GIS Study
Career Opportunities for
Graduating Geology Students
Produced Maps
Outcome
The states with the largest number of projected jobs in the environmental geology field in 2021 are California (21570), Texas (10076), Florida (6857), Colorado (5585) and Washington (5501). The states with the greatest projected growth in this field are New Mexico (161%), Kansas (132%), Ohio (123%), Wyoming (84%) and Arizona (68%). These would be the most beneficial states to consider when looking for a job in the geological or petroleum engineering field. States to avoid because of the projected decline in their job markets for this field are Georgia (-67%), Mississippi (-65%) Massachusetts (-53%), Michigan (-41%) and Virginia (-41%).
Hydrologists-Top 5 States with the Highest Mean Salary:
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California ($108,200)
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Nevada ($103,720)
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Virginia ($101,000)
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Maryland ($100,080)
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Colorado ($96,720)
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Environmental Scientists-Top 5 States with the Highest Mean Salary:
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D.C. ($109,620)
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Texas ($90,000)
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Colorado ($88,830)
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Alaska ($86,760)
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New Mexico ($85,880)
Conservation Scientists-Top 5 States with the Highest Mean Salary:
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Alaska ($90,890)
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New Jersey ($86,060)
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Connecticut ($79,400)
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California ($76,310)
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Hawaii ($75,250)
What does this mean at the national level?
At the national level, the constant workforce growth of environmental based jobs over the last twenty years is easily observable. Throughout the timeframe covered by this study, the increase in the workforce was rather steady with a noticeable boom from 2003-2007 adding approximately 22,500 jobs amongst the three fields covered by the environmental umbrella. This steady increase was interrupted following the decline of petroleum and coal mining industries in 2014. The demand for environmental geology also decreased after 2014 because environmental geologists monitor the environmental effects of these industries; their decline likely resulted in the inevitable decline of environmental geology as well. The forecast however remains optimistic and we expect environmental jobs to bounce back, especially considering the growing environmental awareness and the importance that it places on the jobs within these fields. Given the data compiled in this study, California and Texas offer the greatest number of jobs by a large margin followed by the closely spaced numbers of Florida, Colorado and Washington all of which are mentioned in the above passage. Based on the national map comparing the four job fields, it is no surprise that the employment of environmental scientists is rather wide-spread. It is also no surprise that the three states that have the greatest workforce numbers, are also the three largest states in the nation by population. That being said, these locations are still the most promising destinations for aspiring graduates in search of employment in the environmental field.
Downloadable Data
What do hydrologists do?
Hydrologists study how different forms of precipitation such as snow and rain affect the flow of rivers or the levels of groundwater and respectively, the cycle of precipitation returning to the atmosphere, oceans or crustal subsurface. Hydrologists are responsible for understanding how water influences its surroundings and develop solutions for such influences including the quality and quantity of water that is available. A bachelor's degree in geology or hydrology is the minimum for an entry level position, however, many have a master's degree or doctorate.
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What do hydrologists do?
What do environmental scientists do?
What do conservation scientists and foresters do?
Environmental scientist is a general title for specialists who analyze environmental problems in an effort to develop solutions. The chief goal is the protection of both the environment and human health. Work environments can include the field, legal offices, and both of these environments within the petroleum industry in an effort to reduce the inevitable resultant waste. For an entry level position, a bachelor's degree in environmental sciences or related fields such as geology is required. For more specialized environmental occupations, a master's degree is needed.
Foresters and conservation scientists monitor the net quality of forests, parks and various natural resources. They are also responsible for the control of erosion and the improvement of land for purposes such as agriculture. Many receive a bachelor's degree in forestry or a similar field such as environmental science.
What do conservation scientists and foresters do?
Compilation of data
The compilation of the data of these 3 closely related fields was done in an effort to consolidate the data under a more general and comprehensive umbrella.