Geologist Salary
in Columbus
2026 · Official labour data · 8 comparison cities
Last updated: September 2026 · Source: BLS OEWS · May 2025 release · series OEUM001814000000019204213
Typical range: $66,730 – $104,230
✓ Based on official government occupation survey data — not estimated.
How much does a Geologist make in Columbus, OH?
A Geologist in Columbus earns a median of $84,140/year (about $40/hour). Most earn between $66,730 (25th percentile) and $104,230 (75th percentile); top earners (90th percentile) make $129,080 or more — 11% above the US average. Figures are from BLS employer payroll data, not self-reports.
Understanding these Geologist salary numbers
We report percentiles, not a single average, because pay isn't evenly spread — a handful of very high earners would drag an average upward and mislead you. Here's exactly what each figure means.
Median (P50) — $84,140
Half of Geologists in Columbus earn more than this and half earn less. It's the most honest "typical" salary — better than an average, which gets skewed by a few top earners.
25th percentile (P25) — $66,730
The lower end of the typical range: 75% of Geologists earn more than this. It's common for early-career roles or lower-cost employers. Earning below it is grounds to negotiate.
75th percentile (P75) — $104,230
Your negotiation target: only 25% of Geologists earn above it. Reaching P75 usually means seniority, in-demand specialisations, or simply negotiating from data. See how to negotiate.
90th percentile (P90) — $129,080
Top earners: only 10% of Geologists make this or more — typically senior, highly specialised, or at the best-paying employers.
Gross vs after-tax pay
These figures are gross (before tax). What actually reaches your account depends on your country, state, and deductions. Estimate your net with the take-home calculator.
National vs Columbus pay
City figures apply the local market premium to BLS data, so Columbus differs from the US average by +11%. A higher number isn't always better once cost of living is counted.
Hourly rate — $40/hr
The hourly figure is the annual median divided by 2,080 (40 hours × 52 weeks). If you regularly work more than 40 hours, your real hourly rate is lower than this. Convert any salary with the salary calculator.
Why this differs from Glassdoor or Payscale
Those sites publish what people say they earn (self-reports), which skew high because higher earners report more often. Our figures come from mandatory employer payroll records (BLS OEWS), so they reflect the whole market — not just a vocal subset.
How current and reliable is this number?
This page carries a confidence score of 97/100, based on the data source and coverage. US figures track the latest BLS release and refresh automatically; international figures use OECD/ILO data. See the changelog for live data freshness.
What counts as a "good" Geologist salary in Columbus?
Around the median ($84,140) is solid and $104,230+ is strong — but "good" really depends on local costs. Check what the number is actually worth with the good-salary breakdown for Columbus.
Still curious how we get these numbers? Every figure is traceable to a primary source — see the full methodology and data sources.
Geologist salary in Columbus, OH: median $84,140 (P75 $104,230), per BLS OEWS via Official Salary, 2026.
Free JSON: /api/salary?job=geologist&city=columbus — no key. API & widgets →
Key insights for Geologists in Columbus
- ›Geologists in Columbus earn about 11% more than the national median for the role ($84K vs $76K).
- ›Cost of living in Columbus runs about 8% below the US average, so $84K is worth roughly $91K at national prices.
- ›After a simplified take-home estimate, $84K nets about $66K/yr — roughly $35K/yr left after typical single-person living costs here.
- ›Pay climbs with seniority: a senior/staff Geologist reaches about $114K — a +35% step from mid-level.
Geologists in Columbus typically earn $67K–$104K a year.
The market median is $84K — half earn above, half earn below.
Top earners (top 10%) make $129K or more.
Based on BLS OEWS 2025 metro-area survey (2026) official survey data.
Geologist Salary Analysis — Columbus
Geologists in Columbus earn a median salary of $84K, which is 11% above the national median of $76K. Strong regional demand for geologists contributes to above-average wages here.
Based on BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) and employer payroll records. Figures represent the median (P50) across all experience levels in Columbus.
