Geoscientists
Salary, job outlook, AI risk & career information
Geoscientists in the United States earn a median salary of $101,920 per year — about $49 per hour, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Roughly 25K people work in this occupation nationwide, with projected employment growth of +3%.
AI & Automation Risk
Geoscientists have a balanced mix of physical and digital work. While AI is highly effective at analyzing seismic data, GIS mapping, and predictive modeling, the core of the job requires physical fieldwork, sample collection in remote environments, and laboratory testing that AI cannot perform. Consequently, AI will significantly enhance their analytical productivity but cannot replace the essential physical presence and real-world data gathering required for the profession.
Salary by City — What You Actually Take Home
Real purchasing power = salary adjusted for cost of living. Higher = more money in your pocket.
| City | Local Salary | Cost of Living | Real Purchasing Power |
|---|---|---|---|
| Midland, TXBEST VALUE | $219,140 | Below avg (95.8) | $228,788 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | $174,490 | Average (98.6) | $176,916 |
| Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL | $154,390 | Average (100.0) | $154,382 |
| Lubbock, TX | $140,660 | Below avg (91.3) | $154,035 |
| Odessa, TX | $129,730 | Below avg (93.9) | $138,164 |
| Gulfport-Biloxi, MS | $122,100 | Below avg (90.0) | $135,658 |
| New Orleans-Metairie, LA | $125,570 | Below avg (92.6) | $135,609 |
| Oklahoma City, OK | $119,990 | Below avg (90.4) | $132,721 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $132,780 | Above avg (103.1) | $128,800 |
| Grand Junction, CO | $121,820 | Below avg (95.5) | $127,592 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | $136,120 | Above avg (109.9) | $123,863 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $136,120 | Above avg (110.4) | $123,271 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $132,790 | Above avg (107.8) | $123,200 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $132,620 | Above avg (108.9) | $121,799 |
| Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | $120,240 | Average (101.8) | $118,145 |