Salary Range & Percentiles
Pay distribution across experience levels
- 10th Percentile — Entry Level$59,330
- 25th Percentile — Junior$75,110
- 50th Percentile — Median$101,920
- 75th Percentile — Senior$139,380
- 90th Percentile — Top Earners$200,230
The top 10% of Geoscientists earn $200,230 or more per year. Entry-level professionals can expect to start around $59,330, with significant growth over the first 5 years.
Salary by State
Geographic salary comparison
| State | Avg Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia (est.) | $176,548 | +52.0% |
| Texas | $160,070 | +37.8% |
| Massachusetts | $133,880 | +15.3% |
| Colorado | $132,120 | +13.7% |
| Oklahoma | $123,090 | +6.0% |
| Rhode Island | $119,270 | +2.7% |
| Alaska | $118,750 | +2.2% |
| Washington | $117,140 | +0.9% |
| Mississippi | $115,470 | -0.6% |
| Maryland | $114,240 | -1.6% |
| Illinois | $109,290 | -5.9% |
| California | $108,910 | -6.2% |
| Nevada | $106,850 | -8.0% |
| Hawaii | $106,100 | -8.7% |
| Virginia | $105,120 | -9.5% |
| Idaho | $104,530 | -10.0% |
| Florida | $103,290 | -11.1% |
| Oregon | $103,270 | -11.1% |
| Louisiana | $100,990 | -13.1% |
| North Carolina | $100,170 | -13.8% |
| New Hampshire | $98,390 | -15.3% |
| New York | $97,780 | -15.8% |
| Utah | $97,600 | -16.0% |
| New Mexico | $94,290 | -18.8% |
| Delaware | $93,330 | -19.6% |
| New Jersey | $93,180 | -19.8% |
| Vermont | $93,070 | -19.9% |
| Pennsylvania | $92,830 | -20.1% |
| Minnesota | $92,530 | -20.3% |
| North Dakota | $92,300 | -20.5% |
| Maine | $91,660 | -21.1% |
| Missouri | $91,250 | -21.4% |
| South Carolina | $91,120 | -21.5% |
| Arizona | $90,240 | -22.3% |
| Kansas | $90,000 | -22.5% |
| Alabama | $89,960 | -22.5% |
| Wisconsin | $88,150 | -24.1% |
| Nebraska | $87,510 | -24.7% |
| Michigan | $86,420 | -25.6% |
| Ohio | $86,230 | -25.8% |
| Montana | $85,330 | -26.5% |
| Georgia | $85,320 | -26.5% |
| Tennessee | $84,130 | -27.6% |
| West Virginia | $83,010 | -28.5% |
| Wyoming | $80,550 | -30.7% |
| Kentucky | $79,810 | -31.3% |
| Iowa | $77,720 | -33.1% |
| Arkansas | $76,830 | -33.9% |
| Indiana | $76,640 | -34.0% |
| South Dakota | $72,030 | -38.0% |
| Connecticut | $67,580 | -41.8% |
What Factors Affect Geoscientists Salary?
Key factors affecting compensation
Pay for Geoscientists is influenced by geographic location, years of experience, employer type, and educational background. Location alone is a large factor: Texas pays an average of $160,070, while Connecticut pays $67,580 — a gap of $92,490 per year.
The middle half of Geoscientists earn between $75,110 and $139,380 per year. The lowest-paid 10% earn under $59,330, while the top 10% earn more than $200,230.
These figures are the wages employers report to BLS: base pay plus commissions, production bonuses and tips. They exclude overtime pay, shift differentials, year-end bonuses, benefits and self-employed workers, so total compensation can be higher than the numbers shown.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OES) · May 2025
Compare with Similar Jobs
Related career salary benchmarks
- Chemists $100,450/yr United States 13.5% vs this role
- Medical Scientists $116,840/yr United States +0.6% vs this role
- Environmental Scientists and Specialists $91,680/yr United States 21.1% vs this role
- Conservation Scientists $77,130/yr United States 33.6% vs this role
- Economists $142,130/yr United States +22.4% vs this role
- Sociologists $114,920/yr United States 1.1% vs this role
- Registered Nurses $101,420/yr United States 12.7% vs this role
- Nurse Practitioners $137,300/yr United States +18.2% vs this role
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about this salary
What is the average salary for Geoscientists?
The average salary for Geoscientists in the United States is $116,150 per year, with a median of $101,920.
What is the starting salary for Geoscientists?
Entry-level Geoscientists typically earn between $59,330 and $75,110 per year depending on location and employer.
What state pays Geoscientists the most?
Texas pays Geoscientists the most at $160,070 per year on average, followed by Massachusetts ($133,880) and Colorado ($132,120).
How much do Geoscientists make per hour?
Based on the average annual salary of $116,150, Geoscientists earn approximately $55.84 per hour (based on 2,080 working hours/year).
Is Geoscientists a good career in 2026?
BLS counts 23,470 Geoscientists jobs in the United States, with a mean annual wage of $116,150 and a median of $101,920 (OEWS May 2025). This site does not publish job-growth projections; the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook covers the outlook for each occupation.
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