,240
Oklahoma 490 0.31 4.76 $ 35.00 $ 72,800
Wyoming 70 0.27 4.16 $ 38.59 $ 80,260
Colorado 530 0.20 3.06 $ 32.40 $ 67,400
Texas 2,200 0.18 2.75 $ 28.43 $ 59,130


Map of annual mean wages of geological technicians, except hydrologic technicians by state, May 2021


Top paying states for Geological Technicians, Except Hydrologic Technicians:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Alaska 170 0.58 8.92 $ 39.06 $ 81,240
Georgia 200 0.05 0.71 $ 38.96 $ 81,030
Wyoming 70 0.27 4.16 $ 38.59 $ 80,260
Louisiana 150 0.08 1.29 $ 38.21 $ 79,480
Oklahoma 490 0.31 4.76 $ 35.00 $ 72,800



Map of employment of geological technicians, except hydrologic technicians by area, May 2021


Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in Geological Technicians, Except Hydrologic Technicians:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX 940 0.32 4.94 $ 29.73 $ 61,840
Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO 360 0.24 3.73 $ 36.60 $ 76,130
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 290 0.08 1.22 $ 31.17 $ 64,830
Midland, TX 260 2.69 41.18 $ 22.77 $ 47,370
Oklahoma City, OK 230 0.38 5.88 $ 32.56 $ 67,720
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 180 0.03 0.47 $ 33.36 $ 69,380
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA 140 0.02 0.25 $ 30.22 $ 62,850
Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI 140 0.08 1.22 $ 25.74 $ 53,530
Tulsa, OK 140 0.34 5.16 $ 42.89 $ 89,210
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL 130 0.05 0.79 $ 19.35 $ 40,240


Map of location quotient of geological technicians, except hydrologic technicians by area, May 2021


Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Geological Technicians, Except Hydrologic Technicians:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Midland, TX 260 2.69 41.18 $ 22.77 $ 47,370
Odessa, TX 70 1.04 15.89 $ 28.10 $ 58,440
Bend-Redmond, OR 40 0.52 7.92 $ 23.78 $ 49,460
Anchorage, AK 70 0.46 7.06 $ 42.33 $ 88,050
Oklahoma City, OK 230 0.38 5.88 $ 32.56 $ 67,720
Tulsa, OK 140 0.34 5.16 $ 42.89 $ 89,210
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX 940 0.32 4.94 $ 29.73 $ 61,840
Corpus Christi, TX 40 0.25 3.84 $ 26.86 $ 55,870
Mobile, AL 40 0.25 3.79 $ 16.76 $ 34,860
Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO 360 0.24 3.73 $ 36.60 $ 76,130


Map of annual mean wages of geological technicians, except hydrologic technicians by area, May 2021


Top paying metropolitan areas for Geological Technicians, Except Hydrologic Technicians:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Tulsa, OK 140 0.34 5.16 $ 42.89 $ 89,210
Anchorage, AK 70 0.46 7.06 $ 42.33 $ 88,050
Baton Rouge, LA 60 0.17 2.62 $ 41.76 $ 86,860
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA 40 0.12 1.89 $ 41.32 $ 85,940
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA 110 0.04 0.65 $ 41.18 $ 85,660
Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO 360 0.24 3.73 $ 36.60 $ 76,130
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 180 0.03 0.47 $ 33.36 $ 69,380
San Diego-Carlsbad, CA 80 0.06 0.91 $ 33.10 $ 68,850
Oklahoma City, OK 230 0.38 5.88 $ 32.56 $ 67,720
Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH (8) (8) (8) $ 31.93 $ 66,420

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest employment in Geological Technicians, Except Hydrologic Technicians:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Alaska nonmetropolitan area 90 0.90 13.71 (8) (8)
West Texas Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area 70 0.38 5.75 $ 35.49 $ 73,820
Nevada nonmetropolitan area 60 0.64 9.75 $ 29.68 $ 61,740
Coastal Plains Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area 60 0.42 6.40 $ 27.06 $ 56,290
West Kentucky nonmetropolitan area 50 0.37 5.71 $ 33.42 $ 69,510

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Geological Technicians, Except Hydrologic Technicians:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Alaska nonmetropolitan area 90 0.90 13.71 (8) (8)
Nevada nonmetropolitan area 60 0.64 9.75 $ 29.68 $ 61,740
Coastal Plains Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area 60 0.42 6.40 $ 27.06 $ 56,290
West Texas Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area 70 0.38 5.75 $ 35.49 $ 73,820
West Kentucky nonmetropolitan area 50 0.37 5.71 $ 33.42 $ 69,510

Top paying nonmetropolitan areas for Geological Technicians, Except Hydrologic Technicians:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
West Texas Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area 70 0.38 5.75 $ 35.49 $ 73,820
West Kentucky nonmetropolitan area 50 0.37 5.71 $ 33.42 $ 69,510
North Texas Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area 40 0.13 2.04 $ 29.81 $ 62,000
Nevada nonmetropolitan area 60 0.64 9.75 $ 29.68 $ 61,740
Coastal Plains Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area 60 0.42 6.40 $ 27.06 $ 56,290


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.

(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