National Salary Info » Geoscientists (Except Hydrologists and Geographers)

Highest Paying Industries for Geoscientists (Except Hydrologists and Geographers)

The top 45 highest paying industries for geoscientists (except hydrologists and geographers) (ranked by average annual salary) are listed in Table 1. The entry level salary (as measured by the salary of the lowest 10% paid earners) and the number of employment in those industries are also shown. As shown in the table, with an average annual salary of $142,100, management of companies and enterprises is the highest paying industry for geoscientists (except hydrologists and geographers). It is followed by oil and gas extraction industry (average annual salary $135,380). The salary and employment information is computed from data published by U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics in May 2015 [1]. For more information about salaries of geoscientists (except hydrologists and geographers) in a specific industry, use the links in the table.

Table 1. 45 Highest Paying Industries for Geoscientists (Except Hydrologists and Geographers)

Rank	Industry	Average Salary i	Entry Level Salary i	# of Empl. i
1	Management of Companies and Enterprises	$142,100	$69,390	1,440
2	Oil and Gas Extraction	$135,380	$53,660	7,790
3	Mining	$128,960	$54,540	9,830
4	Manufacturing	$124,640	$65,110	320
5	Support Activities for Mining	$124,060	$55,450	1,520
6	Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing	$109,420	$57,890	170
7	Federal government, including USPS	$96,270	$63,790	2,260
8	Federal Executive Branch (OES Designation)	$96,270	$63,790	2,260
9	Computer Systems Design and Related Services	$94,600	$67,480	190
10	Local government, including schools and hospitals	$88,990	$56,600	190
11	Local Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OES Designation)	$88,800	$56,530	190
12	Employment Services	$88,520	$55,840	130
13	Temporary Help Services	$88,220	$55,610	120
14	Metal Ore Mining	$87,840	$59,100	470
15	Mining (except Oil and Gas)	$86,870	$57,770	520
16	Administrative and Support Services	$86,420	$56,070	160
17	Utilities	$86,060	$55,890	240
18	Colleges, universities, and professional schools - State government owned	$81,100	$42,020	1,830
19	Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services	$81,030	$53,780	320
20	Educational Services - State government owned	$80,930	$41,920	1,840
21	Nonmetallic Mineral Mining and Quarrying	$79,310	$45,970	40
22	Public sector -- Federal, state, and local government, including government owned schools and hospit	$78,900	$43,680	6,960
23	Federal, State, and Local Government (OES Designation)	$78,640	$44,950	5,120
24	Federal, State, and Local Government	$78,640	$44,950	5,120
25	Engineering Services	$78,300	$46,110	6,150
26	Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services	$78,250	$45,000	8,210
27	Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools	$78,140	$42,680	2,060
28	Educational Services	$77,960	$42,580	2,070
29	Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services	$76,550	$44,710	14,360
30	Waste Management and Remediation Services	$76,410	$51,660	160
31	Remediation and Other Waste Management Services	$75,750	$51,990	130
32	Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences	$75,490	$45,730	570
33	Scientific Research and Development Services	$74,200	$44,410	600
34	Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services	$74,100	$43,700	5,170
35	Construction	$70,730	$50,770	80
36	Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution	$70,560	$52,150	120
37	Utility System Construction	$69,990	$51,730	n/a
38	Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction	$69,250	$50,900	n/a
39	State government, including schools and hospitals	$67,370	$39,660	4,510
40	Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services	$66,180	$45,050	180
41	Colleges, universities, and professional schools - Privately owned	$63,250	$49,750	230
42	Educational Services - Privately owned	$63,250	$49,750	230
43	State Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OES Designation)	$63,130	$37,080	2,670
44	Testing Laboratories	$57,560	$39,500	450
45	Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities	$54,560	$32,740	30