SOC 19-2042 · Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations

Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers

Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025United States, all industries

U.S. median annual wage$101,920

U.S. median hourly wage$49.00

U.S. employment23,470

Nationally, geoscientists, except hydrologists and geographers earned a median of $101,920 per year as of the May 2025 OEWS estimates, across 23,470 jobs. Pay varies substantially by area — look up a specific state or metro below.

National pay distribution

Pay by state

Every state and territory with a published May 2025 estimate. “Not published” means BLS suppressed the value — it never means zero. Higher medians often track higher living costs; this is not a ranking of where the job is “best”.

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Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers: pay and employment by state
State
Texas	$145,220	$69.82	4,900	0.3
Rhode Island	$121,010	$58.18	Not published	Not published
Oklahoma	$119,990	$57.69	770	0.5
Colorado	$114,410	$55.00	1,480	0.5
Mississippi	$112,400	$54.04	250	0.2
Maryland	$110,510	$53.13	390	0.1
Massachusetts	$108,210	$52.03	420	0.1
Alaska	$107,410	$51.64	430	1.3
California	$106,500	$51.20	3,350	0.2
Hawaii	$106,270	$51.09	110	0.2
Washington	$105,020	$50.49	840	0.2
New Hampshire	$101,150	$48.63	Not published	Not published
Nevada	$99,890	$48.02	520	0.3
Oregon	$98,110	$47.17	380	0.2
Illinois	$96,950	$46.61	410	0.1
North Carolina	$95,260	$45.80	570	0.1
Florida	$95,140	$45.74	660	0.1
Delaware	$93,640	$45.02	110	0.2
Louisiana	$91,560	$44.02	440	0.2
Idaho	$91,170	$43.83	130	0.1
Utah	$89,990	$43.26	300	0.2
Alabama	$88,610	$42.60	110	0.1
New Mexico	$88,530	$42.56	160	0.2
New Jersey	$88,500	$42.55	300	0.1
Virginia	$88,390	$42.49	300	0.1
Vermont	$87,070	$41.86	Not published	Not published
Maine	$86,840	$41.75	70	0.1
New York	$86,410	$41.54	600	0.1
South Carolina	$86,070	$41.38	230	0.1
Nebraska	$85,550	$41.13	110	0.1
Arizona	$85,190	$40.96	550	0.2
Pennsylvania	$84,180	$40.47	910	0.2
North Dakota	$84,070	$40.42	100	0.2
Missouri	$83,390	$40.09	260	0.1
Ohio	$81,220	$39.05	410	0.1
Michigan	$80,990	$38.94	320	0.1
Minnesota	$80,540	$38.72	240	0.1
Kansas	$80,080	$38.50	190	0.1
Wisconsin	$78,610	$37.79	110	0.0
Tennessee	$77,870	$37.44	230	0.1
Kentucky	$77,510	$37.27	170	0.1
West Virginia	$76,060	$36.57	90	0.1
Montana	$75,520	$36.31	210	0.4
Wyoming	$74,910	$36.01	220	0.8
Iowa	$74,460	$35.80	40	0.0
Georgia	$73,920	$35.54	340	0.1
South Dakota	$71,150	$34.21	80	0.2
Indiana	$68,240	$32.81	270	0.1
Arkansas	$67,880	$32.64	70	0.1
Connecticut	$61,810	$29.72	Not published	Not published

Pay by metro area

All 106 metro areas where BLS publishes this occupation. Sort by median wage, employment, or local concentration — or see the highest-paying metros ranked.

Each dot is one metro area with a published median — hover any dot for the name and figure. Metros without published estimates are not drawn.

