A geoscientist who studies the seafloor and coastlines, mapping sediments, faults and coastal change for research, hazards, offshore energy and engineering projects. BLS does not publish separate figures for geoscientists, except hydrologists and geographers; it counts them within geoscientist, except hydrologists and geographers (SOC 19-2042), whose median pay is $101,920 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Typical entry-level education: Bachelor's degree.
- SOC 19-2042
- Life, Physical, and Social Science
- Last updated October 9, 2026
At a glance
Marine Geologist in four numbers
- Median pay
- $101,920a year, or $49.00/hrBLS OEWS, May 2025Lowest 10% $59KTop 10% $200K
US median, all jobs: $50,980
- Projected growth
- +5.1%Faster than averageBLS EP, 2025–2035This career+5.1%All jobs+3.5%
Projected employment change, 2025–2035 Item Value This career +5.1% All jobs +3.5% - Openings a year
- 1,80025,400 jobs todayBLS EP, 2025–2035
- Jobs in 202525.4K
- Projected 203526.7K
Employment, 2025–2035 Item Value Jobs in 2025 25.4K Projected 2035 26.7K - Typical education
- Bachelor'sneeded to enterBLS EP, 2025–2035; mix: O*NET
- Bachelor's48.2%
- Post-bacc certificate3.7%
- Master's37%
- Doctorate7.4%
- Post-doctoral training3.7%
Highest education held by geoscientists, except hydrologists and geographers Segment Value Bachelor's 48.2% Post-bacc certificate 3.7% Master's 37% Doctorate 7.4% Post-doctoral training 3.7%
Also advertised as: Marine Geoscientist, Coastal Geologist, Marine Geophysicist, Seafloor Mapping Scientist.
Pay
How much do Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers make?
Every marine geologist in the US, by percentile of annual wage
Median
$101,920
Middle half earn $75,110 to $139,380
- 10th
- $59,330
- 25th
- $75,110
- 75th
- $139,380
- 90th
- $200,230
All US occupations: $50,980
| Percentile | Value |
|---|---|
| 10th | $59,330 |
| 25th | $75,110 |
| Median | $101,920 |
| 75th | $139,380 |
| 90th | $200,230 |
| All US occupations | $50,980 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Median annual wage
- $101,920
- Median hourly wage
- $49.00/hr
- Mean annual wage
- $116,150
- People employed
- 23,470
Versus all US occupations
At $101,920, Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers earn 100% above the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $50,940 a year.
Versus life, physical, and social science occupations
Inside the Life, Physical, and Social Science group, where the middle occupation pays $82,220, this is 24% above the group median.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $200,230 or more while the bottom 10% earn $59,330, a gap of 3.4×. That is an unusually wide spread, which usually tracks specialisation, employer type and years of experience.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 74% of the 1,741 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Highest-paying state
Texas pays the most at $145,220, and still leads at $149,623 once local prices are taken into account.
Pay by state
Which states pay Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers the most?
State medians come from the same OEWS release as the national figures. The cost-of-living column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity, restating pay in national-average dollars so a high-cost state and a low-cost one can be compared directly.
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1Texas | $145,220 | $149,623 | 4,900 |
| 2Rhode Island | $121,010 | $118,312 | N/A |
| 3Oklahoma | $119,990 | $136,596 | 770 |
| 4Colorado | $114,410 | $111,022 | 1,480 |
| 5Mississippi | $112,400 | $129,265 | 250 |
| 6Maryland | $110,510 | $105,289 | 390 |
| 7Massachusetts | $108,210 | $102,319 | 420 |
| 8Alaska | $107,410 | $104,935 | 430 |
| 9California | $106,500 | $96,189 | 3,350 |
| 10Hawaii | $106,270 | $96,652 | 110 |
Job outlook
Is Marine Geologist a growing career?
Employment change over 2025–2035, against every US occupation
Faster than average. +5.1% projected growth vs 3.5% for all occupations.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers | +5.1% |
| All US occupations | +3.5% |
Source: BLS EP, 2025–2035
Faster than average
BLS projects employment of Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers to change 5.1% over 2025–2035, against 3.5% projected for all occupations. That is 1,300 more jobs.
