The average salary for a geologist in North Carolina is around $70,160 per year.
Avg Salary
Geologists earn an average yearly salary of $70,160.
Wages typically start from $47,040 and go up to $101,850.
9% above national average Updated in 2018
Geologist earnings by seniority
Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.
Geologist salary by state
| State Name | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Alaska | $94,390 |
| Alabama | $58,940 |
| Arkansas | $52,440 |
| Arizona | $69,744 |
| California | $93,310 |
| Colorado | $91,440 |
| Connecticut | $74,450 |
| District of Columbia | $119,790 |
| Delaware | $87,000 |
| Florida | $81,650 |
| Georgia | $62,040 |
| Hawaii | $97,910 |
| Iowa | $78,000 |
| Idaho | $83,170 |
| Illinois | $69,480 |
| Indiana | $61,870 |
| Kansas | $77,590 |
| Kentucky | $69,890 |
| Louisiana | $98,720 |
| Massachusetts | $81,180 |
| Maryland | $86,970 |
| Maine | $62,510 |
| Michigan | $68,240 |
| Minnesota | $77,980 |
| Missouri | $70,360 |
| Mississippi | $93,070 |
| Montana | $85,780 |
| North Carolina | $70,160 |
| North Dakota | $81,200 |
| Nebraska | $78,920 |
| New Hampshire | $85,870 |
| New Jersey | $93,670 |
| New Mexico | $77,610 |
| Nevada | $81,100 |
| New York | $71,050 |
| Ohio | $75,140 |
| Oklahoma | $113,690 |
| Oregon | $72,320 |
| Pennsylvania | $108,580 |
| Puerto Rico | $75,030 |
| Rhode Island | $80,750 |
| South Carolina | $69,700 |
| South Dakota | $61,020 |
| Tennessee | $73,880 |
| Texas | $131,710 |
| Utah | $71,930 |
| Virginia | $86,170 |
| Vermont | $65,640 |
| Washington | $88,060 |
| Wisconsin | $73,140 |
| West Virginia | $76,960 |
| Wyoming | $69,370 |
How much does a Geologist earn?
Geologists are employed in many sectors, such as environmental consulting companies, oil companies, governmental agencies, engineering firms and nonprofit organizations, as well as colleges and universities. Salaries vary widely among sectors.
The oil sector and the mineral resource sector are both willing to pay handsome salaries to new geologists. However, a large number of geologists choose to work in the environmental and government sectors, and these employers tend to pay 10% to 40% less because they are not in such a demand-driven market. Having said that, employment in the environmental and government sectors is often more stable than the prices of commodities.
Geologists with a Ph.D. can teach geology at colleges and universities. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual salary for a college professor of geology is $83,140, with the bottom 10 percentile making $42,590 and the top 10 percentile making $152,270. Colleges and universities pay an average of $92,850, while community colleges pay an average of $87,200.
How do geologist salaries compare to similar careers?
Geologists earn about the same as related careers in North Carolina. On average, they make less than molecular biologists but more than climate change analysts.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Molecular biologist salary | $80K |
| Bioinformatics scientist salary | $80K |
| Atmospheric scientist salary | $81K |
| Chemist salary | $72K |
| Soil and plant scientist salary | $63K |
| Geologist salary | $70K |
| Hydrologist salary | $63K |
| Geodesist salary | $68K |
| Occupational health specialist salary | $69K |
| Climate change analyst salary | $59K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)