Also called: Geoscientists
Geoscientists (Except Hydrologists and Geographers) build complex problem solving, judgment and decision making and systems evaluation skills that carry over to other work. Below are 25 careers ranked by how closely their skills match, with pay from BLS May 2025. The closest match is Geographers (86%).
Updated October 2026 · Data: O*NET 31.0 and BLS OEWS May 2025 · How we match careers
Sorted by skill match.
| # | Career | Skill match | Median pay | Pay change | Extra education |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Geographers | 86% | $102,040 | 0% | None |
| 2 | Mining and Geological Engineers, Including Mining Safety Engineers | 83% | $106,220 | +4% | None |
| 3 | Water Resource Specialists | 83% | $167,220Pay for the broader BLS group “Natural Sciences Managers” | Not compared | None |
| 4 | Petroleum Engineers | 79% | $144,910 | +42% | None |
| 5 | Soil and Plant Scientists | 79% | $78,850 | −23% | Graduate degree |
| 6 | Biologists | 78% | $98,920Pay for the broader BLS group “Biological Scientists, All Other” | Not compared | Graduate degree |
| 7 | Conservation Scientists | 78% | $73,010 | −28% | None |
| 8 | Nuclear Engineers | 77% | $133,970 | +31% | None |
| 9 | Agricultural Engineers | 76% | $98,590 | −3% | None |
| 10 | Environmental Engineers | 76% | $107,110 | +5% | None |
Compared with Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers, median $101,920. Skill match is our estimate (0–99) from O*NET 31.0 skills, knowledge, work activities and interests, adjusted for preparation and big pay drops. Pay: BLS OEWS May 2025, national median.
How important each skill is in work as geoscientists (except hydrologists and geographers) (O*NET importance, scale 1–5).
The gaps that show up most often across your top 10 matches.
Free and low-cost training: use the CareerOneStop training finder below.
A concrete first step, the skills to add, and the hard parts of each job, from O*NET 31.0 education, training and work context data.
86% skill match · $102,040 · 0% pay
Service Orientation · Negotiation
83% skill match · $106,220 · +4% pay
Management of Financial Resources · Management of Material Resources · Operations Monitoring
83% skill match · $167,220 (broader BLS group)
Time Management · Operations Monitoring · Quality Control Analysis
If you want to stay close to what you do now, these roles are the nearest.
The closest matches are Geographers (86% skill match, median $102,040), Mining and Geological Engineers, Including Mining Safety Engineers (83% skill match, median $106,220) and Water Resource Specialists (83% skill match, median $167,220), based on O*NET 31.0 data and BLS May 2025 pay.
Among the 25 matches, 11 pay more than geoscientists (except hydrologists and geographers) at the median. The biggest increases: Petroleum Engineers (+42%, $144,910), Nuclear Engineers (+31%, $133,970) and Biochemists and Biophysicists (+25%, $127,410).
21 of the 25 matches usually need no more education than you have now, based on O*NET Job Zones. 4 usually need a graduate degree: Soil and Plant Scientists, Biologists and Biochemists and Biophysicists.
We compare the importance of skills, knowledge, work activities and interests in O*NET 31.0 for your job and every other career, then adjust for extra preparation and big pay drops. The full method is on our Methodology page.