Salary Information
Salaries vary depending on the job sector that you enter. Generally speaking ‘private sector’ employers, such as commercial companies and consultancies, offer higher salaries than those in the in the ‘public sector’, such as government or educational organisations or museums, as well as between different industries and specialisms. The energy sector often offers the greatest financial rewards, however there are cycles of supply and demand where natural resources are concerned, so financial security is not guaranteed.
Factors such as annual leave, hours worked, stress and degree of flexibility also vary across sectors. Salaries are usually higher in larger multinational organisations, particularly for those prepared to live and work in remote or risky locations e.g. offshore. The level of your degree (BSc / MSc / PhD etc.) will also affect your starting salary. How your salary progresses after that will depend on the experience you build up and the choices you make.
Example salaries
Quick Links: Geophysics | Energy | Engineering | Mining & Quarrying | Hydrogeology | Environmental Geology | Research, Teaching & Communication
Geoscientist |
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Starting Salary: £28,000 to £35,000 |
At Senior Level: £40,000 to £75,000 |
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| (Information from Prospects.ac.uk - Updated May 2015) | |||
Geochemist |
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| Starting Salary: £20,000 to £30,000 |
At Senior Level: £32,000 to £50,000 |
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| (Information from Prospects.ac.uk - Updated September 2015) | |||
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Geophysicist / Field seismologist |
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Starting Salary: £28,000 to £35,000 |
At Senior Level: £75,000 to £100,000 |
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| (Information from Prospects.ac.uk - Updated April 2015) | |||
Seismic Interpretor |
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Starting Salary: £25,000 to £30,000 |
With Experience: £50,000 to £75,000+ |
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| (Information from Prospects.ac.uk - Updated March 2016) | |||
Geophysical Data Processor |
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Starting Salary: £20,000 to £35,000 |
With Experience: £35,000 to £50,000 (higher for consultants) |
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| (Information from Prospects.ac.uk - Updated April 2015) | |||
 Find out more about Geophysics
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Petroleum Engineer |
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| Starting Salary: £25,000 to £35,000 (higher end with phd) |
With Experience: £55,000 to £95,000 |
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 When there is demand, experienced freelance engineers can earn over £1,000 per day. |
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| (Information from Prospects.ac.uk - Updated December 2015) | |||
Wellsite Geologist |
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Starting Salary: £25,000 to £45,000 |
With Experience: £35,000 to £120,000 with up to 50% extra in allowances and bonuses. |
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| New consultants can earn £350 to £450 per day, or £800 to £1,000 per day with experience.
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| (Information from Prospects.ac.uk - Updated July 2015) | |||
Mudlogger |
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Starting Salary: £25,000 to £30,000 once trained (Pay usually modest during training) |
With Experience: £45,000 to £70,000 |
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| (Information from Prospects.ac.uk - Updated August 2015) | |||
| Explore the Energy Sector |
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Engineering Geologist |
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Starting Salary: £21,000 to £23,000 |
At Senior Level: £40,000 to £50,000 |
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| Salaries in the petroleum industry, or offshore, remote or risky locations can be £100,000+
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| (Information from Prospects.ac.uk - Updated February 2015) | |||
| Salaries are also available for Mining Engineers, Materials Engineers and Petroleum Engineers. |
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| Explore the Engineering Sector
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Mining Engineer |
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Starting Salary: £21,000 to £27,000, rising to £45,000+ with experience |
At Senior Level: £50,000 to £75,000 |
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| (Information from Prospects.ac.uk - Updated July 2015) | |||
Minerals Surveyor |
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Starting Salary: £20,000 to £25,000 |
With Experience: £26,000 to £46,000 (£50,000+ if chartered)
Average £41,833 |
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| (Information from Prospects.ac.uk - Updated September 2015) | |||
Materials Engineer |
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| Starting Salary: £20,000 to £26,000 |
With Experience: £27,000 to £40,000 (up to £60,000 at senior level) |
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| (Information from Prospects.ac.uk - Updated August 2015) | |||
Quarry Manager |