Annual openings
About 1,800 openings are projected each year, 7.1% of the 25,400 jobs that existed in 2025. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Getting in
How to become a Marine Geologist
A bachelor's degree in geology, geophysics or oceanography is the entry point for technician and consulting jobs, and many positions, especially in research and government science, require a master's or PhD. Coursework in sedimentology, geophysics, GIS and programming is especially useful.
Students gain experience on research cruises, in core labs, and through internships with agencies such as the U.S. Geological Survey Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program or offshore survey firms. Some states license professional geologists, which can matter for consulting work.
- 1
Typical entry-level education
Bachelor's degree
- 2
Work experience in a related occupation
None
- 3
Typical on-the-job training
None
- 4
Preparation needed (O*NET job zone)
Medium preparation
BLS Employment Projections, 2025–2035; job zone from O*NET 31.0 Database.
What education people in the job have
O*NET incumbent survey: the highest level of education reported by people already working as geoscientists, except hydrologists and geographers.
- Bachelor's Degree48.2%
- Master's Degree37%
- Doctoral Degree7.4%
- Post-Baccalaureate Certificate3.7%
- Post-Doctoral Training3.7%
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's Degree | 48.2% |
| Master's Degree | 37% |
| Doctoral Degree | 7.4% |
| Post-Baccalaureate Certificate | 3.7% |
| Post-Doctoral Training | 3.7% |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
The work
What does a Marine Geologist do?
Marine geologists study what lies beneath the ocean and how coastlines change. They map the seafloor with multibeam sonar, sub-bottom profilers and seismic systems, collect sediment cores, and analyze them for grain size, age and composition.
Applications are wide. Marine geologists assess undersea earthquake and landslide hazards, track beach erosion and barrier island migration, locate sand for beach nourishment, and survey routes and foundations for offshore wind turbines, cables and pipelines. Others study ancient climates recorded in seafloor sediments or the geology of mid-ocean ridges and hydrothermal vents. Work is split between field surveys on ships and analysis of data, cores and maps on shore.
Day-to-day tasks
- Map seafloor features with sonar and seismic systems
- Collect and analyze sediment cores
- Assess undersea landslide, fault and tsunami hazards
- Monitor shoreline and barrier island change
- Survey seabed conditions for offshore wind and cable routes
- Locate offshore sand resources for beach nourishment
- Interpret geophysical data and produce geologic maps
Typical tasks, researched by NueCareer from the sources below.
Working conditions and hours
Marine geologists work in offices and labs and spend periods at sea aboard research and survey vessels, sometimes for weeks. Coastal work may involve beach and marsh fieldwork in all weather. Employers include universities, federal and state geological surveys, engineering and offshore survey companies, and energy developers.
Where the work happens
Indoors, climate-controlled
NeverEvery dayOutdoors in all weather
NeverEvery day
Physical demands
Sitting
NeverAlmost all the timeStanding
NeverAlmost all the timeBending or twisting
NeverAlmost all the time
Working with people
Contact with other people
NoneConstantFace-to-face discussions
NeverEvery dayFace-to-face discussions every day.
Dealing with the public
Not importantExtremely important
Pressure and stakes
Strict deadlines
NeverEvery dayConflict situations
NeverEvery dayCost of a mistake
Not seriousExtremely serious
Autonomy
Freedom to decide
NoneA lotA lot of freedom to make decisions without checking first.
Conditions: O*NET Work Context survey. Each item has its own scale, so each dot is read against the two answers that end its own line.
Core skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Reading Comprehension4.3
- Science4.3
- Writing4.0
- Speaking4.0
- Critical Thinking4.0
- Active Listening3.9
- Mathematics3.5
- Active Learning3.4
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Reading Comprehension | 4.3 |
| Science | 4.3 |
| Writing | 4.0 |
| Speaking | 4.0 |
| Critical Thinking | 4.0 |
| Active Listening | 3.9 |
| Mathematics | 3.5 |
| Active Learning | 3.4 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Transferable skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Complex Problem Solving3.9
- Judgment and Decision Making3.9
- Systems Analysis3.3
- Systems Evaluation3.3
- Operations Analysis3.1
- Social Perceptiveness3.0
- Coordination3.0
- Instructing3.0
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Complex Problem Solving | 3.9 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 3.9 |
| Systems Analysis | 3.3 |
| Systems Evaluation | 3.3 |
| Operations Analysis | 3.1 |
| Social Perceptiveness | 3.0 |
| Coordination | 3.0 |
| Instructing | 3.0 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Tools and software
- Analytical or scientific software · in demand
- Computer aided design CAD software · in demand
- Data base user interface and query software · in demand
- Document management software · in demand
- Electronic mail software · in demand
- File versioning software · in demand
- Geographic information system · in demand
- Graphics or photo imaging software · in demand
- Object or component oriented development software · in demand
- Office suite software · in demand
- Presentation software · in demand
- Project management software · in demand
“In demand” marks an O*NET Employer-Based Hot Technology, software named in real job postings for this occupation.
