What are the main factors that influence a Chief Geologist's salary?

The primary factors are: 1) Experience Level, 2) Geographic Location, 3) Education/Skills, 4) Company Size & Industry

What industry pays the highest salary for Chief Geologist?

The Financial Services industry offers the highest average compensation for Chief Geologist roles, with salaries approximately 50% above the market median.

How does experience change A Chief Geologist's salary?

A Chief Geologist's salary grows with experience: a Geologist I (0-2 years)earns $52,310, a Geologist II (2-4 years)earns $69,064, a Chief Geologist (4-7 years)earns $85,855, a Geologist IV (7+ years)earns $109,523, a Geologist V (7-10 years)earns $131,504,

What are the highest paying states for a Chief Geologist?

Chief Geologist salary varies significantly by state. The top 3 highest paying states for Chief Geologist roles are District of Columbia $98,393, California $98,020, Massachusetts $96,713. These tech hubs typically pay 10-15% above the national average.

How much do different types of Chief Geologist roles make?

Salaries for Chief Geologist level roles vary by specialization: Chief Geologist Red: $280,708; Geologist V: $131,111; Specialist Geologist: $109,200; Geologist IV: $109,195; Senior Geologist: $85,600.

How do different companies affect a Chief Geologist's salary?

Company size, industry, and compensation structure create significant salary variations for Chief Geologist roles. Large, established industry leaders like Kpmg Us LLP ($114,295) and Warner Bros Discovery ($114,096) offer base salaries 35-40% above the national average. In contrast, smaller firms or startups may offer closer to $88,138.

Chief Geologist Salary in the United States

How much does a Chief Geologist make in the United States?

As of July 01, 2026, the average salary for a Chief Geologist in the United States is $88,866 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $43.

However, a Chief Geologist's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

Top Earners (90th percentile): $116,481
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $77,386 to $103,321
Entry-Level (10th percentile): $66,934

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Chief Geologist Salaries by Percentile

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$103,321	$8,610	$1,987	$50
Average	$88,866	$7,406	$1,709	$43
25th Percentile	$77,386	$6,449	$1,488	$37

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Key Factors That Influence Chief Geologist Salaries

A Chief Geologist's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location, education and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects Chief Geologist Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Chief Geologist's salary. As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases. Here's how the average salary grows at different career stages:

Entry-Level (less than 1 year): $52,310
Early Career (1-2 years): $69,064
Mid-Level (2-4 years): $85,855
Senior-Level (5-8 years): $109,523
Expert (over 8 years): $131,504

Levels	Salary
Geologist... Level Chief Geologist	$52,310
Geologist... Level Chief Geologist	$69,064
Chief Geo... Level Chief Geologist	$85,855
Geologist... Level Chief Geologist	$109,523
Geologist... Level Chief Geologist	$131,504

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What Am I Worth?

How Do Chief Geologist Salaries Vary from State to State?

Your salary can change significantly depending on where you work. States with a higher cost of living and strong industrial sectors often pay more to attract Chief Geologists. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:

District of Columbia: $98,393.
California: $98,020.
Massachusetts: $96,713.

District of Columbia $98,393

California $98,020

Massachusetts $96,713

Washington $96,358

New Jersey $96,322

Alaska $96,198

Connecticut $94,971

New York $94,474

Hawaii $92,883

Rhode Island $92,137

Maryland $91,630

Minnesota $90,937

Colorado $90,670

Illinois $90,581

Oregon $90,244

Delaware $89,995

New Hampshire $89,838

Virginia $89,488

Pennsylvania $88,466

Nevada $87,951

North Dakota $87,782

Michigan $87,516

Wisconsin $87,418

Vermont $87,222

Texas $86,680

Maine $86,645

Arizona $86,591

Ohio $86,529

Georgia $85,712

Indiana $85,303

Wyoming $85,223

Utah $85,098

Iowa $85,045

Kansas $84,618

Louisiana $84,494

North Carolina $84,450

Missouri $84,432

Florida $84,085

Montana $83,899

Nebraska $83,721

Kentucky $83,623

South Carolina $83,268

Tennessee $83,046

Idaho $82,957

New Mexico $82,308

Oklahoma $82,166

Alabama $81,641

South Dakota $80,762

Arkansas $80,282

West Virginia $80,024

Mississippi $79,251

Top Paying Cities for Chief Geologists

Salaries can also vary between different cities. Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay. Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:

