Petroleum Geologist Careers: Salary Information & Job Description

About this article
A petroleum geologist's mean annual salary is around $147,140. Is it worth the educational requirements? See real job duties and get the truth about the career prospects to find out if becoming a petroleum geologist is right for you.
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Pros and Cons of a Career as a Petroleum Geologist

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As a geoscience specialist, petroleum geologists searche for untapped gas and oil deposits underneath land or the ocean using advanced computers and instrumentation. If you think this is something you would enjoy doing, then consider the pros and cons of this career.

Pros of a Career as a Petroleum Geologist
Entrepreneurial opportunities*
Various work environments, such as a gas and oil platform in the ocean, an office, a boat or various sites on land, both in the continental U.S. and abroad*
High earning potential ($147,140 annual mean salary in 2014)**
Good job prospects (16% projected increase in employment from 2012-2022)**
Various opportunities (research, consulting, teaching and managerial pursuits)*

Cons of a Career as a Petroleum Geologist
Possibly physically taxing, risky work**
Fieldwork - remote sites, difficult conditions, foreign travel**
Long and irregular hours**
Requires a master's degree**
Job availability grows and shrinks cyclically**

Sources: *American Geosciences Institute. **U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

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    1. Wake Forest University - School of Professional Studies

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Wake Forest University - School of Professional Studies

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Pepperdine University Graduate School of Education and Psychology

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UMass Global

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National University

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Full Sail University

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Grand Canyon University

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Fordham University

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Penn Foster

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