Careers in Geoscience
Careers in Geoscience - Geography:
There is a common misconception that the job possibilities for geographers are limited to either teachers/professors or cartographers. In reality, geographers hold a wide range of jobs, from government analyst, planners of various types, conservationist, travel agent, airline pilot, journalist, meteorologist, climatologist, spatial analyst, and many more, including military positions - both enlisted and civilian.
One of our professional organizations, the, has a wealth of information on careers in Geography, including salary and employment trends, examples of where geographers work, and profiles of practicing geographers: .
Many of our students also go on to further their education at graduate programs across the U.S., and even Canada.
According to the , the median yearly pay for professional geographers was in 2024, and the U.S. Department of Labor has designated Geospatial Technology areas such as as a high growth industry, expected to grow by 6% (faster than the average of all occupations) by 2034.
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Careers in Geoscience - Geology:
Geologists study the earth. There is a diversity of ways that this can be done. Of course, there are academics who do this, but there are many jobs that do not require a Ph.D. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the largest employers of geologists are in the Architectural, Engineering, and related services (27% in 2025) sector. The second largest employers are in the Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction Sector (17% in 2025). The third largest employers are in the Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services Sector (14% in 2025).
Some of our students do go on to pursue Master’s degrees and even Ph.Ds. at universities all over the USA.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics posted the median salary for a geologist as $101,920 in May 2025. The job outlook is good, with a 5% growth projected between 2025 and 2035. They state, “The need for energy, environmental protection, and responsible land and resource management is expected to contribute to demand for geologists.”
Links to obtain more information about careers:
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