San Jose: $112,087
San Francisco: $110,860
Oakland: $108,524

San Jose, CA $112,087

San Francisco, CA $110,860

Oakland, CA $108,524

New York, NY $102,320

Paramus, NJ $101,076

Queens Village, NY $101,071

Passaic, NJ $100,987

Bergenfield, NJ $100,979

Stamford, CT $100,783

Huntington, NY $100,747

Newark, NJ $100,090

Bridgeport, CT $99,903

Vallejo, CA $99,726

New Brunswick, NJ $99,690

Petaluma, CA $99,637

Middlesex, NJ $99,468

Somerset, NJ $99,406

Santa Cruz, CA $99,290

Boston, MA $98,748

Monterey, CA $98,436

Seattle, WA $98,233

Santa Rosa, CA $98,215

Los Angeles, CA $98,188

Juneau, AK $97,957

Washington, DC $97,860

Orange, CA $97,543

Santa Ana, CA $97,309

Long Beach, CA $97,220

Anaheim, CA $97,202

Anchorage, AK $97,158

Santa Maria, CA $96,891

Everett, WA $96,873

Danbury, CT $96,560

Bremerton, WA $96,438

Tacoma, WA $96,118

New Suffolk, NY $96,116

Sacramento, CA $96,091

Santa Barbara, CA $95,993

Trenton, NJ $95,896

San Diego, CA $95,896

Brockton, MA $95,798

Fairbanks, AK $95,580

Lompoc, CA $95,354

Lowell, MA $95,282

Ventura, CA $95,265

Nashua, NH $95,247

Stockton, CA $95,238

Modesto, CA $94,589

Poughkeepsie, NY $94,394

Olympia, WA $94,225

Kennewick, WA $94,225

New Haven, CT $94,189

Lawrence, MA $93,869

Hartford, CT $93,781

Riverside, CA $93,763

New Bedford, MA $93,674

Richland, WA $93,674

Bakersfield, CA $93,550

San Bernardino, CA $93,514

New Britain, CT $93,505

Atlantic City, NJ $93,505

New London, CT $93,470

Norwich, CT $93,443

Portsmouth, NH $93,425

Boulder, CO $93,237

Portland, OR $93,114

Worcester, MA $93,105

Minneapolis, MN $92,830

Philadelphia, PA $92,705

Honolulu, HI $92,412

Saint Paul, MN $92,369

Vineland, NJ $92,350

Providence, RI $92,092

Chicago, IL $91,834

Bellingham, WA $91,728

Springfield, MA $91,657

Baltimore, MD $91,630

Chico, CA $91,408

Pittsfield, MA $91,168

Manchester, NH $90,999

Spokane, WA $90,608

Denver, CO $90,599

Albany, NY $90,182

Troy, NY $90,146

Nassau, NY $90,051

Schenectady, NY $89,959

Wilmington, DE $89,888

Burlington, VT $89,764

Salem, OR $89,728

Portland, ME $89,453

Yakima, WA $89,364

Rochester, MN $89,088

Reno, NV $89,044

Fresno, CA $89,044

Milwaukee, WI $88,964

Detroit, MI $88,875

Ann Arbor, MI $88,860

Allentown, PA $88,849

Colorado Springs, CO $88,697

Syracuse, NY $88,653

Carson City, NV $88,653

Houston, TX $88,529

Eugene, OR $88,484

Gary, IN $88,378

Springfield, OR $88,306

Bismarck, ND $88,289

Galveston, TX $88,226

Medford, OR $88,093

Fort Collins, CO $88,058

Concord, NH $88,013

Austin, TX $87,987

Mesa, AZ $87,800

Reading, PA $87,791

Phoenix, AZ $87,782

Dallas, TX $87,755

Saint Cloud, MN $87,670

Madison, WI $87,551

Utica, NY $87,311

Rochester, NY $87,169

Des Moines, IA $87,160

Raleigh, NC $87,151

Atlanta, GA $87,018

Battle Creek, MI $86,991

Salt Lake City, UT $86,965

Lancaster, PA $86,831

Harrisburg, PA $86,707

Kansas City, MO $86,618

Champaign, IL $86,600

Kansas City, KS $86,600

Fort Worth, TX $86,591

Columbus, OH $86,576

Boca Raton, FL $86,556

Pittsburgh, PA $86,520

Richmond, VA $86,485

Indianapolis, IN $86,467

Cleveland, OH $86,458

Las Vegas, NV $86,351

Cincinnati, OH $86,351

Petersburg, VA $86,218

Huntsville, AL $86,085

Lansing, MI $86,025

Lebanon, PA $86,014

Pueblo, CO $86,005

Appleton, WI $85,978

Buffalo, NY $85,943

Dayton, OH $85,916

Racine, WI $85,898

Charlotte, NC $85,889

Saint Louis, MO $85,863

York, PA $85,809

Elkhart, IN $85,809

Gastonia, NC $85,792

Billings, MT $85,771

Beaumont, TX $85,747

Lorain, OH $85,729

Benton Harbor, MI $85,712

Toledo, OH $85,694

Binghamton, NY $85,649

Rock Hill, SC $85,640

Rockford, IL $85,596

Springfield, IL $85,560

Elyria, OH $85,552

Fargo, ND $85,552

Flagstaff, AZ $85,489

Fort Lauderdale, FL $85,436

Duluth, MN $85,383

Miami, FL $85,383

Cheyenne, WY $85,321

Grand Forks, ND $85,321

