Life & Physical Science
Geoscientists
SOC 19-2042
Study the Earth's structure and processes, often for mining or energy companies.
The job
Median pay
$102k
$75k to $139k typical range
Outlook, 2025 to 2035
Growing fast
+5.1% projected
Openings a year
2k
BLS projection
Typical education
Master's
Our model
AI displacement risk
High
How much of this job AI may do instead of the person
Works with AI
7/100
AI alongside the person rather than instead of them
AI exposure
60th pct
More exposed than 60% of occupations · modeled estimate · 61st pct in Microsoft's data
Future-proof
57/100
Key skills
- Reading Comprehension
- Speaking
- Science
- Critical Thinking
- Active Listening
- Writing
Pay and jobs by state
BLS OEWS May 2025, 51 states. Sorted by jobs; per 1,000 is jobs per thousand workers in the state; vs national compares that rate with the country's. A tilde marks a figure estimated from the parent occupation group where BLS publishes none.
| State | Jobs | Per 1,000 | vs national | Median pay |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Texas | 4,900 | 0.3 | 2.3× | $145k |
| California | 3,350 | 0.2 | 1.2× | $107k |
| Colorado | 1,480 | 0.5 | 3.4× | $114k |
| Pennsylvania | 910 | 0.2 | 1.0× | $84k |
| Washington | 840 | 0.2 | 1.6× | $105k |
| Oklahoma | 770 | 0.5 | 3.0× | $120k |
| Florida | 660 | 0.1 | 0.4× | $95k |
| New York | 600 | 0.1 | 0.4× | $86k |
| North Carolina | 570 | 0.1 | 0.8× | $95k |
| Arizona | 550 | 0.2 | 1.1× | $85k |
All 51 states
| State | Jobs | Per 1,000 | vs national | Median pay |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nevada | 520 | 0.3 | 2.2× | $100k |
| Louisiana | 440 | 0.2 | 1.5× | $92k |
| Alaska | 430 | 1.3 | 8.8× | $107k |
| Massachusetts | 420 | 0.1 | 0.8× | $108k |
| Illinois | 410 | 0.1 | 0.5× | $97k |
| Ohio | 410 | 0.1 | 0.5× | $81k |
| Maryland | 390 | 0.1 | 0.9× | $111k |
| Oregon | 380 | 0.2 | 1.3× | $98k |
| Georgia | 340 | 0.1 | 0.5× | $74k |
| Michigan | 320 | 0.1 | 0.5× | $81k |
| New Jersey | 300 | 0.1 | 0.5× | $89k |
| Utah | 300 | 0.2 | 1.1× | $90k |
| Virginia | 300 | 0.1 | 0.5× | $88k |
| Washington DC | 283 | 0.4 | 2.7× | $159k~ |
| Indiana | 270 | 0.1 | 0.6× | $68k |
| Missouri | 260 | 0.1 | 0.6× | $83k |
| Mississippi | 250 | 0.2 | 1.4× | $112k |
| Minnesota | 240 | 0.1 | 0.5× | $81k |
| South Carolina | 230 | 0.1 | 0.7× | $86k |
| Tennessee | 230 | 0.1 | 0.5× | $78k |
| Wyoming | 220 | 0.8 | 5.2× | $75k |
| Montana | 210 | 0.4 | 2.7× | $76k |
| Connecticut | 206 | 0.1 | 0.8× | $62k~ |
| Kansas | 190 | 0.1 | 0.9× | $80k |
| Kentucky | 170 | 0.1 | 0.6× | $78k |
| New Mexico | 160 | 0.2 | 1.2× | $89k |
| Idaho | 130 | 0.2 | 1.0× | $91k |
| Alabama | 110 | 0.1 | 0.3× | $89k |
| Delaware | 110 | 0.2 | 1.5× | $94k |
| Hawaii | 110 | 0.2 | 1.2× | $106k |
| Nebraska | 110 | 0.1 | 0.7× | $86k |
| Wisconsin | 110 | 0.0 | 0.3× | $79k |
| North Dakota | 100 | 0.2 | 1.5× | $84k |
| New Hampshire | 95 | 0.1 | 0.9× | $101k~ |
| West Virginia | 90 | 0.1 | 0.8× | $76k |
| South Dakota | 80 | 0.2 | 1.2× | $71k |
| Arkansas | 70 | 0.1 | 0.4× | $68k |
| Maine | 70 | 0.1 | 0.7× | $87k |
| Rhode Island | 68 | 0.1 | 0.9× | $121k~ |
| Vermont | 52 | 0.2 | 1.1× | $87k~ |
| Iowa | 40 | 0.0 | 0.2× | $74k |
Top metro areas
- Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX2,380 jobs · $174k median
- Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO1,020 jobs · $120k median
- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA810 jobs · $95k median
- Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX610 jobs · $133k median
- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA540 jobs · $108k median
- Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX490 jobs · $93k median
- Oklahoma City, OK490 jobs · $120k median
- Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA490 jobs · $120k median
Explore the rankings
Explore Geoscientists interactively →Pay and outlook from BLS (OEWS 2025, Employment Projections 2025-2035). Skills and work activities from O*NET 30.3. AI exposure and future-proof scores are modeled estimates. How these numbers are made.