Cost of Living Adjustment
Columbus's cost of living is 8% below the US average. Your $84K salary has the equivalent purchasing power of approximately $91K in a city with average US living costs.
Salary Distribution — Columbus
5-band distribution from employer payroll records
New graduates, 0–1 yr exp
1–3 years experience
3–7 years, typical professional
Senior / high-performer — target
Staff / principal / lead
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Official Salary Fair Pay Score™
Is $84K a good salary for Geologist in Columbus?
Benchmarked against the official BLS wage distribution for Geologists in Columbus
Half of Geologists in Columbus earn more, half earn less. Enter your own salary in the checker above to see your exact percentile against this distribution.
Why This Salary?
How we arrived at $84K for Geologists in Columbus
Source: BLS OEWS 2025 metro-area survey. All figures reflect 2026 market conditions.
Geologist Salary by Experience Level in Columbus
How compensation grows from entry-level through staff / lead
| Experience Level | Years | Percentile | Annual Salary | Monthly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Entry | 0 | 0 yrs | $54,691 | $4,558 | $26 |
| Junior | 2 | 2 yrs | $68,995 | $5,750 | $33 |
| Mid-LevelTypical | 4 | 4 yrs | $79,092 | $6,591 | $38 |
| Senior | 6 | 6 yrs | $90,030 | $7,503 | $43 |
| Staff | 10 | 10 yrs | $113,589 | $9,466 | $55 |
| Principal | 14 | 14 yrs | $131,763 | $10,980 | $63 |
| Distinguished | 18 | 18 yrs | $136,307 | $11,359 | $66 |
Based on BLS OEWS percentile distribution. Actual salary depends on employer, skills, and negotiation.
Skills That Earn More — Geologist
Estimated premium above the Columbus median based on market demand
Estimates based on job-posting salary premiums for verified high-demand skills.
Geologist Intelligence Report
Career metrics and full compensation breakdown — from BLS demand data
Career Opportunity Score
Composite: demand growth × 1.4 + (100 − AI risk) × 0.4
Total Compensation — Geologist
Beyond base salary: bonus, equity, and benefits
Bonus, equity, and benefits are modelled estimates from category norms (not scraped from any single employer); base is BLS. Actual total comp varies by employer, level, and negotiation.
Typical Benefits for Geologists
— show
Often adds 20–35% to your effective pay
Compare Geologist Salaries by City
How Columbus, OH stacks up against other major markets
| City | Median | P75 | vs US avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Columbus, OH (current) | $84,140 | $104,230+ | +11% |
| New York, NY | $90,810 | $120,240+ | +20% |
| San Francisco, CA | $109,802 | $135,317+ | +45% |
| Seattle, WA | $110,514 | $136,194+ | +46% |
| Austin, TX | $92,930 | $134,340+ | +23% |
| Boston, MA | $102,730 | $143,210+ | +36% |
| Chicago, IL | $114,030 | $177,670+ | +51% |
| Los Angeles, CA | $94,660 | $132,320+ | +25% |
| Denver, CO | $120,480 | $175,050+ | +59% |
Official Salary Career GPS™
What should I do next as a Geologist?
Higher-paying roles in the same field
Other Science Jobs in Columbus
Same industry, same city
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average Geologist salary in Columbus, OH?
Per the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey (May 2025), geologists in the Columbus metro area earn a median of $84,140 per year (BLS series OEUM001814000000019204213). The top 25% earn $104K+ per year.
What is a good Geologist salary in Columbus, OH?
The 75th percentile ($104K/yr) is the professional benchmark — what the top quarter already earns. It's a documented, negotiable target backed by BLS payroll data. Anything above the median ($84K) is above-average for this role in Columbus, OH.
How much does a Geologist earn per hour in Columbus, OH?
Based on the median annual salary of $84K, a Geologist in Columbus, OH earns approximately $40/hr (2,080-hour work year). The P75 rate is ~$50/hr.