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Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers: pay and employment by metro area
Metro area
Midland, TX	$219,140	$105.36	370	3.0
Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX	$174,490	$83.89	2,380	0.7
Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL	$154,390	$74.23	40	0.2
Lubbock, TX	$140,660	$67.62	40	0.3
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA	$136,120	$65.44	170	0.2
Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA	$136,120	$65.44	50	0.5
Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA	$132,790	$63.84	60	0.3
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX	$132,780	$63.84	610	0.2
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV	$132,620	$63.76	320	0.1
Odessa, TX	$129,730	$62.37	60	0.7
New Orleans-Metairie, LA	$125,570	$60.37	130	0.3
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA	$122,310	$58.80	430	0.2
Gulfport-Biloxi, MS	$122,100	$58.70	170	1.1
Grand Junction, CO	$121,820	$58.57	30	0.5
Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO	$120,480	$57.92	1,020	0.6
Providence-Warwick, RI-MA	$120,240	$57.81	Not published	Not published
Oklahoma City, OK	$119,990	$57.69	490	0.7
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA	$119,950	$57.67	490	0.5
Fresno, CA	$117,420	$56.45	60	0.1
San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA	$117,420	$56.45	50	0.4
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN	$114,030	$54.82	220	0.0
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA	$111,830	$53.76	90	0.3
Redding, CA	$111,830	$53.76	30	0.5
Anchorage, AK	$111,290	$53.51	170	0.9
Boulder, CO	$107,860	$51.86	80	0.4
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA	$107,800	$51.83	540	0.3
Urban Honolulu, HI	$106,260	$51.09	90	0.2
Longview, TX	$105,450	$50.70	30	0.3
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA	$105,020	$50.49	290	0.2
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA	$104,760	$50.37	310	0.2
Wilmington, NC	$102,990	$49.51	40	0.2
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH	$102,730	$49.39	240	0.1
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL	$101,750	$48.92	140	0.1
Fairbanks-College, AK	$100,250	$48.20	70	1.9
Wichita, KS	$100,160	$48.16	40	0.1
Durham-Chapel Hill, NC	$99,560	$47.87	60	0.2
Billings, MT	$99,270	$47.73	60	0.6
Asheville, NC	$99,160	$47.68	30	0.2
Kennewick-Richland, WA	$97,770	$47.01	90	0.7
Manchester-Nashua, NH	$97,610	$46.93	40	0.2
Jacksonville, FL	$97,470	$46.86	80	0.1
Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL	$97,330	$46.79	Not published	Not published
Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL	$95,140	$45.74	190	0.1
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD	$94,850	$45.60	450	0.2
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA	$94,660	$45.51	810	0.1
Reno, NV	$94,610	$45.48	100	0.4
Fort Collins-Loveland, CO	$94,300	$45.34	Not published	Not published
Salt Lake City-Murray, UT	$93,030	$44.73	160	0.2
Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX	$92,930	$44.68	490	0.4
Omaha, NE-IA	$92,340	$44.40	80	0.2
Trenton-Princeton, NJ	$92,150	$44.30	90	0.4
Lansing-East Lansing, MI	$91,100	$43.80	70	0.3
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ	$90,810	$43.66	400	0.0
Tucson, AZ	$90,700	$43.61	80	0.2
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA	$90,270	$43.40	160	0.1
Kansas City, MO-KS	$90,060	$43.30	100	0.1
Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC	$89,770	$43.16	40	0.0
San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX	$88,990	$42.78	120	0.1
Boise City, ID	$88,640	$42.62	50	0.1
Columbia, SC	$88,290	$42.45	40	0.1
Raleigh-Cary, NC	$87,220	$41.93	130	0.2
Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY	$86,870	$41.77	110	0.2
Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD	$86,650	$41.66	220	0.2
Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC	$86,420	$41.55	120	0.1
College Station-Bryan, TX	$86,260	$41.47	50	0.4
Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV	$84,910	$40.82	140	0.1
Madison, WI	$84,520	$40.64	40	0.1
Corvallis, OR	$84,190	$40.48	60	1.4
Columbus, OH	$84,140	$40.45	120	0.1
Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN	$83,970	$40.37	90	0.1
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI	$83,100	$39.95	170	0.1
Akron, OH	$83,010	$39.91	40	0.1
Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ	$81,750	$39.30	340	0.1
Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY	$81,710	$39.28	60	0.1
Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA	$81,630	$39.25	40	0.1
Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN	$81,330	$39.10	170	0.2
Colorado Springs, CO	$80,660	$38.78	110	0.3
Jackson, MS	$80,660	$38.78	30	0.1
Richmond, VA	$80,490	$38.70	50	0.1
Albuquerque, NM	$79,820	$38.38	70	0.2
Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA	$79,780	$38.36	100	0.3
Lafayette, LA	$79,240	$38.09	40	0.2
Springfield, IL	$79,190	$38.07	40	0.4
Syracuse, NY	$78,680	$37.83	60	0.2
St. Louis, MO-IL	$78,630	$37.80	120	0.1
Burlington-South Burlington, VT	$78,570	$37.78	Not published	Not published
Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI	$78,500	$37.74	80	0.0
Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN	$78,290	$37.64	90	0.1
Cleveland, OH	$77,890	$37.45	70	0.1
Knoxville, TN	$77,870	$37.44	50	0.1
Baton Rouge, LA	$76,640	$36.85	90	0.2
Pittsburgh, PA	$76,410	$36.74	200	0.2
Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC	$76,060	$36.57	Not published	Not published
Duluth, MN-WI	$75,450	$36.28	30	0.3
Cheyenne, WY	$74,150	$35.65	40	0.9
Rochester, NY	$73,320	$35.25	40	0.1
Charleston-North Charleston, SC	$71,500	$34.38	60	0.2
Tallahassee, FL	$70,200	$33.75	40	0.2
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA	$70,180	$33.74	260	0.1
Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR	$69,230	$33.28	50	0.1
Lexington-Fayette, KY	$67,700	$32.55	70	0.3
Chattanooga, TN-GA	$63,270	$30.42	40	0.1
Tyler, TX	$62,840	$30.21	40	0.4
Shreveport-Bossier City, LA	$59,390	$28.55	50	0.3
Casper, WY	$55,130	$26.50	Not published	Not published
Tulsa, OK	Not published	Not published	160	0.3

About this data. Estimates are from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program, May 2025 release, retrieved from bls.gov/oes/tables.htm on July 24, 2026. OEWS estimates describe metropolitan/nonmetropolitan areas and states — not city limits — and are not designed for year-over-year comparisons. See BLS methodology, our plain-English methodology, and sources. CitySalaryData is independent and not affiliated with BLS.