Geoscientist - Good Career Path?

Yes.....

Okay, in all seriousness I have recently begun to think if being a geoscientist is a good career path. When I talk about a good career path, I am talking about high job prospects, good growth, as well as a steady job market. I have thought about this topic for two reasons: 1) I have recently been laid off very shortly after starting my first job as a geologist, and 2) My daughter was born recently and I wonder what kind of career will choose. I  also wonder if I should help steer that path or let her choose her own path hoping that either way she is successful in life.

I want to make something clear, I do not regret one bit my career path. I love, absolutely love geology, and I feel very lucky that I get to pursue a career in one of my passions in life. Life has highs and lows, and unfortunately, right now I am in one of those lows. I feel that very often though I hear older generations complain that millennials are going to college for their passion, and not for degrees that have high prospects of finding jobs. Geology is a science, and is considered to be part of the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) field that we are told are highly valued right now and in the future.

According to the Occupational Outlook Handbook on the Burea of Labor Statistics website, the job outlook for geoscientists from 2014-2024 is 10%. This is the projected change in employment for that time period. This value is above average the job outlook for all occupations which is at 7%. I was searching online for places that geologists commonly work, but I was actually having a hard time finding a nice list. I am therefore going to list industries where most of my friends work. I will try to make some comments on the industries

Industries:
1. Higher Education - This can be at community colleges or four-year universities. These positions are very competitive. Salaries can range quite a bit depending on if you are an adjunct professor or on a tenure-track professor position.

2. Oil and Gas Industry - Lucrative salaries which are often in the six-figures. This industry is very volatile (we are in a downturn right now and this is why I lost my position).

3. Mining Industry

4. State of Federal Government - You can work for State or National Parks or organizations such as U.S. or State Geological Surveys. Can also be employed in government agencies such as Department of Interior, Energy, or U.S. Army Corp of Engineers to name a few.

5. Environmental Geology

According to the Occupational Outlook Handbook on the Burea of Labor Statistics website, the typical entry-level education is a Bachelor's Degree and the median pay in 2015 is $89,700 a year compared to the national average of $36,200.

Now I would like to talk about an intangible. According to a National Student Survey conducted in the UK, geology students are the happiest with their degree.  Here is the link to an article about the survey: http://www.forbes.com/sites/trevornace/2015/12/18/geology-students-happiest-college-campus-study/#7806114a717a

The author I think summarizes pretty well, and shares my thoughts, on why he thinks geology students are the happiest with their degrees.

Based on this quick summary, it appears as though a geoscientist can have the best of both worlds where we can enjoy our passion, as well as find a good paying steady job.  Just writing this post gets me excited for my next adventure as a geologist!