Geological & Earth Sciences

Types of Degrees Geological & Earth Sciences Majors Are Getting

The following table lists how many geological and earth sciences graduations there were in 2020-2021 for each degree level.

Education Level	Number of Grads
Bachelor’s Degree	5,119
Master’s Degree	1,663
Doctor’s Degree	734
Associate Degree	127
Graduate Certificate	94
Basic Certificate	66
Undergraduate Certificate	18

What Geological & Earth Sciences Majors Need to Know

In an O*NET survey, geology majors were asked to rate what knowledge areas, skills, and abilities were important in their occupations. These answers were weighted on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being the most important.

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 Geological & Earth Sciences Major?

Below is a list of occupations associated with geology:

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 Geological & Earth Sciences?

This is a less frequently chosen undergraduate major. Only 5,119 students graduated with a bachelor’s degree in geological and 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 48% of the graduates are women, and 52% 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	208
Black or African American	167
Hispanic or Latino	622
White	3,537
International Students	213
Other Races/Ethnicities	372

Geographic Diversity

Geology appeals to people across the globe. About 4.2% of those with this major are international students. The most popular countries for students from outside the country are:

• China
• Saudi Arabia
• India
• Nigeria
• Canada

How Much Do Geological & Earth Sciences Majors Make?

Bachelor’s Degree Starting Salary

Data from the U.S. Department of Education shows that geological and earth sciences students who graduated in 2017-2019 with a bachelor’s degree made a median starting salary of $36,478 per year. During this timeframe, most salaries fell between $33,517 (25th percentile) and $39,613 (75th percentile).

It’s important to note that just because the people reporting these salaries have a degree in geology, it does not mean that they are working in a job related to their degree.

Salaries According to BLS

Geology majors often go into careers where salaries can range from $92,360 to $107,800 (25th to 75th percentile). This range includes all degree levels, so you may expect those with a more advanced degree to make more while those with less advanced degrees will typically make less.

To put that into context, according to BLS data from the first quarter of 2020, the typical high school graduate makes between $30,000 and $57,900 a year (25th through 75th percentile). The average person with a bachelor’s degree (any field) makes between $45,600 and $99,000. Advanced degree holders make the most with salaries between $55,600 and $125,400.

Amount of Education Required for Careers Related to Geological & Earth Sciences

Some degrees associated with geology may require an advanced degree, while others may not even require a bachelor’s in the field. Whatever the case may be, pursuing more education usually means that more career options will be available to you.

Find out what the typical degree level is for geology careers below.

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 Geological & Earth Sciences Programs

In the 2020-2021 academic year, 583 schools offered some type of geological and earth sciences program. 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)	6	1
Certificate (2-4 Years)	0	0
Associate’s Degree	125	3
Bachelor’s Degree	39	6
Post-Baccalaureate	0	0
Master’s Degree	299	5
Post-Master’s	9	0
Doctor’s Degree (Research)	201	1
Doctor’s Degree (Professional Practice)	0	0
Doctor’s Degree (Other)	0	0

Is a Degree in Geological & Earth Sciences Worth It?

The median salary for a geology grad is $101,890 per year. This is based on the weighted average of the most common careers associated with the major.

This is 155% more than the average salary for an individual holding a high school degree. This adds up to a gain of about $1,239,800 after 20 years!

Majors Related to Geological & Earth Sciences

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

Major	Number of Grads
Chemistry	21,239
Physics	13,674
General Physical Sciences	3,823
Astronomy & Astrophysics	1,375
Atmospheric Sciences & Meteorology	1,140
Materials Sciences	658
Other Physical Science	538
Physics and Astronomy	38

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.