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Geological technician: pay, job outlook and how to become one

Updated October 28, 2026. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET data. Published by Humblebee.

$53,350median pay per year, or $25.65 an hour, May 2025[1]
  1. $35,770lowest 10% earn less
  2. $44,85025th percentile
  3. $53,350median
  4. $72,11075th percentile
  5. $99,560top 10% earn more
Middle half of workers in the inner band[3]Median for all US jobs, $50,980[4]

The median pay for geological technicians was $53,350 a year in May 2025[1]. BLS projects jobs to grow 3.6% from 2025 to 2035[2].

Job growth, 2025–35
+3.6%[2]
Openings per year
1,000[5]
Typical entry education
Associate's degree[6]

How much do geological technicians make?

This page covers the BLS category Geological Technicians, Except Hydrologic Technicians. The median pay was $53,350 a year, or $25.65 an hour, in May 2025[1]. Half of workers earned more and half earned less[1]. The average was $61,870 a year, or $29.75 an hour[7].

The median for all occupations in the US was $50,980, so the median here is a little higher[1][4].

Pay spreads widely:

Percentile Annual wage Hourly wage
10th[3][8] $35,770 $17.20
25th[3][8] $44,850 $21.56
Median[1] $53,350 $25.65
75th[3][8] $72,110 $34.67
90th[3][8] $99,560 $47.86

The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $35,770[3]. A percentile is a boundary, and BLS publishes percentile wages, not a starting salary[9]. These figures cover wage and salary workers only. They leave out the self-employed, nonproduction bonuses and the cost of benefits[10]. About 6,980 people held these jobs in May 2025[11].

Pay by state and city

Of the 35 states with published data, Maryland had the highest median at $102,090, but that figure rests on about 30 jobs[12]. Indiana followed at $79,290, then Alaska at $76,090[12].

Texas had the most jobs at 2,190[13]. California had 480, Oklahoma 410, Florida 300 and New York 280[13]. Texas had a median of $46,840[12].

Among metro areas with at least 100 jobs, Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands had the highest median at $59,630[14]. New York-Newark-Jersey City came next at $57,150[14]. Houston also had the most jobs at 680[15].

Show median pay in 35 states
StateMedian per yearJobs
Maryland[12]$102,09030
Indiana$79,290n/a
Alaska$76,09070
Nevada$73,700260
California$69,410480
West Virginia$69,35060
Washington$63,910n/a
Nebraska$63,160n/a
Wyoming$63,07090
Tennessee$63,050110
Colorado$61,78090
Massachusetts$61,63040
New Mexico$59,520n/a
Virginia$59,290n/a
Louisiana$59,120160
Michigan$58,860150
New York$57,150280
Montana$55,520100
Oregon$55,09070
Illinois$53,28080
South Carolina$53,16090
Kansas$52,430n/a
North Dakota$51,24090
Arizona$50,160n/a
Florida$49,980300
Kentucky$49,84060
Ohio$48,890130
North Carolina$48,090250
Pennsylvania$47,380240
Arkansas$47,25030
Oklahoma$46,890410
Texas$46,8402,190
Idaho$46,68070
Alabama$35,670n/a
Georgia$34,71030

How to become a geological technician

The facts point to this path:

Some employers prefer or require a bachelor's degree, especially for data-heavy or highly technical jobs[19][16]. Some technicians may need the OSHA HAZWOPER certification, which covers hazards, protective equipment, site safety and decontamination[20]. Other certifications are not required but may show expertise[21]. The training details come from a profile covering a wider group that includes hydrologic technicians[22].

What geological technicians do

They help scientists and engineers use measuring instruments to collect data about resources such as ore, minerals, gas, coal and petroleum[23]. Typical tasks include:

Workers report job titles such as Geoscience Technician, Materials Technician and Environmental Sampling Technician[25].

Where they work

The handbook says the work happens in the field, in labs or in offices[26]. Fieldwork is outdoors, sometimes in remote places and all kinds of weather, and may mean staying on location for days or weeks[26]. Office-based technicians spend most of their time on computers organizing data, writing reports and making maps[26]. Fieldwork can also call for the stamina to carry equipment to remote sites[27].

Most work full time, with standard hours in labs and offices and sometimes irregular hours in the field[28]. The largest employer group in 2025 was architectural, engineering and related services at 43%[29]. In 2025, 2.7% of these workers were self-employed[30].

Job outlook

BLS projects employment to grow 3.6% from 2025 to 2035, from about 7,300 to 7,600 jobs[2]. Employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5%[31]. That is about the same pace.

About 1,000 openings a year are projected on average[5]. Openings also come from workers who retire or switch occupations, not only from new jobs[5]. Each year, 1.9% of workers leave the labor force and 11.6% move to a different occupation[32].

Is it a good fit?

The median pay is slightly above the all-occupation median, and the top 10% earned $99,560 or more[1][4][3]. Entry usually calls for an associate's degree plus up to a year of on-the-job training[6][18]. Growth is about average[2][31]. The work mixes lab, office and field settings, so people who like being outdoors and handling data may find it a match[26].

Related occupations from O*NET, with BLS median pay and projected growth[33].

