The highest-paying states 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 of geoscientists (except hydrologists and geographers) in those states are also shown in the table. As shown in the table, with an annual salary of $136,480, Oklahoma is the highest paying state for geoscientists (except hydrologists and geographers). It is followed by District of Columbia (average annual salary $135,090). The salary and employment information is computed from data published by U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) in April 2023 [1]. For more salary information of geoscientists (except hydrologists and geographers) in a specific state, use the links in the table.
| Rank | State | Average Salary i | Entry Level Salary i |
# of Empl. i |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oklahoma | $136,480 |
$70,320 | 600 |
| 2 | District of Columbia | $135,090 |
$89,810 | 40 |
| 3 | Texas | $134,740 |
$57,210 | 5,440 |
| 4 | Massachusetts | $105,910 |
$62,600 | 260 |
| 5 | Colorado | $105,000 |
$49,610 | 2,260 |
| 6 | Alaska | $103,920 |
$59,730 | 430 |
| 7 | Utah | $98,990 |
$66,640 | 320 |
| 8 | Washington | $97,990 |
$63,470 | 900 |
| 9 | Hawaii | $95,040 |
$64,060 | 60 |
| 10 | Florida | $91,980 |
$48,240 | 540 |
| 11 | Mississippi | $89,190 |
$50,920 | 330 |
| 12 | Oregon | $88,650 |
$59,940 | 480 |
| 13 | California | $87,840 |
$40,170 | 3,570 |
| 14 | North Dakota | $87,100 |
$71,080 | 80 |
| 15 | Arkansas | $85,790 |
$44,070 | 120 |
| 16 | Rhode Island | $85,110 |
$70,300 | 60 |
| 17 | Maryland | $82,440 |
$52,140 | 370 |
| 18 | Illinois | $82,230 |
$50,790 | 330 |
| 19 | New Jersey | $81,490 |
$61,470 | 240 |
| 20 | Alabama | $81,460 |
$50,050 | 150 |
| 21 | Nevada | $80,940 |
$47,120 | 470 |
| 22 | Louisiana | $79,670 |
$54,490 | 430 |
| 23 | Idaho | $79,440 |
$44,720 | 200 |
| 24 | Tennessee | $79,350 |
$52,050 | 150 |
| 25 | Missouri | $78,790 |
$40,120 | 200 |
| 26 | New Hampshire | $78,580 |
$65,080 | 100 |
| 27 | New York | $78,500 |
$51,620 | 780 |
| 28 | North Carolina | $78,210 |
$54,810 | 410 |
| 29 | Ohio | $78,100 |
$49,650 | 330 |
| 30 | Montana | $78,000 |
$37,790 | 210 |
| 31 | Wyoming | $77,230 |
$53,640 | 190 |
| 32 | New Mexico | $76,580 |
$28,860 | 180 |
| 33 | Vermont | $76,270 |
$38,210 | 30 |
| 34 | West Virginia | $76,070 |
$44,700 | 150 |
| 35 | Nebraska | $75,630 |
$49,670 | 100 |
| 36 | Maine | $75,010 |
$57,800 | 60 |
| 37 | South Carolina | $74,420 |
$45,780 | 130 |
| 38 | Arizona | $74,250 |
$52,140 | 630 |
| 39 | Pennsylvania | $72,340 |
$42,110 | 690 |
| 40 | Connecticut | $72,140 |
$56,810 | 50 |
| 41 | South Dakota | $70,620 |
$53,400 | 70 |
| 42 | Delaware | $69,700 |
$48,880 | 130 |
| 43 | Indiana | $68,870 |
$41,290 | 380 |
| 44 | Puerto Rico | $67,230 |
$41,340 | 30 |
| 45 | Virginia | $65,940 |
$42,810 | 570 |
| 46 | Michigan | $64,430 |
$48,600 | 470 |
| 47 | Georgia | $62,950 |
$48,460 | 490 |
| 48 | Minnesota | $62,670 |
$49,250 | 160 |
| 49 | Wisconsin | $62,370 |
$34,830 | 130 |
| 50 | Kansas | $61,840 |
$46,200 | 400 |
| 51 | Kentucky | $60,080 |
$39,310 | 240 |
| 52 | Iowa | $51,940 |
$33,940 | 70 |