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| Starting Salary: £23,000 |
With Experience: £30,000 to £50,000 (£100,000+ at senior level) |
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| (Information from Prospects.ac.uk - Updated June 2015) | |||
| Explore the Mining sector
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Hydrogeologist |
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Starting Salary: up to £25,000 |
With Experience: £30,000 to £40,000 (higher at senior level) |
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| (Information from Prospects.ac.uk - Updated May 2015) | |||
Water Quality Scientist |
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| Starting Salary: £18,000 to £25,000 |
With Experience: £25,000 to £35,000 (higher with chartered status) |
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| (Information from Prospects.ac.uk - Updated September 2016) | |||
Hydrologist |
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| Starting Salary: £17,000 to £25,000 |
With Experience: £23,000 to £32,000 (£28,000 to £50,000 at senior level) |
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| (Information from Prospects.ac.uk - Updated March 2015) | |||
Related Field: Marine Scientist |
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| Starting Salary: £19,500 to £24,000 (£26,000 to £36,000 with PhD) |
At Senior Level: £37,000+ |
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| (Information from Prospects.ac.uk - Updated September 2015) | |||
| Explore the Hydrogeology sector
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Environmental Consultant |
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| Starting Salary: £22,000 to £24,500 rising to £22,000 to £33,000 at consultant grade |
With Experience: £33,000 to £44,000 rising to £38,500 to £60,000 with 10+ years experience |
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| (Information from Prospects.ac.uk - Updated April 2016) | |||
Soil Scientist |
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| Starting Salary: £16,000 to £22,000 |
With Experience: £24,000 to £52,000 |
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| (Information from Prospects.ac.uk - Updated September 2015) | |||
Environmental Manager |
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| Starting Salary: £18,000 to £30,000 |
At Senior Level: Up to £51,000 |
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| (Information from Prospects.ac.uk - Updated March 2015) | |||
| Explore the Environmental sector
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Research Scientist |
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| Starting Salary: From £14,296 during PhD studentship or £25,000 to £35,000 with postgraduate qualifications |
At Senior Level: £30,000 to £45,000 |
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| Salaries at senior level vary widely between sectors. University professors or researchers with high levels of responsibility can achieve salaries of £50,000 to £70,000. |
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| (Information from Prospects.ac.uk - Updated August 2016) | |||
Museum Curator |
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| Starting Salary: Minimum £24,648; Average £26,500 |
With Experience: £27,500 average, rising to £30,000 average at senior level |
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| (Information from Prospects.ac.uk - Updated April 2015) | |||
Higher Education Lecturer |
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| Starting Salary: £33,000 to £43,000+ |
At Senior Level: £39,000 to £58,000 |
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| (Information from Prospects.ac.uk - Updated July 2015) | |||
Secondary School Teacher |
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| Starting Salary: Salaries rise incrementally from £22,244 to £32,831 (England & Wales), £21,867 to £34,887 (Scotland) or £21,804 to £31,868 (Northern Ireland). |
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| (Information from Prospects.ac.uk - Updated October 2014) | |||
Scientific Laboratory Technician |
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| Starting Salary: £15,000 to £19,000 |
With Experience: £20,000 to £25,000 rising to £30,000 to £40,000 at senior level. |
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| (Information from Prospects.ac.uk - Updated August 2016) | |||
Science Writer |
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| Starting Salary: £15,000 to £26,000 (Interns and new freelance writers may earn less until they have established themselves) |
At Senior Level: Average £35,000 |
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| (Information from Prospects.ac.uk - Updated June 2015) | |||
| Explore the Research, Teaching & Communication sector
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Mining & Quarrying:
Hydrogeology:
Environmental Geology:
Research, Teaching & Communication:
Salaries vary depending on the job sector that you enter. Generally speaking ‘private sector’ employers, such as commercial companies and consultancies, offer higher salaries than those in the in the ‘public sector’, such as government or educational organisations or museums, as well as between different industries and specialisms. The energy sector often offers the greatest financial rewards, however there are cycles of supply and demand where natural resources are concerned, so financial security is not guaranteed.
