Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers Salary: $99,240 Median Pay (2026 stats)
Executive Summary
About 22,510 geoscientists, except hydrologists and geographers work nationally, and $99,240 is the BLS national median annual wage. Employment in the series shown fell about 26% from the first to the last year; projections imply about 0.9% annual decline.
Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers: what the data shows
Common questions about geoscientists, except hydrologists and geographers careers, answered from BLS OEWS and O*NET in this repository.
What is a geoscientists, except hydrologists and geographers?
Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers is tracked by the Bureau of Labor Statistics under SOC 19-2042.
U.S. employment in our OEWS extract is about 22,510 workers.
What does a geoscientists, except hydrologists and geographers do?
O*NET work activities rated highest for this occupation include Getting Information, Analyzing Data or Information, Working with Computers, Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates, Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events, Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge, and related tasks. See Work Activities for the full list.
How much does a geoscientists, except hydrologists and geographers make?
BLS national median annual wage: $99,240 (May 2024 in our extract).
Mean annual wage in our occupational extract: $122,337 — higher than the median, which often reflects top earners in the distribution.
Wage percentiles below are from the California OEWS extract (not national unless noted).
| Wage percentile | Annual wage |
|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $68,369 |
| 25th percentile | $91,973 |
| Median (50th) | $114,428 |
| 75th percentile | $143,291 |
| 90th percentile | $183,741 |
What skills do you need?
O*NET ratings for this occupation emphasize skills such as Reading Comprehension, Critical Thinking, Speaking, Science, Writing, Complex Problem Solving, and knowledge areas including Geography, Mathematics, English Language, Chemistry. See Education & Skills for detail.
Is geoscientists, except hydrologists and geographers in demand?
Historical employment trend in our series implies about 0.9% annual decline (compound rate in the extract).
Five-year projected employment change: -4.4%.
Ten-year projected employment change: -8.5%.
Current U.S. headcount: 22,510.
We report federal series only—compare wages, growth, and openings against your target market.
Where do geoscientists, except hydrologists and geographerss work?
Top industries by employment share in our OEWS industry extract:
| Industry | Employment | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Cross-industry | 22,510 | 17.8% |
| Cross-industry, Private Ownership only | 16,850 | 13.3% |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 11,580 | 9.1% |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 11,580 | 9.1% |
| Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services | 7,500 | 5.9% |
| Engineering Services | 6,080 | 4.8% |
See Industry for charts.
What degrees lead to this career?
Common majors for Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers in O*NET:
See Related degrees.
What careers are related?
Other occupations linked through shared degree pathways in our mapping:
| Occupation | U.S. employment | Median wage |
|---|---|---|
| Biological Scientists, All Other | 59,710 | $93,330 |
| Soil and Plant Scientists | 16,600 | $71,410 |
| Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health | 84,930 | $80,060 |
| Conservation Scientists | 25,590 | $67,950 |
| Animal Scientists | 2,470 | $79,120 |
Employment
Employment and salary information for the Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers workforce.
Employment Over Time
22,510 U.S. workforce (OEWS)
California employment for Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers shrank from 14,120 in 2009 to 12,240 in 2025 (13.3%).
Historical employment for Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers from the California OEWS series, 2009–2025. The U.S. workforce figure is national and is not the endpoint of this line.
Yearly Wage Ranking
$99,240 Median pay (BLS national)
Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers earn $99,240 as the BLS national median annual wage.
Wage ranking compared to other occupations.
Wage Distribution
This chart shows the distribution of average salaries by income buckets for Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers.
Salary distribution for Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers.
Employment Growth Projections
-0.9% Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR)
11,705 Projected Employment (5 years)
Projected growth: -4.4%
11,194 Projected Employment (10 years)
Projected growth: -8.5%
This occupation is experiencing a decline. Consider related fields with better growth prospects.
Historical employment trends and future projections for Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers.
Industry
Information on the industries that employ Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers and on wages for those in the field.
Occupations by Industries
This graphic shows the share of Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers employed by various industries.
Industry distribution for Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers.
Wage Trends by Industry
12.4% Average Annual Wage Growth Rate
Historical wage growth trends by industry for Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers.
Geographic Distribution
Employment and wage information by geographic location for Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers.
