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Geologist - Federal Salaries of 2022
Pay Rates for "Geologist"
How much does a Geologist in the federal government get paid? $109,164.53* *Based on the 2022 average.Geologist was the 162nd most popular job in the U.S. Government in 2022, with 1,058 employed. The most common payscale was the general schedule payscale.
In 2022, the Geological Survey hired the most employees titled Geology, with an average salary of $117,520.
Government Geology jobs are classified under the General Schedule (GS) payscale. The minimum paygrade for a Geology job is GS-6, and the highest paygrade that can be attained within this job series is GS-15. Remember that the starting and maximum yearly pay listed above reflect base pay only - your actual salary will be higher based on the Locality Pay Adjustment for the area in which you work.
Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) professions fall under this job category. Due to the growing focus of them STEM fields, individuals in this job category tend to advance more quickly than employees in the other job categories. Jobs in this category are being added quickly and many organizations have trouble finding qualified individuals. Individuals in this job category typically recieve pormotions of 2 grade increases at a time until they reach GS-12.
Agencies that have hired a Geologist
Geologist Pay Distribution
The average pay for a Geologist is $109,164.53. The highest paid Geologist made $203,700 in 2022.
Common Geologist Payscales
| Payscale | Number of Geology Employees |
|---|---|
| GS - General Schedule | 1,021 |
| AD - Administratively Determined Rates, Not Elsewhere Specified | 9 |
| SL - Senior Level Positions | 8 |
| ST - Scientific And Professional | 7 |
| GG - Grades Similar To General Schedule | 4 |
| EF - Consultant (5 U.s.c. 3109) | 2 |
| RG - Scientists Appointed As Fellows And Compensated Under 42 U.s.c. 209(g). Includes Non-citizens Whose Employment | 2 |
| EG - Consultant (other) | 2 |
| ZP - Scientific And Engineering Professional | 1 |
| GM - Employees Covered By The Performance Management And Recognition System (pmrs) Termination Provisions | 1 |
| EE - Expert (other) | 1 |
| Starting Paygrade: | $36,070.00 / year base pay at paygrade GS-6, Step 1 |
| Maximum Paygrade: | $152,771.00 / year base pay at paygrade GS-15, Step 10 |
| Category: | Professional and Scientific |
| Occupation Family: | 1300 PHYSICAL SCIENCES GROUP |
Other Jobs at the GS-6 Paygrade
GS-6 is the starting paygrade for Geology jobs. Here are some other Federal Government jobs that can be held by employees at the GS-6 paygrade.
| Occupation | Occupation Category | Starting Paygrade | Maximum Paygrade |
|---|---|---|---|
| Public Health Program Specialist | Administrative and Management | GS-4 | GS-15 |
| Meteorological Technician | Technical and Medical Support | GS-1 | GS-9 |
| Forestry Technician | Technical and Medical Support | GS-1 | GS-9 |
| Writing and Editing | Administrative and Management | GS-4 | GS-15 |
| Animal Science | Professional and Scientific | GS-6 | GS-15 |
Average Geology Pay Trend from 2004 to 2022
In 2004, the average pay for a Geologist was $83,069. Since then, the average pay has increased to $109,165 in 2022.
Data Sources
The information provided on these pages is sourced from the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) 
Enterprise Human Resources Integration (EHRI) dataset. Postal Service data is managed exclusively by the USPS . All information is displayed unmodified and as provided by the source agency.
Federal employee salaries are public information under open government laws (5 U.S.C. § 552). FederalPay provides this data in the interest of government transparency — employee data may not be used for commercial soliciting or vending of any kind. Learn more about the FederalPay Employees Dataset here.
The series code of this occupation is 1350.