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Major · Physical Sciences

A physical science offered widely but clustered at land-grant leaders

Geology/Earth Science, General is a field science — the study of the earth's materials, structure, and processes — offered at an unusually high 544 colleges but producing just 3,815 bachelor's degrees per year, meaning most programs graduate only a handful of students. Bachelor's completers report a five-year earnings median of $61,215. The career list is solid: geoscientists at $99,240 and hydrologists at $92,060 are both bachelor's-entry, and natural sciences managers reach $161,180 at the mid-career management tier. The earnings trajectory is strongly linked to whether graduates enter the energy sector, environmental consulting, or government agency work.

Schools offering
544
Annual completions
3,815
Typical degree level
Associate's + Bachelor's
Median earnings (5yr)
$61k

About this major

Geology/Earth Science, General is the physical science of earth materials, processes, and history. The CIP definition covers historical geology, geomorphology, sedimentology, chemistry of rocks and soils, stratigraphy, mineralogy, petrology, geostatistics, volcanology, glaciology, geophysical principles, and applications to research and industrial problems. Typical curricula require substantial chemistry, physics, and calculus as foundations; physical and historical geology; mineralogy and petrology; structural geology; and a capstone field-camp course (typically 4–6 weeks in summer at a remote location) that nearly all serious programs require and that employers weight heavily in entry-level hiring.

The program's institutional distribution is unusually broad but unevenly concentrated. Geology is offered at 544 colleges — among the highest availability of any physical-science major — but produces only 3,815 bachelor's degrees per year, meaning most programs graduate seven or fewer students annually and the distribution is heavily weighted toward the top programs. The top ten are research universities with established geology departments: Washington State University (117), Mississippi State University (79), UNC Charlotte (60), UC Santa Cruz (52), the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor (52), the University of Arizona (50), Montana State University (49), the University of Pittsburgh (49), Pennsylvania State University (48), and UC Santa Barbara (43). The broad 544-school footprint reflects geology's position as a foundational science offered widely for general-education purposes; the concentration at larger research programs reflects where serious departmental infrastructure, research labs, and field-camp connections exist.

The earnings picture is solid but varies substantially by employer sector. Bachelor's completers report a five-year median of $61,215, with no associate's track. The career list shows five destinations. Geoscientists, except hydrologists and geographers (SOC 19-2042) at $99,240 median wage and 3.2% projected growth is the primary bachelor's-entry target role. Hydrologists (SOC 19-2043) at $92,060 with -0.1% growth are water-resource-focused specialists. Natural sciences managers at $161,180 is the mid-career management ceiling. Geological technicians at $48,390 is the associate's-entry tier that bachelor's completers typically move past within a few years. Atmospheric, earth, marine, and space sciences teachers, postsecondary at $101,390 requires a doctorate. Earnings trajectory depends heavily on sector: energy companies (oil, gas, mining, increasingly geothermal and carbon sequestration) pay the highest entry wages at $75K–$110K for new bachelor's hires but concentrate in specific regions and are cyclical with commodity prices; environmental consulting is the largest single employer category at $50K–$70K entry; federal and state government work at USGS and state geological surveys pays $55K–$75K at GS-7 through GS-9 levels with strong benefits and security.

Section 3 · Careers

Where this major leads

Occupations most often associated with this major, from the federal BLS+O*NET crosswalk. Job-growth projections and median wages are national.

Occupation Median wage Job growth Typical education
Natural sciences managers $161k +3.7% Bachelor's degree
Geoscientists, except hydrologists and geographers $99k +3.2% Bachelor's degree
Atmospheric, earth, marine, and space sciences teachers, postsecondary $101k +2.6% Doctoral or professional degree
Geological technicians, except hydrologic technicians $48k +1.5% Associate's degree
Hydrologists $92k -0.1% Bachelor's degree
Section 4 · Earnings

Earnings at a glance

Median graduate earnings from the federal College Scorecard, 5 and 10 years out.

Median 5-year earnings

$61k

Who this major is for

Students with serious interest in earth sciences, comfort with chemistry-and-physics-heavy coursework, and willingness to spend substantial field time in remote locations (field camps, internships, entry-level field-geology jobs) are the core audience. The major rewards students who combine quantitative rigor with patience for observational geology — reading rock sequences, interpreting seismic data, mapping structural relationships. Targeting the geoscientist role ($99,240, 3.2% growth) as a 3–5 year post-graduation goal gives the curriculum an obvious anchor, and selecting electives in the target sector (petroleum geology and geophysics for energy careers, hydrogeology and environmental chemistry for consulting, geochemistry and sedimentology for academia) meaningfully shapes employability. Students at smaller programs should verify that field camp is included and that the department maintains active research programs and employer connections; both matter more than program size for career outcomes.

Reconsider this major if the primary interest is environmental work at the policy or advocacy level, since Environmental Science, Environmental Studies, or Energy and Environmental Policy offer more direct paths into regulatory and NGO careers with broader (if less technically deep) foundations. If the draw is weather and climate specifically, Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology, General (530 completions) is the direct path into National Weather Service, private meteorology firms, and broadcast-meteorology careers. If the interest is ocean systems, Marine Sciences (322 completions) or Oceanography, Chemical and Physical (239 completions) offer more focused preparation. Students drawn primarily to field conservation or wildlife work should look at Wildlife, Fish and Wildlands Science and Management or Ecology rather than earth-systems-focused geology. Finally, scrutinize individual program quality carefully: a geology degree from a 544-program field varies enormously in laboratory access, field-camp rigor, research opportunities, and employer connections, and program fit matters more than the CIP code suggests.