State employment and wages are from the U.S. BLS OEWS May 2024 state extract. Metropolitan areas use the national MSA file when available.
Top States by Employment
Top States by Employment:
- TX: 3,620 employees, $157,370 avg wage
- CA: 3,150 employees, $119,100 avg wage
- CO: 1,420 employees, $121,040 avg wage
- OK: 910 employees, $121,650 avg wage
- WA: 840 employees, $108,250 avg wage
- FL: 760 employees, $97,470 avg wage
- PA: 750 employees, $85,060 avg wage
- NY: 700 employees, $95,560 avg wage
- AZ: 510 employees, $89,900 avg wage
- NV: 510 employees, $98,000 avg wage
Top 10 states by employment for Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers.
Top Metropolitan Areas
Top Metropolitan Areas:
- Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX: 1,760 employees, $176,870 avg wage
- Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO: 880 employees, $130,700 avg wage
- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA: 810 employees, $117,420 avg wage
- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ: 580 employees, $93,820 avg wage
- Oklahoma City, OK: 560 employees, $121,550 avg wage
- San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA: 540 employees, $130,690 avg wage
- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA: 540 employees, $111,290 avg wage
- Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA: 480 employees, $114,410 avg wage
- Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX: 450 employees, $111,410 avg wage
- Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX: 430 employees, $154,860 avg wage
Top 10 metropolitan statistical areas by employment for Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers.
Diversity
Demographic information on Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers in the US.
Gender and Age
The U.S. workforce for Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers is about 22,510 people in our OEWS extract.
Gender and age distribution for Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers.
Races
Racial and ethnic shares when present in the career dataset. If the chart area shows a notice instead, occupational race/ethnicity fields are not yet populated for this extract.
Race and ethnicity distribution for Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers.
Education & Skills
Data on higher education choices and required skills for Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers.
Majors
The most common majors achieved by Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers in 2023 were Engineering, Biology, Chemistry.
Common majors for Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers.
Education Levels
The main educational levels achieved by Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers workers.
Education level distribution for Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers.
Skills
Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers need many skills, but most especially Reading Comprehension, Critical Thinking, Speaking, Science, Writing.
Required skills for Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers.
Knowledge & Abilities
Knowledge areas and abilities required for Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers.
Knowledge Areas
The most important knowledge areas for Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers include Geography, Mathematics, English Language, Chemistry, Physics.
Knowledge areas required for Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers.
Abilities
Key abilities needed for Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers include Inductive Reasoning, Written Comprehension, Written Expression, Category Flexibility, Deductive Reasoning.
Required abilities for Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers.
Work Activities
Common work activities performed by Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers.
Daily Activities
Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers spend their time on activities such as Getting Information, Analyzing Data or Information, Working with Computers, Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates, Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events.
Most important work activities for Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers.
About
Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers
Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers earn $99,240 as the BLS national median annual wage.
SOC Code
19-2042 - Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers
Insights and Analysis
High earnings profile: Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers reports an average salary of $122,337, placing it among stronger-paying occupations.
Labor market presence: The current workforce is approximately 22,510 workers, indicating sustained demand.
Forward outlook: Projected annual decline is -0.9%, which should inform long-term career planning.
Data Sources
This page uses data from the following sources:
- College Scorecard - U.S. Department of Education
- Institutional characteristics, costs, completion rates, and earnings data
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: collegescorecard.ed.gov
- Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)
- Employment and wage data by occupation
- Latest data: May 2024
- Source: bls.gov/oes
- O*NET Online - U.S. Department of Labor
- Occupational skills, knowledge, abilities, and work activities
- Database version: 28.0 (August 2023)
- Source: onetcenter.org
- IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) - National Center for Education Statistics
- Institutional data, completions, enrollment, and financial aid
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: nces.ed.gov/ipeds
- Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS)
- Demographic and workforce data
- Latest data: 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates
- Source: census.gov/acs
Data Processing: All data has been processed, cleaned, and aggregated for presentation. Where specific data points are unavailable, estimates are based on available data and clearly marked.
Last Updated: Data reflects the most recent available information as of January 2025.
Methodology
Data for this profile is sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS), and O*NET Online.
All wage figures represent annual averages and may vary by location, industry, and experience level.