Factors such as annual leave, hours worked, stress and degree of flexibility also vary across sectors. Salaries are usually higher in larger multinational organisations, particularly for those prepared to live and work in remote or risky locations e.g. offshore. The level of your degree (BSc / MSc / PhD etc.) will also affect your starting salary. How your salary progresses after that will depend on the experience you build up and the choices you make.
Example salaries
Quick Links: Geophysics | Energy | Engineering | Mining & Quarrying | Hydrogeology | Environmental Geology | Research, Teaching & Communication
Geoscientist |
|||
|
Starting Salary: £28,000 to £35,000 |
At Senior Level: £40,000 to £75,000 |
||
| (Information from Prospects.ac.uk - Updated May 2015) | |||
Geochemist |
|||
| Starting Salary: £20,000 to £30,000 |
At Senior Level: £32,000 to £50,000 |
||
| (Information from Prospects.ac.uk - Updated September 2015) | |||
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Geophysicist / Field seismologist |
|||
|
Starting Salary: £28,000 to £35,000 |
At Senior Level: £75,000 to £100,000 |
||
| (Information from Prospects.ac.uk - Updated April 2015) | |||
Seismic Interpretor |
|||
|
Starting Salary: £25,000 to £30,000 |
With Experience: £50,000 to £75,000+ |
||
| (Information from Prospects.ac.uk - Updated March 2016) | |||
Geophysical Data Processor |
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|
Starting Salary: £20,000 to £35,000 |
With Experience: £35,000 to £50,000 (higher for consultants) |
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| (Information from Prospects.ac.uk - Updated April 2015) | |||
| Find out more about Geophysics
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Petroleum Engineer |
|||
| Starting Salary: £25,000 to £35,000 (higher end with phd) |
With Experience: £55,000 to £95,000 |
||
| When there is demand, experienced freelance engineers can earn over £1,000 per day. |
|||
| (Information from Prospects.ac.uk - Updated December 2015) | |||
Wellsite Geologist |
|||
|
Starting Salary: £25,000 to £45,000 |
With Experience: £35,000 to £120,000 with up to 50% extra in allowances and bonuses. |
||
| New consultants can earn £350 to £450 per day, or £800 to £1,000 per day with experience.
|
|||
| (Information from Prospects.ac.uk - Updated July 2015) | |||
Mudlogger |
|||
|
Starting Salary: £25,000 to £30,000 once trained (Pay usually modest during training) |
With Experience: £45,000 to £70,000 |
||
| (Information from Prospects.ac.uk - Updated August 2015) | |||
| Explore the Energy Sector |
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Engineering Geologist |
|||
|
Starting Salary: £21,000 to £23,000 |
At Senior Level: £40,000 to £50,000 |
||
| Salaries in the petroleum industry, or offshore, remote or risky locations can be £100,000+
|
|||
| (Information from Prospects.ac.uk - Updated February 2015) | |||
| Salaries are also available for Mining Engineers, Materials Engineers and Petroleum Engineers. |
|||
| Explore the Engineering Sector
|
|
||
|
|||
Mining Engineer |
|||
|
Starting Salary: £21,000 to £27,000, rising to £45,000+ with experience |
At Senior Level: £50,000 to £75,000 |
||
| (Information from Prospects.ac.uk - Updated July 2015) | |||
Minerals Surveyor |
|||
|
Starting Salary: £20,000 to £25,000 |
With Experience: £26,000 to £46,000 (£50,000+ if chartered)
Average £41,833 |
||
| (Information from Prospects.ac.uk - Updated September 2015) | |||
Materials Engineer |
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| Starting Salary: £20,000 to £26,000 |
With Experience: £27,000 to £40,000 (up to £60,000 at senior level) |
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| (Information from Prospects.ac.uk - Updated August 2015) | |||
Quarry Manager |
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| Starting Salary: £23,000 |