Bangor, ME $85,125

Cedar Rapids, IA $85,027

Durham, NC $84,990

Louisville, KY $84,983

Grand Rapids, MI $84,965

Hialeah, FL $84,956

Casper, WY $84,832

Scranton, PA $84,725

New Orleans, LA $84,698

Virginia Beach, VA $84,690

Akron, OH $84,645

Peoria, IL $84,530

Sarasota, FL $84,512

Nashville, TN $84,450

Omaha, NE $84,450

Green Bay, WI $84,450

Baton Rouge, LA $84,405

Charleston, SC $84,387

Jamestown, NY $84,343

Davenport, IA $84,343

Tucson, AZ $84,299

Saint Petersburg, FL $84,245

Tampa, FL $84,227

Evansville, IN $84,174

Port Arthur, TX $84,174

Bradenton, FL $84,139

Santa Fe, NM $83,979

Orlando, FL $83,819

Clearwater, FL $83,792

Canton, OH $83,605

La Crosse, WI $83,605

Albuquerque, NM $83,552

Newport News, VA $83,543

High Point, NC $83,517

Ogden, UT $83,481

Corpus Christi, TX $83,410

Norfolk, VA $83,357

Laramie, WY $83,357

Rock Island, IL $83,303

Saginaw, MI $83,285

Jacksonville, FL $83,277

Salisbury, NC $83,259

Boise, ID $83,241

Moline, IL $83,197

Fort Myers, FL $83,170

Memphis, TN $83,152

Tulsa, OK $83,108

Waterloo, IA $83,054

Spartanburg, SC $82,966

Lincoln, NE $82,921

Fort Wayne, IN $82,903

Provo, UT $82,894

Cedar Falls, IA $82,788

San Antonio, TX $82,752

Greensboro, NC $82,717

South Bend, IN $82,708

Savannah, GA $82,610

Muskegon, MI $82,575

Birmingham, AL $82,566

Winston Salem, NC $82,522

Lake Charles, LA $82,308

Anderson, IN $82,290

Lexington, KY $82,264

Augusta, GA $82,237

Greenville, SC $82,237

Lima, OH $82,166

Wichita, KS $82,157

Tuscaloosa, AL $82,157

Columbia, SC $82,077

Springfield, OH $82,059

Asheville, NC $81,917

Bloomington, IN $81,855

Knoxville, TN $81,535

Shreveport, LA $81,526

Wilmington, NC $81,410

Roanoke, VA $81,410

Topeka, KS $81,250

Frankfort, KY $81,241

Oklahoma City, OK $81,179

Chillicothe, OH $81,144

Longview, TX $81,135

Melbourne, FL $81,126

Sioux Falls, SD $80,984

Mobile, AL $80,975

Terre Haute, IN $80,939

Altoona, PA $80,886

Amarillo, TX $80,824

Killeen, TX $80,797

Fayetteville, AR $80,726

Chattanooga, TN $80,699

Sioux City, IA $80,620

Idaho Falls, ID $80,602

Lynchburg, VA $80,531

Gainesville, FL $80,415

Portsmouth, OH $80,371

Little Rock, AR $80,353

Lafayette, LA $80,317

Youngstown, OH $80,317

Daytona Beach, FL $80,264

Clarksville, TN $80,255

Pensacola, FL $80,246

Temple, TX $80,240

Hopkinsville, KY $79,980

Erie, PA $79,962

Florence, SC $79,926

Charleston, WV $79,784

Great Falls, MT $79,740

Macon, GA $79,615

Tallahassee, FL $79,606

Fayetteville, NC $79,589

Waco, TX $79,571

Helena, MT $79,509

Pine Bluff, AR $79,475

Vincennes, IN $79,366

Lubbock, TX $79,331

Alamogordo, NM $79,278

Twin Falls, ID $79,198

Rapid City, SD $79,171

Jackson, MS $79,011

Huntington, WV $79,005

Greenville, MS $79,002

Parkersburg, WV $78,911

Montgomery, AL $78,896

Wichita Falls, TX $78,807

Springfield, MO $78,807

Biloxi, MS $78,762

Monroe, LA $78,673

Johnstown, PA $78,611

Sumter, SC $78,576

Columbus, GA $78,567

Pascagoula, MS $78,398

Abilene, TX $78,398

Kingsport, TN $78,167

Albany, GA $78,167

Gulfport, MS $78,140

Alexandria, LA $77,847

Fort Smith, AR $77,625

El Paso, TX $77,385

Las Cruces, NM $76,985

Harlingen, TX $76,759

Pocatello, ID $76,745

Florence, AL $76,629

Brownsville, TX $76,612

Mcallen, TX $76,425

Dothan, AL $76,301

Columbus, MS $75,773

Altus, OK $75,359

Lawton, OK $75,190

Pierre, SD $74,870

What Skills Can Increase a Chief Geologist's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

Analysis (Mentioned in 8.45% Job Postings): Analysis is the process of considering something carefully or using statistical methods in order to understand it or explain it.
Microsoft Office (Mentioned in 2.58% Job Postings): Microsoft Office is a suite of desktop productivity applications that is designed by Microsoft for business use. You can create documents containing text and images, work with data in spreadsheets and databases, create presentations and posters.
