Salaries for petroleum geologists showed an overall increase during the past year – in some categories, significantly so – but not all tasted the raise.
This year’s annual AAPG salary survey shows a weighted average increase of 8.8 percent in geoscience salaries.
Mike Ayling, of MLA Resources in Tulsa, who has conducted the annual salary survey for AAPG since 1981, quickly pointed out – just like last year’s results – that some age and experience groups within the survey did much better than the overall average.
Some groups were dramatically less than the average.
At the top end of increases were the salaries for geologists in the “very experienced” (20-plus years) category, where a 19.5 percent increase was reported.
“People with a lot of experience are highly valued right now,” Ayling said.
Ayling also suggested other possible reasons for the apparent salary increase anomaly.
“Perhaps (it is) reflecting the value placed on their ability to contribute during a slack time of industry growth,” Ayling said.
Other possibilities: It reflects the industry’s “desire to retain experienced staff, and a bit to make up for lower increases in the past.
“They can do the job ‘now,’ and everybody needs the job done ‘now,’” Ayling continued. “They don’t have to be trained – and companies are not worried about them retiring.”
The 0-2 year experience levels showed a small increase – up 3 percent, according to the results – but recently graduated bachelor level geologists had a difficult time finding work.
“And the few that did worked for lower salaries, depressing the overall average,” Ayling commented.
“Mid-experienced geoscientists (from 10 to 19 years experience) actually saw little change reflecting considerable salary growth the past years,” he noted. “While these groups remain in strong demand, perhaps lethargic overall hiring has taken a toll on average salaries.”
If there was a demographic dynamic that could be discerned from this year’s findings, it may be that many older geologists are now moving into management – a possible indication that the anticipated industry “crew change” may be coming closer.
Ayling referenced many indications of pending retirements.
“I don’t know where they’re (replacements) going to come from,” he said. “I suspect people are going to retire and then go to work for someone else on a part-time or consulting basis.”
The AAPG annual survey is based on U.S. salaries only, which are still considered the industry’s “gold standard.” The measurement for international salaries for explorationists is virtually on a country-by-country, case-by-case basis, Ayling said, which makes statistical averaging non-productive beyond the boundaries of any specific country.
Also, many ex-pats are paid U.S.-based salaries, while the national oil companies opt to pay compatriots on a different, lower scale.
Ayling said his survey is based on employed, salaried geoscientists and cannot account for the large number of unemployed or underemployed individuals. Nor can these numbers take into account the compensation of individuals who are primarily paid in the form of consulting fees, retainers or overrides.
No attempt has been made to include any additional sums to account for employee benefits, bonuses, automobiles or other perquisites. The purpose of this survey is merely to provide a yardstick for those interested in accessing their compensation.
Ayling feels strongly that “compensation is often a secondary consideration when evaluating overall job satisfaction.”
2013 Geological Salary Survey
| YEARS EXPER |
HIGH |
AVERAGE |
LOW |
| 0-2 |
$ 115,000 |
$ 103,400 |
$ 95,000 |
| 3-5 |
114,500 |
104,500 |
101,000 |
| 6-9 |
160,000 |
145,400 |
134,000 |
| 10-14 |
207,000 |
147,600 |
115,000 |
| 15-19 |
278,000 |
179,200 |
144,400 |
| 20-24 |
285,000 |
219,500 |
160,100 |
| 25+ |
425,000 |
252,600 |
180,000 |
Average Salary By Degree
| YEARS EXPER |
B.S. |
M.S. |
Ph.D. |
| 0-2 |
$ 96,000 |
$ 103,800 |
$ 115,000 |
| 3-5 |
|
106,000 |
140,000 |
| 6-9 |
134,000 |
144,300 |
160,000 |
| 10-14 |
130,000 |
138,300 |
178,900 |
| 15-19 |
170,000 |
202,000 |
149,700 |
| 20-24 |
195,900 |
222,500 |
238,000 |
| 25+ |
219,800 |
275,500 |
|
Historical Averages Salary
| YEARS EXPER |
2005 |
2006 |
2007 |
2008 |
2009 |
2010 |
2011 |
2012 |
2013 |
| 0-2 |
$74,400 |
$ 82,200 |
$ 82,800 |
$ 83,600 |
$ 87,600 |
$ 93,000 |
$ 98,700 |
$ 100,500 |
$ 103,400 |
| 3-5 |
81,300 |
89,600 |
107,800 |
108,000 |
105,600 |
102,300 |
109,400 |
101,000 |
114,500 |
| 6-9 |
95,400 |
98,500 |
121,100 |
118,400 |
121,700 |
127,800 |
137,300 |
127,800 |
145,400 |
| 10-14 |
114,400 |
111,500 |
119,800 |
121,900 |
123,500 |
139,100 |
153,400 |
147,000 |
147,500 |
| 15-19 |
119,600 |
141,000 |
151,600 |
139,400 |
150,800 |
151,000 |
193,600 |
190,300 |
179,200 |
| 20-24 |
139,000 |
155,000 |
167,400 |
176,800 |
180,300 |
191,000 |
199,200 |
211,600 |
219,500 |
| 25+ |
134,100 |
149,900 |
162,800 |
171,700 |
186,800 |
206,300 |
199,600 |
212,000 |
252,600 |