Careers in Geology

What makes a Geologist?

Geologists are curious about the Earth:

• How was it formed?
• How is it changing?
• Is there a global warming trend?
• How and where should we dispose of industrial wastes?
• How can we fill society's growing demands for energy and conserve natural resources for future generations?
• Where can we find enough water, mineral and energy resources to support growing populations?
• What are the long-term effects of human interaction with natural environments?
• How can we predict accurately earthquakes and volcanic eruptions?
• What effects will shrinking glaciers have on the oceans and climate?
• How do islands form?
• What makes a continent move?
• Why did the dinosaurs become extinct?
• What makes a mountain?

The Earth is an outdoor laboratory filled with opportunities to observe Earth processes in action. Rocks, minerals, fossils, mountains, earthquakes, volcanoes, glaciers, water and landforms are keys to the Earth's past, present and future.

Geology is the science that provides the key to finding new sources of useful Earth materials and to understanding Earth processes that affect our lives. Geologists provide basic information to society for solving problems and establishing policy for resource management, environmental protection, public health, safety and welfare. By applying knowledge of forces that shape the Earth, geologists seek to reconstruct the past and anticipate the future.

What do Geologists do?

Geologists gather and interpret data about the Earth for the purpose of increasing our understanding and improving the quality of human life. Geologists study and help to mitigate natural hazards such as volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, floods and landslides.

Geologists investigate the materials, processes, products and history of the Earth. They often specialize in one of the following areas:

• Hydrogeologists study the abundance, distribution and quality of ground water.
• Environmental geologists work to solve problems with pollution, waste disposal and urban development and hazards such as flooding and erosion.
• Geomorphologists study the effects of Earth processes and investigate the nature, origin and development of present landforms and their relationship to underlying structures.
• Paleoclimatologists/Paleoceanographers interpret past global changes and predict future changes from past records.
• Volcanologists investigate volcanoes and volcanic phenomena.
• Seismologists study the location and force of earthquakes and trace the behavior of earthquake waves to interpret the structure of the Earth.
• Petroleum geologists are involved in exploration and production of oil and natural gas.
• Economic geologists explore for and develop geologic materials that have profitable uses.
• Engineering geologists investigate geologic factors that affect engineering structures such as bridges, buildings, airports and dams.
• Geochemists investigate the nature and distribution of chemical elements in rocks and minerals.
• Petrologists determine the origin and genesis of rocks by analyzing the textures and chemistry of minerals and rocks.
• Mineralogists study the formation, composition and properties of minerals.
• Geophysicists decipher the Earth's interior and magnetic, electric and gravitational fields.
• Geodynamacists study plate tectonics, specifically the hows and whys of plate motions and deformations.
• Geochronologists determine the age of certain rocks by calculating the rates of decay of certain radioactive elements and thus help reconstruct the geologic history of the Earth.
• Planetary geologists study the moon and other planets to understand the evolution of the solar system.
• Structural geologists study deformation, fracturing and folding that has occurred in the Earth's crust.
• Stratigraphers investigate the time and space relationships of layered rocks and their fossil and mineral content.
• Sedimentologists study sedimentary rocks and the processes of sediment formation, transportation and deposition.
• Paleontologists study fossils to understand past life forms and their changes through time and to reconstruct past environments.
• Marine geologists investigate the oceans and continental shelves.
• Glaciologists study the physical properties and movement of glaciers and ice sheets.

Job and Salary Outlook

The employment outlook in geology - as in any profession - varies with the economic climate of the country. The long-range outlook is good at this time. Dwindling energy, mineral and water resources, increasing environmental concerns, global issues such as rising sea levels, and hazard assessment present new challenges to geoscientists. Career opportunities are increasing in environmental science and hydrogeology with the growing need to maintain Earth's natural environments and meet society's demands for Earth materials. Money magazine (Feb., 1992) ranked "geologist" second overall out of 100 best occupations and in the top nine for "jobs that satisfy."

According to the American Geological Institute's Geoscientific Employment and Hiring Survey - 1991, about 85,000 geoscientists work in the United States. Most geologists are employed by industries related to oil and gas, mining and minerals and water resources.

Many geologists are self-employed as geological consultants or work with consulting firms. Most consulting geologists have had extensive professional experience in industry, teaching, or research.

Also, many geologists work for the federal or state government. Most work for the U.S. Geological Survey (Department of Interior), but others work for the Department of Energy, Forest Service, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, or a state geological survey.

Salary scales vary from employer to employer depending on the career path, location, qualifications of the geologist and, of course, the economy.

In the early 1990s, the range of average starting salaries for graduates with bachelor's degrees was $21,000 to $36,000. Starting salaries for master's degrees ranged from $24,000 to $38,500 and from $30,000 to $44,000 for Ph.D.s.

Interested?

• Are you concerned about the environment?
• Are you concerned about global environmental and climate change?
• Do you like to know why and how things work?
• Do you like to analyze things?
• Are science and nature among your favorite subjects?
• Have you ever wondered why the Earth appears as it does?
• Do you enjoy the outdoors?
• Are you interested in travel?

If you answer "yes" to most of these questions, geology could offer a good career for you. The most important prerequisites are interest and thorough academic training.

Further Information

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For additional information on geology programs at Northern Illinois University, contact:

Department of Geology and Environmental Geosciences
Northern Illinois University
DeKalb, IL 60115-2854
(815) 753-1943

Or, you can e-mail us.

Northern Illinois University is an equal opportunity institution and does not discrimimate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, handicap, status as a disabled or Vietnam-era veteran, or marital status. NIU is an Equal Employment Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer and recognizes dual career issues.