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Geophysics & Seismology

Types of Degrees Geophysics & Seismology Majors Are Earning

Students pursuing Geophysics & Seismology have the option of earning degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Bachelor’s Degree	58
Master’s Degree	73
Doctor’s Degree	66

What Geophysics & Seismology Majors Need to Know

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

Knowledge Areas

Coursework in Geophysics & Seismology emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• English Language — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.
• Mathematics — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.
• Education and Training — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.
• Customer and Personal Service — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.
• Computers and Electronics — Importance 3.3 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.

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

Skills

Skills built by a Geophysics & Seismology program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Speaking — Importance 4.2 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.
• Reading Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.7 / 7.
• Active Listening — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.
• Writing — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.
• Critical Thinking — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.

Abilities

Innate abilities most relevant to Geophysics & Seismology careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Oral Expression — Importance 4.3 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.
• Written Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.7 / 7.
• Oral Comprehension — Importance 4 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.
• Written Expression — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.
• Deductive Reasoning — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Geophysics & Seismology 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	4.0 / 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 Geophysics & Seismology professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	✓
Microsoft Outlook	Electronic mail software	—
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	✓
Microsoft Word	Word processing software	✓
Microsoft PowerPoint	Presentation software	✓
The MathWorks MATLAB	Analytical or scientific software	—
Web browser software	Internet browser software	—
ESRI ArcGIS software	Geographic information system	✓
Adobe Acrobat	Document management software	—
Adobe Photoshop	Graphics or photo imaging software	—
Microsoft Access	Data base user interface and query software	—
SAS	Analytical or scientific software	—

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

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Geophysics & Seismology graduates include:

• Research Coordinator
• Clinical Project Manager
• Clinical Trials Manager
• Oceanography Teacher
• Earth Science Professor
• Astronomy Professor
• Mineralogy Professor
• Oceanography Professor
• College Faculty Member
• Volcanology Professor
• Geology Teacher
• Associate Professor
• University Faculty Member
• Volcanology Teacher
• Earth Science Teacher

Education Typically Required

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

Education Level	Share of Workers
Bachelor’s degree	31.1%
Master’s degree	28.5%
Doctoral degree	14.1%
Post-doctoral training	10.0%
Postsecondary certificate	4.0%
Some college courses	3.2%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	2.9%
Post-baccalaureate certificate	2.5%
High school diploma or equivalent	2.4%
Post-master’s certificate	1.3%

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

Who Is Earning a Degree in Geophysics & Seismology?

Gender Distribution

This field skews predominantly male, with men earning 63.5% of Geophysics & Seismology degrees.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	72	36.5%
Men	125	63.5%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of Geophysics & Seismology graduates is as follows:

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	71	36.0%
Asian	17	8.6%
Hispanic or Latino	33	16.8%
Black or African American	2	1.0%
Two or More Races	13	6.6%
Race Unknown	3	1.5%
International Students	58	29.4%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Geophysics & Seismology Graduates Earn?

The U.S. Department of Education tracks median earnings of Geophysics & Seismology 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.}

Is a Degree in Geophysics & Seismology Worth It?

Looking purely at the federal earnings tracker, Geophysics & Seismology 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
Geology/Earth Science, General	40.0601
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.