Geology / Earth Science degree: salary, jobs & colleges
Bachelor's graduates in geology / earth science earn a median $60,453 four years after finishing, across 137 U.S. colleges. At ages 25-34, people whose degree is in geosciences earn $64,435, $2,386 more than all bachelor's holders. The most common job is geoscientists and hydrologists, except geographers (20%).
Median across 137 colleges; middle half $56,255–$66,922.
College Scorecard field of study (graduates who received federal aid)
Middle half $45,343–$89,375. 153 survey respondents.
Census ACS 2020-2024 microdata; field "Geosciences"; EducationGuide calculation
- All bachelor's, 25-34$62,049
- High school, 25-34$35,638
- This degree vs high school+$28,797/yr
Census ACS 2020-2024 microdata, workers not in school
Median across colleges reporting.
College Scorecard field of study
Jobs geology / earth science graduates hold
What employed 25-34-year-olds whose bachelor's is in geosciences actually do, with U.S. wages and the outlook for each job. The first column comes from the Census survey; wages and growth from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
| Job | Share of graduates | U.S. median wage | Jobs growth 2025-35 | Typical entry | Interests |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Geoscientists And Hydrologists, Except Geographers | 20% | — | — | — | — |
| Teaching Assistants | 4% | $37,010 | +0.0% | — | — |
| Environmental Scientists And Specialists, Including Health | 4% | $82,220 | +6.1% | Bachelor's degree | IRC |
| Computer Occupations, All Other | 4% | $116,580 | +5.1% | Bachelor's degree | CIE |
| Management Analysts | 3% | $101,860 | +10.1% | Bachelor's degree | CIE |
| Postsecondary Teachers | 3% | $82,250 | +6.0% | — | — |
| Water And Wastewater Treatment Plant And System Operators | 3% | $60,020 | -5.7% | High school diploma or equivalent | RC |
| Project Management Specialists | 3% | $102,320 | +6.7% | Bachelor's degree | EC |
Census ACS 2020-2024 microdata (ages 25-34, bachelor's as highest degree, employed); BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025; BLS Employment Projections 2025-35; O*NET 31.0 interest codes (R realistic, I investigative, A artistic, S social, E enterprising, C conventional).
Geology / Earth Science earnings by state
Two views of pay: recent graduates of the state's colleges four years out (College Scorecard), and everyone ages 25-34 living in the state with this field of degree (Census). States show a figure only with at least 3 colleges or 100 survey respondents.
| State | Graduates, 4 yrs (colleges) | Ages 25-34 (respondents) |
|---|---|---|
| California | $69,989 (13) | — |
| Colorado | $59,221 (4) | — |
| Connecticut | $69,610 (6) | — |
| Florida | $66,157 (3) | — |
| Georgia | $50,864 (3) | — |
| Illinois | $61,206 (3) | — |
| Michigan | $58,164 (7) | — |
| New Jersey | $70,106 (3) | — |
| New York | $60,027 (7) | — |
| North Carolina | $56,842 (4) | — |
| Ohio | $63,240 (12) | — |
| Pennsylvania | $57,502 (12) | — |
| Tennessee | $53,479 (3) | — |
| Texas | $62,067 (10) | — |
| Virginia | $54,848 (4) | — |
| Washington | $62,658 (6) | — |
| Wisconsin | $57,755 (4) | — |
College Scorecard field of study (median of each college's graduates); Census ACS 2020-2024 microdata; EducationGuide calculations.
Colleges where geology / earth science graduates earn the most
In the states we cover so far (Florida, Virginia, California): 10 in Florida, 8 in Virginia, 42 in California offer this major. Open a college to see cost to finish and payback for your income.
| # | College | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of California-Los AngelesCA | $79,143 | — |
| 2 | San Diego State UniversityCA | $73,647 | $21,500 |
| 3 | California State University-SacramentoCA | $73,418 | $15,000 |
| 4 | University of California-DavisCA | $73,337 | $16,416 |
| 5 | California State Polytechnic University-PomonaCA | $73,305 | $19,375 |
| 6 | University of California-IrvineCA | $70,820 | $15,000 |
| 7 | California State University-BakersfieldCA | $69,989 | — |
| 8 | University of FloridaFL | $69,943 | $24,757 |
| 9 | California Polytechnic State University-San Luis ObispoCA | $69,227 | $15,000 |
| 10 | University of California-Santa BarbaraCA | $66,788 | $21,800 |
| 11 | Florida State UniversityFL | $66,157 | — |
| 12 | University of California-Santa CruzCA | $64,499 | $20,833 |
College Scorecard field of study. Colleges meeting our core-data standard; online campuses left out.
Related degrees
Geology / Earth Science degree questions
How much do Geology / Earth Science graduates make?
Geology / Earth Science graduates earn a median $60,453 four years after finishing, across 137 U.S. colleges that report it (the middle half of colleges: $56,255 to $66,922; College Scorecard, graduates who received federal aid). Among all workers ages 25-34 whose bachelor's degree is in geosciences, the median is $64,435 (Census ACS 2020-2024).
Is a Geology / Earth Science degree worth it?
At ages 25-34, people with a bachelor's in geosciences earn a median $64,435: $2,386 more than all bachelor's degree holders ($62,049) and $28,797 more than high school graduates ($35,638). EducationGuide calculation from Census ACS 2020-2024 microdata, workers not in school.
What jobs do Geology / Earth Science graduates get?
Among employed 25-34-year-olds whose bachelor's is in geosciences, the most common jobs are geoscientists and hydrologists, except geographers (20%), teaching assistants (4%), environmental scientists and specialists, including health (4%).
How much do Geology / Earth Science graduates earn in Florida?
Across 3 Florida colleges reporting, Geology / Earth Science graduates earn a median $66,157 four years after graduating.
Sources: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard; U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey microdata; Bureau of Labor Statistics; O*NET 31.0 (U.S. Department of Labor, CC BY 4.0). Method
Data: JSON · Markdown · all degrees
Cite this: “Geology / Earth Science degree: salary, jobs and colleges,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/degrees/geology-earth-science.