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Geological & Earth Sciences

Instructional content for this group of programs is defined in codes 40.0601 - 40.0699.

Types of Degrees Geological & Earth Sciences Majors Are Earning

Those studying Geological & Earth Sciences may pursue degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Certificate	17
Associate’s Degree	142
Bachelor’s Degree	4,802
Master’s Degree	1,879
Doctor’s Degree	782

What Geological & Earth Sciences Majors Need to Know

Studies in Geological & Earth Sciences develop a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that Geological & Earth Sciences graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

Coursework in Geological & Earth Sciences emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• English Language — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.
• Mathematics — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.
• Education and Training — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.
• Customer and Personal Service — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.
• Computers and Electronics — Importance 3.3 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.

^{Importance is rated 1–5; level is 1–7. Source: ONET Online — weighted across related occupations.*}

Skills

The skill set built by a Geological & Earth Sciences program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Speaking — Importance 4.2 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.
• Reading Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.7 / 7.
• Active Listening — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.
• Writing — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.
• Critical Thinking — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.

Abilities

Innate abilities most relevant to Geological & Earth Sciences careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Oral Expression — Importance 4.3 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.
• Written Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.7 / 7.
• Oral Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.
• Written Expression — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.
• Deductive Reasoning — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Geological & Earth Sciences graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Getting Information	4.4 / 7
Working with Computers	4.4 / 7
Documenting/Recording Information	4.1 / 7
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work	4.1 / 7
Analyzing Data or Information	4.0 / 7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	4.0 / 7
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	4.0 / 7
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events	4.0 / 7
Training and Teaching Others	3.9 / 7
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	3.9 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Geological & Earth Sciences professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Microsoft PowerPoint	Presentation software	✓
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	✓
Microsoft Word	Word processing software	✓
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	✓
Microsoft Outlook	Electronic mail software	✓
The MathWorks MATLAB	Analytical or scientific software	✓
Web browser software	Internet browser software	—
ESRI ArcGIS software	Geographic information system	✓
Adobe Acrobat	Document management software	—
Adobe Photoshop	Graphics or photo imaging software	—
Microsoft Access	Data base user interface and query software	—
Microsoft Project	Project management software	—

^{Source: ONET Online technology skills, weighted across related occupations.*}

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Geological & Earth Sciences graduates include:

• Research Coordinator
• Clinical Trials Manager
• Clinical Project Manager
• Instructor
• Adjunct Instructor
• Assistant Professor
• Associate Professor
• University Faculty Member
• Lecturer
• College Professor
• College Faculty Member
• Professor
• Research Professor
• Geosciences Faculty Member
• Geological Science Teacher

Education Typically Required

Across the occupations open to Geological & Earth Sciences graduates, the typical level of education actually held by current workers is distributed as:

Education Level	Share of Workers
Bachelor’s degree	30.2%
Master’s degree	28.9%
Doctoral degree	14.4%
Post-doctoral training	10.6%
Postsecondary certificate	3.8%
Some college courses	3.1%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	2.8%
Post-baccalaureate certificate	2.7%
High school diploma or equivalent	2.3%
Post-master’s certificate	1.2%

^{Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*}

Who Is Earning a Degree in Geological & Earth Sciences?

Gender Distribution

This field has a relatively balanced gender distribution: 50.8% women and 49.2% men among Geological & Earth Sciences graduates.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	3,869	50.8%
Men	3,753	49.2%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of Geological & Earth Sciences graduates is as follows:

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	4,927	64.6%
Asian	319	4.2%
Hispanic or Latino	946	12.4%
Black or African American	202	2.7%
American Indian / Alaska Native	25	0.3%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander	6	0.1%
Two or More Races	345	4.5%
Race Unknown	177	2.3%
International Students	675	8.9%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Geological & Earth Sciences Graduates Earn?

Federal data tracks median earnings of Geological & Earth Sciences graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Earnings tend to climb steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.

Years Out	Median Earnings
1 year	$42,682
4 years	$54,219
5 years	$61,701

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $61,701 — roughly 45% above the 1-year mark.

^{Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.}

Online Geological & Earth Sciences Programs

Online study are documented by IPEDS for Geological & Earth Sciences. The table below shows how many graduates earned at least some of their coursework online (Distance-Ed Available) versus completing the entire program online (Distance-Ed Only).

Award Level	Distance-Ed Available	Distance-Ed Only
Associate’s	6	9
Bachelor’s	5	16
Master’s	7	13
Doctoral (Research)	2	3

^{Distance-Ed Only = degrees completed entirely online; Distance-Ed Available = degrees including at least some online coursework. Source: IPEDS Completions by Distance Education status.}

Is a Degree in Geological & Earth Sciences Worth It?

Looking purely at the federal earnings tracker, Geological & Earth Sciences graduates earn a median of $54,219 four years after completion — roughly 43% above the national median for workers with only a high school diploma (~$38,000).

^{ROI estimate compares the program’s 4-yr median earnings against the 2023 BLS CPS median earnings for high-school-only workers. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard + BLS Current Population Survey.}

Related Programs

You may also be interested in these closely related fields of study:

Program	Annual Degrees Awarded
Physical Sciences	46,659
Chemistry	19,434
Physics	12,910
Physical Sciences, General	2,661
Astronomy and Astrophysics	1,580
Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology	1,341
Materials Sciences	650
Physical Sciences, Other	422
Physics and Astronomy	39
PHYSICAL SCIENCES	—

References

The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students and international students. This number is then divided by the total number of students to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard

More about our data sources and methodologies.