Environmental Science (Mentioned in 1.96% Job Postings): Environmental science refers to a grouping of scientific disciplines that are all concerned with the physical, chemical and biological characteristics of the surroundings in which organisms live.

See More Skills

Skills	Demand Percentage
Analysis	8.45%
Microsoft Office	2.58%
Environmental Science	1.96%

What skills can make your compensation higher?

Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay. Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on a Chief Geologist's salary.

Resource Management: Can increase your salary by up to 7%.
Commitment: Can increase your salary by up to 6%.
Leadership: Can increase your salary by up to 6%.

Skill	Salary	Salary % Increase
Resource Management	$95,087	7%
Commitment	$94,198	6%
Leadership	$94,198	6%
Project Management	$93,310	5%
CAD	$93,310	5%
Quality Control	$92,421	4%

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Chief Geologist Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Chief Geologist roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential by as much as 120% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the Financial Services and Energy & Utilities sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 50% above the average. In contrast, Chief Geologist positions in Retail & Wholesale or Business Services typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view Chief Geologist as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industries for a Chief Geologist

Industry Sector	Average Annual Salary	Average Hourly Rate	Pay vs.Avg
Financial Services	$133,299	$64.0	50%
Energy & Utilities	$106,640	$51.0	20%
Construction	$97,753	$47.0	10%

How Education impacts a Chief Geologist's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Chief Geologists enter the field with a Bachelor's Degree degree, higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.

According to our 100% employer-reported salary data, the median salary for a Chief Geologist with a Bachelor's Degree is between $82,768 and $86,946).

Chief Geologist Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Chief Geologist

No Diploma 42.7%

High School 48.0%

Associates 9.3%

Bachelors 42.7%

Masters 48.0%

Doctorate 9.3%

view as table

Degree Level	% of user with this level of education
No Diploma	42.7%
High School	48.0%
Associates	9.3%
Bachelors	42.7%
Masters	48.0%
Doctorate	9.3%

view as graph

Chief Geologist Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Chief Geologist's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting. Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role. Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.

Last Updated on July 01, 2026

$77,386

Average $88,866/year

$103,321

$6,449

Average $7,406/month

$8,610

$1,488

Average $1,709/week

$1,987

$37

Average $43/hour

$50

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$103,321	$8,610	$1,987	$50
Average	$88,866	$7,406	$1,709	$43
25th Percentile	$77,386	$6,449	$1,488	$37

Salaries of jobs related to Chief Geologist

Salary Trends for Chief Geologist

Salaries for a Chief Geologist can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $115,700 in 2023 to around $99,667 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Chief Geologist salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Chief Geologist Over Time

2022

$???

2023

$115,700

2024

$106,675

2025

$99,667

2026

$???

2027

$???

Year	Average Annual Salary
2022	View More
2023	$115,700
2024	$106,675
2025	$99,667
2026	View More
2027	View More

Most common benefits for Chief Geologist

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Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

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