Frequently asked questions

How much does a geological technician make an hour?
The median was $25.65 an hour in May 2025[1]. The 10th percentile was $17.20 and the 90th was $47.86[8].
What degree do you need to be a geological technician?
BLS lists an associate's degree as the typical entry education[6]. Some employers prefer or require a bachelor's degree[19][16].
How long does it take to become a geological technician?
On-the-job training may last from 1 to 12 months, according to the handbook[18]. The facts do not give the length of degree programs.
Is geological technician in demand?
BLS projects 3.6% growth from 2025 to 2035, against 3.5% for all occupations[2][31]. About 1,000 openings a year are projected[5].
What is the highest paying state for geological technicians?
Maryland had the highest median at $102,090 in May 2025, based on about 30 jobs[12].

Facts and sources

  1. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Geological Technicians, Except Hydrologic Technicians in the US was $53,350 per year and $25.65 per hour. Half of workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  2. BLS Employment Projections: employment of Geological Technicians, Except Hydrologic Technicians is projected to grow 3.6% from 2025 to 2035, from about 7,300 to 7,600 jobs (a change of +300). These counts include self-employed workers. BLS Employment Projections
  3. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Geological Technicians, Except Hydrologic Technicians: 10th percentile $35,770, 25th percentile $44,850, 75th percentile $72,110, 90th percentile $99,560. The 10th percentile means 10% of workers earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  4. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in the US was $50,980. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  5. BLS Employment Projections: about 1,000 openings for Geological Technicians, Except Hydrologic Technicians are projected each year, on average, from 2025 to 2035. Openings include jobs that open when workers retire or move to other occupations, not only new jobs. BLS Employment Projections
  6. BLS Employment Projections, typical path into Geological Technicians, Except Hydrologic Technicians: education needed for entry: Associate's degree; work experience in a related occupation: None; typical on-the-job training: Moderate-term on-the-job training. BLS Employment Projections
  7. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Geological Technicians, Except Hydrologic Technicians was $61,870 per year and $29.75 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  8. BLS OEWS, May 2025, hourly wage percentiles for Geological Technicians, Except Hydrologic Technicians: 10th percentile $17.20, 25th percentile $21.56, 75th percentile $34.67, 90th percentile $47.86. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  9. BLS OEWS FAQ: a percentile wage is a boundary. The median (50th percentile) separates the highest-paid 50% from the lowest-paid 50% of workers in the occupation. OEWS publishes percentile wages, not a starting salary. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  10. BLS OEWS FAQ: OEWS covers part-time and full-time workers paid a wage or salary. It does not cover the self-employed, owners and partners in unincorporated firms, household workers or unpaid family workers. OEWS wages do not include nonproduction bonuses or employer costs of benefits such as health insurance or retirement contributions. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  11. BLS OEWS, May 2025: about 6,980 people were employed as Geological Technicians, Except Hydrologic Technicians in the US (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  12. Median annual wage for Geological Technicians, Except Hydrologic Technicians in every state with published data, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  13. BLS OEWS, May 2025, states with the most Geological Technicians, Except Hydrologic Technicians jobs: Texas 2,190; California 480; Oklahoma 410; Florida 300; New York 280. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  14. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the highest median annual wage for Geological Technicians, Except Hydrologic Technicians (areas with at least 100 jobs): Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX $59,630; New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ $57,150; San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX $49,280; Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX $47,710; Oklahoma City, OK $47,510. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  15. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the most Geological Technicians, Except Hydrologic Technicians jobs: Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX 680 (median $59,630); Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 240 (median $47,710); Oklahoma City, OK 200 (median $47,510); San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX 160 (median $49,280); New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ 140 (median $57,150); Pittsburgh, PA 80 (median $43,440). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  16. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Education. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  17. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Education. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  18. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Training. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  19. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  20. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  21. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  22. The BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile "Geological and Hydrologic Technicians" covers Geological Technicians, Except Hydrologic Technicians together with other related occupations, so its text describes the wider group. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  23. O*NET description of Geological Technicians, Except Hydrologic Technicians. O*NET OnLine
  24. O*NET task list for Geological Technicians, Except Hydrologic Technicians. O*NET OnLine
  25. O*NET 19-4043.00 sample job titles reported by workers: Core Inspector, Environmental Field Services Technician, Environmental Sampling Technician, Geological E-Logger, Geological Technician, Geoscience Technician, Geotechnician, Materials Technician. O*NET OnLine
  26. Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  27. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Important Qualities. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  28. Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment: Work Schedules. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  29. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, largest employers of geological and hydrologic technicians in 2025: Architectural, engineering, and related services 43%. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  30. BLS Employment Projections: 2.7% of Geological Technicians, Except Hydrologic Technicians were self-employed in 2025. BLS Employment Projections
  31. BLS Employment Projections: employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5% from 2025 to 2035. BLS Employment Projections
  32. BLS Employment Projections, 2025-35 annual average for Geological Technicians, Except Hydrologic Technicians: 1.9% of workers leave the labor force each year and 11.6% move to a different occupation. BLS Employment Projections
  33. Related occupations (O*NET) with BLS pay, growth and entry education. O*NET OnLine

Notes are for reading the data only. They are not facts and cannot be cited: use the wage_scope and percentile_meaning facts instead. OEWS employment (jobs in May 2025) and Employment Projections employment (2025, includes self-employed) are different measures and can differ. O*NET education shares come from a small survey of workers in the occupation, not from all workers. The Occupational Outlook Handbook text covers a wider group of occupations than this page.

This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerFacts has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.