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Geology & Earth Sciences

Types of Degrees Geology & Earth Sciences Majors Are Earning

People majoring in Geology & Earth Sciences may pursue degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Certificate	1
Associate’s Degree	132
Bachelor’s Degree	3,855
Master’s Degree	1,235
Doctor’s Degree	492

What Geology & Earth Sciences Majors Need to Know

Coursework for Geology & Earth Sciences build a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that Geology & Earth Sciences graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

According to O*NET, a major in Geology & Earth Sciences emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• English Language — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.
• Mathematics — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.
• Education and Training — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.
• Computers and Electronics — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.
• Customer and Personal Service — Importance 3.3 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.

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

Skills

Skills emphasized by a Geology & Earth Sciences program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Speaking — Importance 4.2 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.
• Reading Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.7 / 7.
• Active Listening — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.
• Writing — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.
• Critical Thinking — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.

Abilities

The cognitive and physical abilities most relevant to Geology & Earth Sciences careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Oral Expression — Importance 4.2 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.
• Written Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.7 / 7.
• Oral Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.
• Written Expression — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.
• Deductive Reasoning — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Geology & Earth Sciences graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Getting Information	4.4 / 7
Working with Computers	4.4 / 7
Documenting/Recording Information	4.2 / 7
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work	4.1 / 7
Analyzing Data or Information	4.1 / 7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	4.0 / 7
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	4.0 / 7
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events	4.0 / 7
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	3.9 / 7
Training and Teaching Others	3.9 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Geology & Earth Sciences 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 Outlook	Electronic mail software	✓
The MathWorks MATLAB	Analytical or scientific software	✓
Web browser software	Internet browser software	—
ESRI ArcGIS software	Geographic information system	✓
Microsoft Access	Data base user interface and query software	—
Adobe Photoshop	Graphics or photo imaging software	—
Adobe Acrobat	Document management software	—
Microsoft Project	Project management software	—

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

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Geology & Earth Sciences graduates include:

• Clinical Trials Manager
• Research Coordinator
• Clinical Project Manager
• Oceanography Professor
• Professor
• Oceanography Teacher
• Assistant Professor
• Meteorology Professor
• Oceanic Sciences Professor
• Meteorology Faculty Member
• Geophysics Teacher
• Lecturer
• Astronomy Professor
• Mineral Industry Teacher
• Petrography Teacher

Education Typically Required

Across the occupations open to Geology & Earth Sciences graduates, the typical level of education actually held by current workers is distributed as:

Education Level	Share of Workers
Bachelor’s degree	31.4%
Master’s degree	29.4%
Doctoral degree	13.6%
Post-doctoral training	9.8%
Postsecondary certificate	3.8%
Some college courses	3.0%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	2.8%
Post-baccalaureate certificate	2.6%
High school diploma or equivalent	2.3%
Post-master’s certificate	1.2%

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

Who Is Earning a Degree in Geology & Earth Sciences?

Gender Distribution

This field has a relatively balanced gender distribution: 50.2% women and 49.8% men among Geology & Earth Sciences graduates.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	2,871	50.2%
Men	2,844	49.8%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of Geology & Earth Sciences graduates is as follows:

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	3,746	65.5%
Asian	232	4.1%
Hispanic or Latino	754	13.2%
Black or African American	151	2.6%
American Indian / Alaska Native	20	0.3%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander	3	0.1%
Two or More Races	244	4.3%
Race Unknown	123	2.2%
International Students	442	7.7%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Geology & Earth Sciences Graduates Earn?

College Scorecard reports median earnings of Geology & Earth Sciences 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	$42,682
4 years	$54,219
5 years	$61,701

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $61,701 — roughly 45% above the 1-year mark.

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

Online Geology & Earth Sciences Programs

Fully online options is tracked by IPEDS for Geology & Earth Sciences. 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
Associate’s	5	9
Bachelor’s	3	10
Master’s	2	6

^{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 Geology & Earth Sciences Worth It?

Strictly by the federal earnings tracker, Geology & Earth Sciences graduates earn a median of $54,219 four years after completion — roughly 43% 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 and Earth Sciences/Geosciences	40.06
Geochemistry and Petrology	40.0606
Geochemistry	40.0602
Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences, Other	40.0699
Geophysics and Seismology	40.0603
Hydrology and Water Resources Science	40.0605
Oceanography, Chemical and Physical	40.0607
Paleontology	40.0604
Astronomy and Astrophysics, Other	40.0299
Astronomy	40.0201
Astrophysics	40.0202
Atmospheric Chemistry and Climatology	40.0402

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.