▲37%
The average salary for a Geophysicist is $90,775.
10%
$49k
10%
$91k
50%
$163k
90%
90%
MEDIAN $90,775
Is Geophysicist your job title? Get a personalized salary report!
Salary
$49k - $163k
Bonus
$499 - $38k
Profit Sharing
$88 - $20k
Total Pay
$49k - $182k
Your Market Worth Over Time
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Job Description for Geophysicist
Geophysicist Tasks
- Use software to create and interpret 2- and 3-dimensional geophysical data to identify and evaluate sites.
- Generate prospective locations, recommend coordinates, and document assumptions and calculations.
- Review and write contracts and specifications for geophysical work, including budgets and timelines.
- Create and verify seismic, AVO, and other types of models to assess feasibility, safety, and returns.
Popular Employer Salaries for Geophysicist
$154k
$98k
$126k
$104k
$116k
$134k
The top respondents for the job title Geophysicist are from the companies Chevron Corporation, Schlumberger and BHP Billiton. Reported salaries are highest at ExxonMobil Corporation where the average pay is $174,857. Other companies that offer high salaries for this role include Chevron Corporation and BHP Billiton, earning around $153,613 and $125,594, respectively. Schlumberger pays the lowest at around $97,883. Cggveritas and Noble Energy, Inc. also pay on the lower end of the scale, paying $104,350 and $115,500, respectively.
Career Paths
Explore the most common career paths for Geophysicist. Thickness and color of lines indicates popularity of movement from one job to the next. Visit our career path planner to research other job paths.
Geophysicist
More common (> 20%)
Somewhat common (8 - 20%)
Less common (< 8%)
Geophysicist Job Listings
Popular Skills for Geophysicist
Avg. Salary
Popularity
Data Processing
$78,045
147 responses
Data Analysis
$82,662
128 responses
Matlab
$72,414
29 responses
Project Management
$91,418
23 responses
Image Processing
$97,943
21 responses
Skills in Project Management and Image Processing are correlated to pay that is above average. Skills that pay less than market rate include Matlab, Data Analysis and Data Processing.
Pay by Experience Level for Geophysicist
An entry-level Geophysicist with less than 1 year experience can expect to earn an average total compensation (includes tips, bonus, and overtime pay) of $54,043 based on 34 salaries. An early career Geophysicist with 1-4 years of experience earns an average total compensation of $75,866 based on 152 salaries. A mid-career Geophysicist with 5-9 years of experience earns an average total compensation of $94,237 based on 119 salaries. An experienced Geophysicist with 10-19 years of experience earns an average total compensation of $117,144 based on 60 salaries. In their late career (20 years and higher), employees earn an average total compensation of $160,000.
Pay Difference by Location
Learn more about cost of living by city.
Employees with Geophysicist in their job title in Springfield, Virginia earn an average of 36.9% more than the national average. These job titles also find higher than average salaries in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma (23.9% more) and Houston, Texas (16.8% more). The lowest salaries can be found in Austin, Texas (32.0% less) and Denver, Colorado (28.4% less).
Years of Experience
This data is based on 412 survey responses.
Entry Level
8.3%
Early Career
36.9%
Mid Career
28.9%
Experienced
14.6%
Late Career
11.4%
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