With Experience: £30,000 to £50,000 (£100,000+ at senior level) |
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| (Information from Prospects.ac.uk - Updated June 2015) | |||
| Explore the Mining sector
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Hydrogeologist |
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Starting Salary: up to £25,000 |
With Experience: £30,000 to £40,000 (higher at senior level) |
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| (Information from Prospects.ac.uk - Updated May 2015) | |||
Water Quality Scientist |
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| Starting Salary: £18,000 to £25,000 |
With Experience: £25,000 to £35,000 (higher with chartered status) |
||
| (Information from Prospects.ac.uk - Updated September 2016) | |||
Hydrologist |
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| Starting Salary: £17,000 to £25,000 |
With Experience: £23,000 to £32,000 (£28,000 to £50,000 at senior level) |
||
| (Information from Prospects.ac.uk - Updated March 2015) | |||
Related Field: Marine Scientist |
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| Starting Salary: £19,500 to £24,000 (£26,000 to £36,000 with PhD) |
At Senior Level: £37,000+ |
||
| (Information from Prospects.ac.uk - Updated September 2015) | |||
| Explore the Hydrogeology sector
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Environmental Consultant |
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| Starting Salary: £22,000 to £24,500 rising to £22,000 to £33,000 at consultant grade |
With Experience: £33,000 to £44,000 rising to £38,500 to £60,000 with 10+ years experience |
||
| (Information from Prospects.ac.uk - Updated April 2016) | |||
Soil Scientist |
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| Starting Salary: £16,000 to £22,000 |
With Experience: £24,000 to £52,000 |
||
| (Information from Prospects.ac.uk - Updated September 2015) | |||
Environmental Manager |
|||
| Starting Salary: £18,000 to £30,000 |
At Senior Level: Up to £51,000 |
||
| (Information from Prospects.ac.uk - Updated March 2015) | |||
| Explore the Environmental sector
|
|
||
|
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Research Scientist |
|||
| Starting Salary: From £14,296 during PhD studentship or £25,000 to £35,000 with postgraduate qualifications |
At Senior Level: £30,000 to £45,000 |
||
| Salaries at senior level vary widely between sectors. University professors or researchers with high levels of responsibility can achieve salaries of £50,000 to £70,000. |
|||
| (Information from Prospects.ac.uk - Updated August 2016) | |||
Museum Curator |
|||
| Starting Salary: Minimum £24,648; Average £26,500 |
With Experience: £27,500 average, rising to £30,000 average at senior level |
||
| (Information from Prospects.ac.uk - Updated April 2015) | |||
Higher Education Lecturer |
|||
| Starting Salary: £33,000 to £43,000+ |
At Senior Level: £39,000 to £58,000 |
||
| (Information from Prospects.ac.uk - Updated July 2015) | |||
Secondary School Teacher |
|||
| Starting Salary: Salaries rise incrementally from £22,244 to £32,831 (England & Wales), £21,867 to £34,887 (Scotland) or £21,804 to £31,868 (Northern Ireland). |
|||
| (Information from Prospects.ac.uk - Updated October 2014) | |||
Scientific Laboratory Technician |
|||
| Starting Salary: £15,000 to £19,000 |
With Experience: £20,000 to £25,000 rising to £30,000 to £40,000 at senior level. |
||
| (Information from Prospects.ac.uk - Updated August 2016) | |||
Science Writer |
|||
| Starting Salary: £15,000 to £26,000 (Interns and new freelance writers may earn less until they have established themselves) |
At Senior Level: Average £35,000 |
||
| (Information from Prospects.ac.uk - Updated June 2015) | |||
| Explore the Research, Teaching & Communication sector
|
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