Geology

Types of Degrees Geology Majors Are Getting

The following table lists how many geological & earth sciences graduations there were for each degree level during the last year for which data was available.

Education Level	Number of Grads
Bachelor’s Degree	5,022
Master’s Degree	1,612
Doctor’s Degree	766
Associate Degree	126
Graduate Certificate	97
Basic Certificate	57
Undergraduate Certificate	11

What Geology Majors Need to Know

People with careers related to geology were asked what knowledge areas, skills, and abilities were important for their jobs. They weighted these areas on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being the highest.

Knowledge Areas for Geology Majors

This major prepares you for careers in which these knowledge areas are important:

• Mathematics - Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
• English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
• Chemistry - Knowledge of the chemical composition, structure, and properties of substances and of the chemical processes and transformations that they undergo. This includes uses of chemicals and their interactions, danger signs, production techniques, and disposal methods.
• Physics - Knowledge and prediction of physical principles, laws, their interrelationships, and applications to understanding fluid, material, and atmospheric dynamics, and mechanical, electrical, atomic and sub- atomic structures and processes.
• Education and Training - Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.

Skills for Geology Majors

When studying geology, you’ll learn many skills that will help you be successful in a wide range of jobs - even those that do not require a degree in the field. The following is a list of some of the most common skills needed for careers associated with this major:

• Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
• Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
• Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
• Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
• Writing - Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.

Abilities for Geology Majors

Some of the most crucial abilities to master while a geology student include the following:

• Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
• Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
• Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
• Written Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
• Deductive Reasoning - The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.

What Can You Do With a Geology Major?

People with a geology degree often go into the following careers:

Job Title	Job Growth Rate	Median Salary
Atmospheric, Earth, Marine, and Space Sciences Professors	9.9%	$90,860
Chemistry Professors	9.9%	$79,550
Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers	14.1%	$91,130
Hydrologists	10.4%	$79,370
Natural Sciences Managers	9.9%	$123,860
Water Resource Specialists	9.9%	$123,860

Who Is Getting a Bachelor’s Degree in Geology?

This is a less frequently chosen undergraduate major. Only 5,119 students graduated with a bachelor’s degree in geological & earth sciences in 2021, making it rank #80 in popularity. According to recent stats this major attracts about equal numbers of men and women. Roughly 49% of the graduates are women, and 51% are men.

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the countrywide level, the racial-ethnic distribution of geology majors is as follows:

Race/Ethnicity	Number of Grads
Asian	184
Black or African American	140
Hispanic or Latino	639
White	3,475
International Students	174
Other Races/Ethnicities	410

Geographic Diversity

Americans aren’t the only ones with an interest in Geology. About 3.5% of those with this major are international students.

Amount of Education Required for Careers Related to Geology

Some degrees associated with geology may require an advanced degree, while others may not even require a bachelor’s in the field. In general, the more advanced your degree the more career options will open up to you. However, there is significant time and money that needs to be invested into your education so weigh the pros and cons.

How much schooling do you really need to compete in today’s job market? People currently working in careers related to geology have obtained the following education levels.

Education Level	Percentage of Workers
Some College Courses	0.1%
Bachelor’s Degree	28.4%
Post-Baccalaureate Certificate - awarded for completion of an organized program of study; designed for people who have completed a Baccalaureate degree but do not meet the requirements of academic degrees carrying the title of Master.	5.2%
Master’s Degree	37.1%
Post-Master’s Certificate - awarded for completion of an organized program of study; designed for people who have completed a Master’s degree but do not meet the requirements of academic degrees at the doctoral level.	1.3%
Doctoral Degree	17.0%
Post-Doctoral Training	11.9%

Online Geology Programs

The following table lists the number of programs by degree level, along with how many schools offered online courses in the field.

Degree Level	Colleges Offering Programs	Colleges Offering Online Classes
Certificate (Less Than 1 Year)	0	0
Certificate (1-2 years)	10	1
Certificate (2-4 Years)	0	0
Associate’s Degree	134	5
Bachelor’s Degree	44	4
Post-Baccalaureate	0	0
Master’s Degree	297	7
Post-Master’s	5	0
Doctor’s Degree (Research)	197	1
Doctor’s Degree (Professional Practice)	1	0
Doctor’s Degree (Other)	0	0

Majors Related to Geology

You may also be interested in one of the following majors related to geology.

Major	Number of Grads
Chemistry	19,976
Physics	13,306
General Physical Sciences	2,747
Astronomy & Astrophysics	1,573
Atmospheric Sciences & Meteorology	1,288
Materials Sciences	679
Other Physical Science	404
Physics and Astronomy	45

References

*The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students, international students, and students whose race/ethnicity was unknown. This number is then divided by the total number of students at the school to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• College Scorecard
• National Center for Education Statistics
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• Usual Weekly Earnings of Wage and Salary Workers First Quarter 2020
• Image Credit: By Kelvinsong under License

More about our data sources and methodologies.