Personality fit
What personality type suits a Marine Geologist?
NueCareer estimate (Holland code IRC) built on O*NET's Geoscientist, Except Hydrologists and Geographers profile, scored 1 to 7
| Axis | Marine Geologist |
|---|---|
| Realistic | 6 |
| Investigative | 7 |
| Artistic | 3 |
| Social | 2 |
| Enterprising | 2 |
| Conventional | 5 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
What the work is built around
Day to day this is work built around investigating, analysing and solving problems with ideas and data, combined with hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors.
- Investigative7.0
- Realistic5.8
- Conventional4.7
- Artistic2.7
- Social2.2
- Enterprising1.6
Closest MBTI types
NueCareer fit scores: cosine similarity between each MBTI type's interest vector and this occupation's O*NET interest profile. Not a BLS or O*NET figure; the method is documented on our methodology page.
Explore further
Careers related to Marine Geologist
O*NET related occupations
- Life, Physical, and Social Science
Geoscientist, Except Hydrologists and Geographers
$101,920median a year
Most earn $59K to $200K
+5.1%Bachelor's - Life, Physical, and Social Science
- Life, Physical, and Social Science
- Life, Physical, and Social Science
- Life, Physical, and Social Science
- Life, Physical, and Social Science
More life, physical, and social science careers
Median annual pay, with geoscientists, except hydrologists and geographers highlighted
- Industrial-Organizational Psychologist$193,950
- Physicist$172,250
- Medical Scientist, Except Epidemiologists$103,410
- Marine Geologist$101,920
- Chemist$91,240
- Environmental Scientist and Specialist, Including Health$82,220
- Conservation Scientist$73,010
- Chemical Technician$60,390
- Biological Technician$57,510
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Industrial-Organizational Psychologist | $193,950 |
| Physicist | $172,250 |
| Medical Scientist, Except Epidemiologists | $103,410 |
| Marine Geologist | $101,920 |
| Chemist | $91,240 |
| Environmental Scientist and Specialist, Including Health | $82,220 |
| Conservation Scientist | $73,010 |
| Chemical Technician | $60,390 |
| Biological Technician | $57,510 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Lists Marine Geologist appears on
Questions
Marine Geologist: frequently asked questions
How much do Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers make?
BLS does not publish a separate wage for geoscientists, except hydrologists and geographers. It counts them within geoscientist, except hydrologists and geographers, whose median pay is $101,920 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The middle half of that occupation earn between $75,110 and $139,380, and the top 10% earn $200,230 or more.
Do you need a degree to become a Marine Geologist?
Yes. BLS reports a bachelor's degree as the typical entry-level education for Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers, and O*NET rates the preparation needed as medium preparation. In O*NET's survey of people already doing the job, 48.2% hold bachelor's degree.
Is Marine Geologist a growing career?
Yes. Employment is projected to grow 5.1% over 2025–2035, faster than the 3.5% average for all occupations (BLS EP, 2025–2035). BLS still projects about 1,800 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does a Marine Geologist do?
Marine geologists study what lies beneath the ocean and how coastlines change. A typical task: map seafloor features with sonar and seismic systems. Employers most often ask for Analytical or scientific software, Computer aided design CAD software, Data base user interface and query software.
Which states pay Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers the most?
The highest state medians for Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers are Texas ($145,220), Rhode Island ($121,010), Oklahoma ($119,990) (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
What personality type suits a Marine Geologist?
O*NET scores Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers highest on the Investigative, Realistic and Conventional interest areas, so the work mixes investigating, analysing and solving problems with ideas and data with hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors. On NueCareer's MBTI-to-interest mapping the closest types are INTJ, ISTP, ISTJ. Personality is a fit signal, not a gate. The free NueCareer quiz scores your own profile against all 1,731 careers in the bank.