The average salary for a geologist in Illinois is around $96,950 per year.
Avg Salary
Geologists earn an average yearly salary of $96,950.
Wages typically start from $65,290 and go up to $177,670.
51% above national average Updated in 2025
Geologist earnings by seniority
90th percentile
Top-level geologist earnings begin at:
$85.42 per hour
$177,670 per year
75th percentile
Senior-level geologist earnings begin at:
$71.65 per hour
$149,030 per year
50th percentile
Mid-level geologist earnings begin at:
$46.61 per hour
$96,950 per year
25th percentile
Junior-level geologist earnings begin at:
$35.76 per hour
$74,390 per year
10th percentile
Starting level geologist earnings begin at:
$31.39 per hour
$65,290 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 Illinois. On average, they make less than mathematicians but more than scientists.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Mathematician salary | $131K |
| Biostatistician salary | $120K |
| Nanosystems engineer salary | $112K |
| Biochemical engineer salary | $112K |
| Nanotechnology engineer salary | $112K |
| Geologist salary | $97K |
| Forensic science technician salary | $125K |
| Food science technologist salary | $94K |
| Biochemist salary | $87K |
| Scientist salary | $91K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)