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Paleontology

Types of Degrees Paleontology Majors Are Earning

Students pursuing Paleontology may pursue degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Associate’s Degree	4
Bachelor’s Degree	10
Master’s Degree	11

What Paleontology Majors Need to Know

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

Knowledge Areas

According to O*NET, a major in Paleontology 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

The skill set developed in a Paleontology 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

The cognitive and physical abilities most relevant to Paleontology 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.
• Deductive Reasoning — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.
• Written Expression — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Paleontology 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 Paleontology professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	✓
Microsoft Word	Word processing software	✓
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	✓
Microsoft PowerPoint	Presentation 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	✓
Adobe Photoshop	Graphics or photo imaging software	—
Adobe Acrobat	Document management software	—
Microsoft Access	Data base user interface and query software	—
Microsoft Project	Project management software	—

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

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Paleontology graduates include:

• Research Coordinator
• Clinical Trials Manager
• Clinical Project Manager
• Earth Science Teacher
• Mineralogy Teacher
• Lecturer
• Earth Science Professor
• Petrology Teacher
• Volcanology Professor
• Geology Teacher
• Earth Science Faculty Member
• Geomorphology Teacher
• Hydrometeorology Teacher
• Hydrography Teacher
• College Professor

Education Typically Required

Across the occupations open to Paleontology 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 Paleontology?

Gender Distribution

This field has a relatively balanced gender distribution: 48% women and 52% men among Paleontology graduates.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	12	48.0%
Men	13	52.0%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of Paleontology graduates is as follows:

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	18	72.0%
Hispanic or Latino	5	20.0%
Race Unknown	2	8.0%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Paleontology Graduates Earn?

The U.S. Department of Education tracks median earnings of Paleontology graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Wages typically rise 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 Paleontology Worth It?

Looking purely at the federal earnings tracker, Paleontology 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
Geophysics and Seismology	40.0603
Hydrology and Water Resources Science	40.0605
Oceanography, Chemical and Physical	40.0607
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.