Geological Technicians earn $53,350 nationally at the median. The middle 50% of workers fall between $44,850 and $72,110. Where you land depends on specialization, employer, and experience.
This page sets out what the federal data says about working as a geological technicians: what the job pays, how fast it is growing, and what it takes to get in. Most people arrive through a degree in Geosciences and what it leads to, though it is not the only route.
Assist scientists or engineers in the use of electronic, sonic, or nuclear measuring instruments in laboratory, exploration, and production activities to obtain data indicating resources such as metallic ore, minerals, gas, coal, or petroleum. Analyze mud and drill cuttings. Chart pressure, temperature, and other characteristics of wells or bore holes.
Also known as:
Most geological technicians take home around $53,350 a year, below what most graduates with a bachelor's make. Half earn somewhere between $44,850 and $72,110, so where you land depends a lot on employer, specialty and city. Think carefully about how much debt is worth taking on for it. Source: BLS.
A wage on its own says nothing about whether the degree behind it pays for itself, which is a question of lifetime earnings set against the total cost of getting there.
Below average for bachelor's degree holders.
25th to 75th percentile. Most workers earn within this band.
The mean wage for this occupation is $61,870, above the median. A concentration of very high earners pulls the average up. The median is the better gauge of typical pay.
This is what the job actually looks like on a Tuesday: 5 core activities and 5 skills the work depends on. Read it before the salary, because pay matters less than whether you would want to spend your days doing this. Source: O*NET.
Hands-on tasks, physical activity, or working with tools and real materials are central parts of the daily work here.
Success depends on precision and structured processes, where detail-oriented people who work consistently within established systems perform best.
This career demands analytical thinking: researching problems, interpreting data, and applying logical reasoning to find practical solutions.
What the physical and mental conditions of this job actually look like day to day, based on O*NET Work Context data collected from people working in this occupation.
Significant time outdoors or in the field. Conditions vary by weather.
Mix of sitting and movement throughout the day.
Moderate pressure. Regular deadlines exist but are generally manageable with experience.
Through 2035 the BLS expects this field to change by +3.6%, meaning it is growing slowly, a little behind the average job. Around 1,000 roles open up each year, which is the number that matters most if you are starting out. Source: BLS.
Growth rates are only meaningful next to other occupations, and the full list of careers with their projected growth puts this one in context.
About as fast as average.
New positions plus replacements for retirees and career-changers.
Total US employment as of BLS May 2025.
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2025–2035 and Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025.
The five states below employ the most Geological Technicians professionals nationwide. State-level wages can differ significantly from the $53,350 national median. Research your specific market before committing to a program.
| # | State | Jobs | Median Wage | vs. National |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Texas | 2,190 | $46,840 | -12.2% |
| 2 | California | 480 | $69,410 | +30.1% |
| 3 | Oklahoma | 410 | $46,890 | -12.1% |
| 4 | Florida | 300 | $49,980 | -6.3% |
| 5 | New York | 280 | $57,150 | +7.1% |
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Employment figures rounded. Read our methodology →
To get hired here you will usually need a associate's degree. The 5 programs below are the most common routes in, ordered by how many people actually graduate from each one.
The next most common path is a Physical Science Technologies/Technicians program and the colleges offering it, which suits a different kind of applicant.
These positions typically require a bachelor's degree and several years of related experience before advancing into senior roles.
| # | Program | Graduates/yr | 4yr Median | Colleges |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Geosciences | 7,691 | $60,190 | 592 |
| 2 | Physical Science Technologies/Technicians | 2,688 | — | 96 |
| 3 | Science Technologies/Technicians | 2,436 | $68,416 | 82 |
| 4 | Mining & Petroleum Tech | 433 | $72,609 | 45 |
| 5 | Science Technologies/Technicians | 88 | $96,876 | 23 |
Colleges offering the degree programs that lead to this career, ranked by UCD Score. A strong program plus solid outcomes is a good place to begin your search.
| # | College | UCD Score | Net Price | Salary 10yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | United States Naval Academy Annapolis, MD | 97 | — | — |
| 2 | United States Coast Guard Academy New London, CT | 96 | — | — |
| 3 | Princeton University Princeton, NJ | 94 | $6,128 | $110,066 |
| 4 | University of California-Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA | 93 | $12,548 | $82,511 |
| 5 | University of California-San Diego La Jolla, CA | 93 | $12,470 | $84,943 |
| 6 | University of California-Berkeley Berkeley, CA | 93 | $13,481 | $92,446 |
Once you've sized up Geological Technicians, these tools turn the numbers into a plan. Estimate the real cost of a degree that leads here, weigh the long-term payoff, compare specific colleges side-by-side, and find programs that match your profile.
See if the degree that leads to Geological Technicians pays off. Weighs each college's cost against the earnings graduates see.
Enter a budget and see the colleges whose net price fits, with the out-of-pocket cost and likely loan load for each.
Put any 2–4 colleges side-by-side. Admissions, cost, outcomes, and earnings, all on one screen, no tab-hopping.
Answer six quick questions and see your best-fit colleges ranked by budget, field of study, and what matters most to you.
The data on Geological Technicians shows 1 measurable strengths and 2 real trade-offs. All points are drawn from BLS wage data, employment projections, and IPEDS program completions.
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