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Geoscience Engineering

Types of Degrees Geoscience Engineering Majors Are Earning

Students pursuing Geoscience Engineering have the option of earning degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Associate’s Degree	1
Bachelor’s Degree	120
Master’s Degree	180
Doctor’s Degree	12

What Geoscience Engineering Majors Need to Know

Coursework for Geoscience Engineering emphasize a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that Geoscience Engineering graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

According to O*NET, a major in Geoscience Engineering emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• Engineering and Technology — Importance 4.6 / 5; level 5.9 / 7.
• Mathematics — Importance 4.2 / 5; level 5.4 / 7.
• Design — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.9 / 7.
• English Language — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.
• Computers and Electronics — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 5.0 / 7.

^{Importance is rated 1–5; level is 1–7. Source: ONET Online — weighted across related occupations.*}

Skills

The skill set emphasized by a Geoscience Engineering program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Reading Comprehension — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.7 / 7.
• Critical Thinking — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.
• Speaking — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.
• Active Listening — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.0 / 7.
• Writing — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.

Abilities

The cognitive and physical abilities most relevant to Geoscience Engineering careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Written Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.9 / 7.
• Oral Expression — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.
• Oral Comprehension — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.9 / 7.
• Deductive Reasoning — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.
• Inductive Reasoning — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Geoscience Engineering graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	4.4 / 7
Working with Computers	4.4 / 7
Getting Information	4.3 / 7
Analyzing Data or Information	4.3 / 7
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	4.3 / 7
Processing Information	4.2 / 7
Thinking Creatively	4.2 / 7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	4.1 / 7
Training and Teaching Others	3.9 / 7
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work	3.9 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Geoscience Engineering professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	✓
Microsoft Word	Word processing software	✓
Microsoft PowerPoint	Presentation software	✓
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	✓
Microsoft Project	Project management software	—
Python	Object or component oriented development software	✓
Autodesk AutoCAD	Computer aided design CAD software	✓
Oracle Java	Object or component oriented development software	✓
Dassault Systemes SolidWorks	Computer aided design CAD software	✓
Microsoft Outlook	Electronic mail software	✓
The MathWorks MATLAB	Analytical or scientific software	✓
C++	Object or component oriented development software	✓

^{Source: ONET Online technology skills, weighted across related occupations.*}

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Geoscience Engineering graduates include:

• Engineer
• Radio Engineering Teacher
• Plastics Engineering Teacher
• Drawing Instructor
• Manufacturing Engineering Professor
• Engineering Teacher
• Refrigeration Engineering Teacher
• Chemical Engineering Teacher
• Electronics Teacher
• Adjunct Engineering Instructor
• Adjunct Professor
• Professor
• Drafting Teacher
• Ship Construction Teacher
• Research Professor

Education Typically Required

Across the occupations open to Geoscience Engineering graduates, the typical level of education actually held by current workers is distributed as:

Education Level	Share of Workers
Bachelor’s degree	32.9%
Doctoral degree	28.6%
Master’s degree	11.2%
Post-doctoral training	7.5%
Post-master’s certificate	7.0%
Post-baccalaureate certificate	4.3%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	2.7%
Postsecondary certificate	2.0%
Some college courses	1.6%
First professional degree	1.4%
High school diploma or equivalent	0.6%
Less than a high school diploma	0.2%

^{Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*}

Who Is Earning a Degree in Geoscience Engineering?

Gender Distribution

This field skews predominantly male, with men earning 73.2% of Geoscience Engineering degrees.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	84	26.8%
Men	229	73.2%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of Geoscience Engineering graduates is as follows:

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	199	63.6%
Asian	10	3.2%
Hispanic or Latino	37	11.8%
Black or African American	5	1.6%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander	1	0.3%
Two or More Races	15	4.8%
Race Unknown	17	5.4%
International Students	29	9.3%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Geoscience Engineering Graduates Earn?

The U.S. Department of Education tracks median earnings of Geoscience Engineering graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. These numbers tend to grow steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.

Years Out	Median Earnings
1 year	$70,515
4 years	$81,095
5 years	$90,120

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $90,120 — roughly 28% above the 1-year mark.

^{Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.}

Online Geoscience Engineering Programs

Fully online options is reported by IPEDS for Geoscience Engineering. The table below shows how many graduates earned at least some of their coursework online (Distance-Ed Available) versus completing the entire program online (Distance-Ed Only).

Award Level	Distance-Ed Available	Distance-Ed Only
Master’s	1	2

^{Distance-Ed Only = degrees completed entirely online; Distance-Ed Available = degrees including at least some online coursework. Source: IPEDS Completions by Distance Education status.}

Is a Degree in Geoscience Engineering Worth It?

Strictly by the federal earnings tracker, Geoscience Engineering graduates earn a median of $81,095 four years after completion — roughly 113% above the national median for workers with only a high school diploma (~$38,000).

^{ROI estimate compares the program’s 4-yr median earnings against the 2023 BLS CPS median earnings for high-school-only workers. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard + BLS Current Population Survey.}

Related Programs

You may also be interested in these closely related fields of study:

Program	CIP Code
Engineering	14
Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering	14.02
Agricultural Engineering	14.03
Architectural Engineering	14.04
Biochemical Engineering	14.43
Biological/Biosystems Engineering	14.45
Biomedical/Medical Engineering	14.05
Ceramic Sciences and Engineering	14.06
Chemical Engineering	14.07
Civil Engineering	14.08
Computer Engineering	14.09
Construction Engineering	14.33

References

The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students and international students. This number is then divided by the total number of students to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard

More about our data sources and methodologies.