Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers salary in the U.S.
Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers in the U.S. earn a median of $101,920 a year ($49.00 an hour), based on BLS data for 23,470 workers.
Pay ranges from $59,330 for the lowest-paid 10% to $200,230 for the top 10%. The average (mean) salary is $116,150, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for geoscientists, except hydrologists and geographers in the U.S.
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $59,330 | $28.52 |
| 25th percentile | $75,110 | $36.11 |
| Median | $101,920 | $49.00 |
| 75th percentile | $139,380 | $67.01 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $200,230 | $96.26 |
| Average (mean) | $116,150 | $55.84 |
Half of geoscientists, except hydrologists and geographers earn more than the median and half earn less. Percentiles show the spread: 10% earn less than the 10th percentile, and 10% earn more than the 90th.
Median paycheck, before taxes
| Pay period | Amount |
|---|---|
| Monthly | $8,493.33 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $4,246.67 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $3,920 |
| Weekly | $1,960 |
| Hourly | $49.00 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers salary by state
| State | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Texas | $145,220 | 4,900 |
| Rhode Island | $121,010 | n/a |
| Oklahoma | $119,990 | 770 |
| Colorado | $114,410 | 1,480 |
| Mississippi | $112,400 | 250 |
| Maryland | $110,510 | 390 |
| Massachusetts | $108,210 | 420 |
| Alaska | $107,410 | 430 |
| California | $106,500 | 3,350 |
| Hawaii | $106,270 | 110 |
| Washington | $105,020 | 840 |
| New Hampshire | $101,150 | n/a |
| Nevada | $99,890 | 520 |
| Oregon | $98,110 | 380 |
| Illinois | $96,950 | 410 |
| North Carolina | $95,260 | 570 |
| Florida | $95,140 | 660 |
| Delaware | $93,640 | 110 |
| Louisiana | $91,560 | 440 |
| Idaho | $91,170 | 130 |
| Utah | $89,990 | 300 |
| Alabama | $88,610 | 110 |
| New Mexico | $88,530 | 160 |
| New Jersey | $88,500 | 300 |
| Virginia | $88,390 | 300 |
| Vermont | $87,070 | n/a |
| Maine | $86,840 | 70 |
| New York | $86,410 | 600 |
| South Carolina | $86,070 | 230 |
| Nebraska | $85,550 | 110 |
| Arizona | $85,190 | 550 |
| Pennsylvania | $84,180 | 910 |
| North Dakota | $84,070 | 100 |
| Missouri | $83,390 | 260 |
| Ohio | $81,220 | 410 |
| Michigan | $80,990 | 320 |
| Minnesota | $80,540 | 240 |
| Kansas | $80,080 | 190 |
| Wisconsin | $78,610 | 110 |
| Tennessee | $77,870 | 230 |
| Kentucky | $77,510 | 170 |
| West Virginia | $76,060 | 90 |
| Montana | $75,520 | 210 |
| Wyoming | $74,910 | 220 |
| Iowa | $74,460 | 40 |
| Georgia | $73,920 | 340 |
| South Dakota | $71,150 | 80 |
| Indiana | $68,240 | 270 |
| Arkansas | $67,880 | 70 |
| Connecticut | $61,810 | n/a |
Best-paying metro areas for geoscientists, except hydrologists and geographers
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Midland, TX | $219,140 | 370 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | $174,490 | 2,380 |
| Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL | $154,390 | 40 |
| Lubbock, TX | $140,660 | 40 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $136,120 | 170 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | $136,120 | 50 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $132,790 | 60 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $132,780 | 610 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $132,620 | 320 |
| Odessa, TX | $129,730 | 60 |
| New Orleans-Metairie, LA | $125,570 | 130 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $122,310 | 430 |
| Gulfport-Biloxi, MS | $122,100 | 170 |
| Grand Junction, CO | $121,820 | 30 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $120,480 | 1,020 |
Metro areas with the most geoscientists, except hydrologists and geographers
| Metro area | Workers | Median salary |
|---|---|---|
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | 2,380 | $174,490 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | 1,020 | $120,480 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 810 | $94,660 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 610 | $132,780 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | 540 | $107,800 |
| Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | 490 | $92,930 |
| Oklahoma City, OK | 490 | $119,990 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | 490 | $119,950 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 450 | $94,850 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | 430 | $122,310 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 400 | $90,810 |
| Midland, TX | 370 | $219,140 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | 340 | $81,750 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 320 | $132,620 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | 310 | $104,760 |
Related jobs in the U.S.
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health | $82,220 | $39.53 |
| Chemist | $91,240 | $43.87 |
| Physical Scientists, All Other | $122,570 | $58.93 |
| Physicist | $172,250 | $82.81 |
| Atmospheric and Space Scientists | $99,070 | $47.63 |
| Materials Scientist | $117,790 | $56.63 |
| Hydrologist | $96,600 | $46.44 |
| Astronomer | $128,820 | $61.94 |
| Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists | $103,410 | $49.72 |
| Occupational Health and Safety Specialists | $90,150 | $43.34 |
| Clinical and Counseling Psychologists | $100,580 | $48.36 |
| Life, Physical, and Social Science Technicians, All Other | $62,280 | $29.94 |
| Biological Technician | $57,510 | $27.65 |
| School Psychologist | $95,990 | $46.15 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates, occupation code 19-2042. Wages include base pay, tips, commissions and shift pay, but not overtime, bonuses or benefits, and exclude the self-employed.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a geoscientists, except hydrologists and geographers make in the U.S.?
The median salary for geoscientists, except hydrologists and geographers in the U.S. is $101,920 a year, or $49.00 an hour. Pay ranges from $59,330 for the lowest-paid 10% to $200,230 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid geoscientists, except hydrologists and geographers make in the U.S.?
The top 10% of geoscientists, except hydrologists and geographers in the U.S. earn at least $200,230 a year. The top 25% earn $139,380 or more.
What is the starting pay for geoscientists, except hydrologists and geographers in the U.S.?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $59,330 a year, and a quarter of geoscientists, except hydrologists and geographers earn $75,110 or less.
How many geoscientists, except hydrologists and geographers work in the U.S.?
About 23,470 geoscientists, except hydrologists and geographers are employed in the U.S., not counting the self-employed.