SAGE 2YC Supporting and Advancing Geoscience Education in Two-year Colleges Careers in the Geosciences

SAGE 2YCSupporting and Advancing Geoscience

Education in Two-year Colleges

Careers in the Geosciences

What do geoscientists do?

• Natural resource exploration and production

• Environmental assessment and remediation




• Atmosphere, hydrosphere, and natural hazard observation and forecasting

• Earth system investigation and modeling






• Education and public outreach

• Scientific writing, editing, and multimedia production






• Education and public outreach

• Scientific writing, editing, and multimedia production

• Law, forensics, software development, and public health

They work in the field …

Oceanographer sampling water in Puget Sound Geologist Erica Lentz

examines a coal seam in West Virginia

USGS

Environmental scientist downloading data from HOBO weather station

They work in the lab …

Atmospheric scientist processes global air samples for analysis

Geochemist analyzes water quality

Volcanologist Allison Payne selects volcanic ash grains for chemical analysis

USGS

USGS

NOAA

They work in the office …

Biogeochemist Lisa Robbins reviews her report on the effects of acidification on coral reefs

Volcanologists review seismic data at USGS volcanic hazard operations center in Menlo Park

USGS

Job Opportunities Based on Degree*

* The general case – there are definitely exceptions

AS/AAS BA/BS MA/MS PhD

Hydrologic technician X X

Geospatial technician X X

Oil and gas technician X X

Marine technician X

Mine geologist X

Earth science teacher X

Broadcast meteorologist X

Natural resource regulator X X

Environmental consultant X X

Petroleum geoscientist X X

Faculty member 2YC X X

Research scientist X X

Faculty member 4YC X

AS/AAS Jobs in Austin

• USGS hydrologic technician

• City, county or state environmental technician

• College geology lab technician

• City geospatial technician

• County park ranger

BA/BS Jobs in Austin• City or state environmental

regulator or manager

• City or state natural resource regulator or manager

• Public school science teacher

• City, county or state geospatial technician or analyst

• Broadcast meteorologist

• Soil testing lab technician

• Consultant with prior government or private-sector experience

Starting Salaries

• Associates degrees - technicians– Hydrographic Survey $25,100– Physical Oceanographic $28,700– Environmental Monitoring $29,500– Geological Data & Sampling $31,600

Gonzales and Keane (2011) using 2006-2007 statistics; 2005 data from National Association of Colleges and Employers

Starting Salaries

• Associates degrees - technicians– Hydrographic Survey $25,100– Physical Oceanographic $28,700– Environmental Monitoring $29,500– Geological Data & Sampling $31,600

• Bachelor’s degrees

– Environmental and Hydrogeology $31,366

– Environmental Inspector $33,900– Geology and related sciences $39,365 (2005)

Gonzales and Keane (2011) using 2006-2007 statistics; 2005 data from National Association of Colleges and Employers

Median Income • All geoscientists = $79,160

– Lowest 10% <$41,700– Middle 50% $54,470 to $113,390– Highest 10% >$155,430

http://www.careercornerstone.org/geosciences/geosciearn.htmU.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics

UCAR

http://www.careercornerstone.org/geosciences/geosciearn.htm

Median Income • All geoscientists = $79,160

– Lowest 10% <$41,700– Middle 50% $54,470 to $113,390– Highest 10% >$155,430

• By industry:– State government $57,700– Management, scientific, $62,070

& technical consulting services– Architectural, engineering, $66,770

& related services– Federal Executive Branch $90,220 – Oil and gas extraction $127,560

http://www.careercornerstone.org/geosciences/geosciearn.htmU.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics

http://www.careercornerstone.org/geosciences/geosciearn.htm

Documents

SAGE 2YC Supporting and Advancing Geoscience Education in Two-year Colleges Careers in the Geosciences