Section 6 · Where to study

Top colleges for Geology/Earth Science, General

Ranked by annual completions at the associate's or bachelor's level — a proxy for program scale.

College Location Assoc. Bach. Total
Washington State University Pullman, WA 0 117 117
Mississippi State University Mississippi State, MS 0 79 79
University of North Carolina at Charlotte Charlotte, NC 0 60 60
University of California-Santa Cruz Santa Cruz, CA 0 52 52
University of Michigan-Ann Arbor Ann Arbor, MI 0 52 52
University of Arizona Tucson, AZ 0 50 50
Montana State University Bozeman, MT 0 49 49
University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus Pittsburgh, PA 0 49 49
Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus University Park, PA 0 48 48
University of California-Santa Barbara Santa Barbara, CA 0 43 43
Section 7 · Explore sideways

Related majors to explore

Cognitive Science, General

2,642 completions/yr

Data Science, General

2,068 completions/yr

Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences, Other

564 completions/yr

Astronomy

545 completions/yr

Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology, General

530 completions/yr

Astrophysics

340 completions/yr

Marine Sciences

322 completions/yr

Oceanography, Chemical and Physical

239 completions/yr
Section 9 · Frequently asked

Common questions

Why is this major offered at 544 colleges if only 3,815 students graduate each year?
Because earth science and geology are foundational components of general-education science requirements at many undergraduate institutions, and the CIP code catches both majors and minors in some reporting. The practical consequence is that 544 programs produce fewer than 3,815 completions — meaning most schools graduate seven or fewer students per year, and many graduate only one or two. Top programs are concentrated at public research universities with established geology departments and substantial field-training infrastructure: Washington State University (117), Mississippi State University (79), UNC Charlotte (60), UC Santa Cruz (52), the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor (52), the University of Arizona (50), Montana State (49), Pittsburgh (49), Penn State (48), and UC Santa Barbara (43). For prospective students, the signal is that program fit and resources vary dramatically — a geology department with field stations, functioning labs, and summer field-camp requirements delivers a very different experience than a minor program at a smaller institution.
What are the realistic earnings pathways for a Geology bachelor's?
Three distinct trajectories explain most of the variance. Energy sector — oil and gas exploration, mining, and increasingly geothermal and carbon-sequestration work — pays the highest entry-level wages, typically $75K–$110K for new bachelor's hires at major companies, though jobs are cyclical and concentrated in specific regions (Houston, Denver, Oklahoma City). Environmental consulting — site assessment, groundwater remediation, regulatory compliance work — pays $50K–$70K entry-level and is the largest single employer category for geology bachelor's nationally. Government agency work at USGS, state geological surveys, state environmental agencies, and the Bureau of Land Management pays $55K–$75K at GS-7 through GS-9 entry and offers strong benefits and job security. The $61,215 five-year bachelor's median reflects the mix weighted toward environmental consulting and government work, with energy-sector hires pulling the upper end. Geoscientists, except hydrologists and geographers (SOC 19-2042) at $99,240 is the bachelor's-entry target role most geology graduates work toward within 3–5 years.
Is field camp really required, and why does it matter?
Yes, at virtually all serious geology programs — a summer field-camp course (typically 4–6 weeks in remote locations like Montana, Colorado, or Utah) is a graduation requirement, and attending one is strongly weighted by employers in the field-oriented branches of the profession. Field camp is where students apply classroom concepts to real rock sequences, practice structural geology mapping, and generate the documented field experience that energy companies and government agencies look for in entry-level hires. The course typically adds $3,000–$6,000 in additional costs beyond regular tuition. Students whose program does not include field camp, or who somehow complete the major without attending one, face a meaningful disadvantage in the traditional field-geology labor market. The requirement is also why program reputation matters — a geology degree without field training is meaningfully less marketable than one with strong field-camp experience.
How does this major compare with Environmental Science, Ecology, or Atmospheric Sciences?
The related-majors data shows adjacent programs worth distinguishing. Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology, General (530 completions) is the weather-and-climate-focused physical science, with career destinations at the National Weather Service, private meteorology firms, and broadcast-meteorology roles — different science, different employers, some salary overlap. Astronomy (545 completions) and Astrophysics (340) are the physics-adjacent astronomy tracks with almost entirely academic-research career pipelines requiring PhDs. Marine Sciences (322 completions) and Oceanography (239) focus on ocean systems with overlap into government and academic research. Environmental Science and Environmental Studies (in the Natural Resources concentration) are broader environmental programs with less physical-science rigor but stronger policy and regulatory emphasis — and much larger enrollments. Geology/Earth Science is the most direct pipeline to traditional geology careers in energy, minerals, and geological-survey work. Students interested in earth systems more broadly might consider Earth Systems Science (in Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies) as an alternative that bridges physical geology with climate, hydrology, and ecology.
Should students planning PhD study in geology start here?
Yes, and a strong geology bachelor's is the most common preparation for geology PhD programs. The related careers on the data packet include atmospheric, earth, marine, and space sciences teachers, postsecondary (SOC 25-1051) at $101,390 with 2.6% projected growth, requiring a doctoral degree — the academic career track. PhD programs in geology, geophysics, geochemistry, and related fields look for strong undergraduate performance in math and physics (Calculus through differential equations, physics through electricity and magnetism), solid chemistry coursework, documented field-camp experience, and at least one substantive undergraduate research project (senior thesis, REU summer program, or sustained lab work). Students targeting PhD admissions should prioritize relationships with research-active faculty early, seek summer research experiences through National Science Foundation REU programs, and consider whether the target subfield (structural geology, sedimentology, geochemistry, geophysics, paleontology, planetary science) pulls them toward specific graduate programs with strong faculty in that area.