The average salary for a geologist in California is around $106,500 per year.
Avg Salary
Geologists earn an average yearly salary of $106,500.
Wages typically start from $45,540 and go up to $171,270.
34% above national average Updated in 2025
Geologist earnings by seniority
90th percentile
Top-level geologist earnings begin at:
$82.34 per hour
$171,270 per year
75th percentile
Senior-level geologist earnings begin at:
$66.40 per hour
$138,120 per year
50th percentile
Mid-level geologist earnings begin at:
$51.20 per hour
$106,500 per year
25th percentile
Junior-level geologist earnings begin at:
$35.51 per hour
$73,850 per year
10th percentile
Starting level geologist earnings begin at:
$21.89 per hour
$45,540 per year
Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.
Geologist salary by state
| State Name | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Nevada | $99,890 |
| Oregon | $98,110 |
| Illinois | $96,950 |
| North Carolina | $95,260 |
| Florida | $95,140 |
| Delaware | $93,640 |
| Louisiana | $91,560 |
| Idaho | $91,170 |
| Utah | $89,990 |
| Alabama | $88,610 |
| New Mexico | $88,530 |
| New Jersey | $88,500 |
| Virginia | $88,390 |
| Vermont | $87,070 |
| Maine | $86,840 |
| New York | $86,410 |
| South Carolina | $86,070 |
| Nebraska | $85,550 |
| Arizona | $85,190 |
| Pennsylvania | $84,180 |
| North Dakota | $84,070 |
| Missouri | $83,390 |
| Ohio | $81,220 |
| Michigan | $80,990 |
| Minnesota | $80,540 |
| Kansas | $80,080 |
| Wisconsin | $78,610 |
| Tennessee | $77,870 |
| Kentucky | $77,510 |
| West Virginia | $76,060 |
| Montana | $75,520 |
| Wyoming | $74,910 |
| Iowa | $74,460 |
| Georgia | $73,920 |
| South Dakota | $71,150 |
| Indiana | $68,240 |
| Arkansas | $67,880 |
| Puerto Rico | $61,860 |
| Connecticut | $61,810 |
| Texas | $145,220 |
| Rhode Island | $121,010 |
| Oklahoma | $119,990 |
| District of Columbia | $119,790 |
| Colorado | $114,410 |
| Mississippi | $112,400 |
| Maryland | $110,510 |
| Massachusetts | $108,210 |
| Alaska | $107,410 |
| California | $106,500 |
| Hawaii | $106,270 |
| Washington | $105,020 |
| New Hampshire | $101,150 |
How do geologist salaries compare to similar careers?
Geologists earn about the same as related careers in California. On average, they make less than microbiologists but more than soil and water conservationists.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Microbiologist salary | $109K |
| Geographer salary | $114K |
| Industrial ecologist salary | $107K |
| Zoologist salary | $99K |
| Geodesist salary | $105K |
| Geologist salary | $106K |
| Forensic science technician salary | $102K |
| Soil and plant scientist salary | $92K |
| Food science technologist salary | $94K |
| Soil and water conservationist salary | $80K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)