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Geological Engineering

Types of Degrees Geological Engineering Majors Are Earning

Students pursuing Geological 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 Geological Engineering Majors Need to Know

Studies in Geological Engineering develop a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that Geological Engineering graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

This major prepares you for careers needing Geological 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 built by a Geological 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 Geological 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, Geological 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 Geological Engineering professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Microsoft PowerPoint	Presentation software	✓
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	✓
Microsoft Word	Word processing 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 Geological Engineering graduates include:

• Engineer
• Surveying Teacher
• Mechanical Engineering Lecturer
• Motion and Time Study Teacher
• Architectural Engineering Teacher
• Research Professor
• Television Engineering Teacher
• Ship Construction Teacher
• Sanitary Engineering Teacher
• Mining Teacher
• Drawing Instructor
• Electrical Engineering Lecturer
• Mechanical Engineering Teacher
• Chemical Engineering Professor
• Engineering Professor

Education Typically Required

Across the occupations open to Geological 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 Geological Engineering?

Gender Distribution

This field skews predominantly male, with men earning 73.2% of Geological 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 Geological 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 Geological Engineering Graduates Earn?

College Scorecard reports median earnings of Geological Engineering graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Earnings tend to climb 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 Geological Engineering Programs

Online study are documented by IPEDS for Geological 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 Geological Engineering Worth It?

Looking purely at the federal earnings tracker, Geological 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
Geological/Geophysical Engineering	14.39
Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering	14.0802
Architectural Engineering	14.0401
Biochemical Engineering	14.4301
Biological/Biosystems Engineering	14.4501
Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering	14.0702
Construction Engineering	14.3301
Electrical and Computer Engineering	14.4701
Electromechanical Engineering	14.4101
Energy Systems Engineering, General	14.4801
Energy Systems Engineering, Other	14.4899

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.