Is Columbus, OH a good market for Geologists?
Columbus, OH pays 11% above the US national average for this role. BLS projects 5% employment growth for Geologists over 2022–2032, and AI automation risk is rated low for this occupation.
How do I negotiate a higher Geologist salary in Columbus, OH?
Cite the BLS P75 figure ($104K) — it is verifiable public data from government payroll records. Request the full compensation package: base + equity/bonus + benefits. Timing matters: negotiate at the offer stage, not after acceptance. Counter with a specific number, not a range.
What is the entry-level Geologist salary in Columbus, OH?
Entry-level Geologists in Columbus, OH (10th–25th percentile) earn roughly $58K–$67K per year, rising toward the $84K median with experience and in-demand skills.
What does a senior Geologist earn in Columbus, OH?
Senior Geologists in Columbus, OH — the top quartile up to the 90th percentile — earn about $104K–$129K per year, with the top 10% making $129K+.
How Is This Salary Calculated?
Every number is derived from a transparent, reproducible methodology — no estimates, no black boxes.
Where does the salary data come from?
US metro figures are published estimates from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, which covers roughly 1.1 million employer establishments. Where BLS does not publish a figure for an occupation and area, this site shows a modeled estimate and labels it as one.
How is the Columbus figure calculated?
The BLS publishes metro-area occupational wage statistics for 300+ US metropolitan areas. For Columbus, Official Salary uses the BLS metro premium ratio (metro median ÷ national median) and applies it to the national baseline.
What do P10, P25, P50, P75, and P90 mean?
These are salary percentiles from employer payroll records. P50 (median) means 50% of workers earn less. P75 means 75% earn less — this is the recommended negotiation anchor. P10 and P90 represent the bottom 10% and top 10% respectively.
How is take-home pay estimated?
Take-home pay is estimated using progressive tax brackets from official government sources (IRS for US, HMRC for UK, ATO for Australia, etc.). Social contributions (National Insurance, FICA, etc.) are added. These are estimates — actual take-home depends on deductions, filing status, and location.
How often is data updated?
US BLS salary data refreshes every 24 hours via the BLS public API. OECD international wages refresh monthly. ECB currency rates refresh every 4 hours.
Full formulas and source citations on the methodology page.
What a Geologist salary really means in Columbus
Take-home pay, rent affordability, and remote benchmarking — on the $84,140 median.
Estimated take-home
≈ $5,613/month net
- Gross median
- $84,140
- Income tax
- −$10,352
- Social / FICA
- −$6,437
- Effective rate
- 20%
Federal income tax only (FICA included). State income tax varies. Single-filer estimate — not tax advice.
Rent affordability
of take-home on a typical 1-bed (~$1,084/mo)
The 30% rule says housing should stay under 30% of take-home. Here it's comfortably within that line. After all living costs (~$2,580/mo), roughly $3,033/mo is left to save or invest.
Cost-of-living estimate for Columbus; rent ≈ 42% of budget.
Remote vs onsite
typical fully-remote benchmark range
Onsite Geologists in Columbus earn the local median of $84,140. Fully-remote roles are usually benchmarked between the US median ($75,593) and the local rate — employers increasingly set remote pay by national or regional bands, not your city.
Compare all Geologist markets →How to reach the top 25% as a Geologist in Columbus
The gap between a typical Geologist and the top quartile in Columbus is $20,090/year — about $1,674/month more than the median. Reaching the 75th percentile ($104,230) usually comes down to seniority, in-demand specialisations, and negotiating from real data instead of hoping for a raise.
Education Premium — Geologist
How degree level affects salary · ACS Census data
Source: US Census Bureau ACS PUMS · BLS OES wage data.
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Geologist in Other Cities
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Data Source & Attribution
This page’s figures are published estimates from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey , May 2025 release, series OEUM001814000000019204213. Verify them directly at bls.gov/oes. International figures draw on OECD Average Wages, Eurostat SES, and ILO ILOSTAT.