Highest-paying cities for geoscientists, except hydrologists and geographers
Midland, TX leads at $219,140 a year. Pay is not adjusted for local prices; see each page for the cost-of-living view.
| Place | Median | 25th–75th |
|---|---|---|
| Midland, TX | $219,140 | $138,130–$255,430 |
| Houston, TX | $174,490 | $122,350–$228,180 |
| Palm Bay, FL | $154,390 | $106,300–$181,040 |
| Lubbock, TX | $140,660 | $85,080–$209,700 |
| San Jose, CA | $136,120 | $96,210–$186,160 |
| Santa Cruz, CA | $136,120 | $114,460–$171,250 |
| Santa Rosa, CA | $132,790 | $102,210–$140,720 |
| Dallas, TX | $132,780 | $77,540–$206,890 |
| Washington, DC | $132,620 | $99,750–$178,760 |
| Odessa, TX | $129,730 | $57,910–$214,660 |
| New Orleans, LA | $125,570 | $91,330–$149,880 |
| San Francisco, CA | $122,310 | $109,320–$144,020 |
| Gulfport, MS | $122,100 | $101,190–$136,990 |
| Grand Junction, CO | $121,820 | $87,430–$160,340 |
| Denver, CO | $120,480 | $90,840–$175,050 |
| Oklahoma City, OK | $119,990 | $92,040–$137,500 |
| Sacramento, CA | $119,950 | $90,880–$139,500 |
| Fresno, CA | $117,420 | $88,300–$142,300 |
| San Luis Obispo, CA | $117,420 | $85,610–$138,120 |
| Chicago, IL | $114,030 | $80,800–$177,670 |
| Oxnard, CA | $111,830 | $74,730–$126,280 |
| Redding, CA | $111,830 | $90,670–$129,000 |
| Anchorage, AK | $111,290 | $78,290–$145,830 |
| Boulder, CO | $107,860 | $73,620–$157,900 |
| Seattle, WA | $107,800 | $86,740–$138,170 |
| Urban Honolulu, HI | $106,260 | $83,070–$117,350 |
| Longview, TX | $105,450 | $67,970–$195,250 |
| Portland, OR | $105,020 | $80,400–$121,280 |
| San Diego, CA | $104,760 | $81,790–$134,920 |
| Wilmington, NC | $102,990 | $67,990–$137,220 |
| Boston, MA | $102,730 | $80,640–$143,210 |
| Miami, FL | $101,750 | $73,960–$127,220 |
| Fairbanks, AK | $100,250 | $73,660–$111,540 |
| Wichita, KS | $100,160 | $71,910–$136,390 |
| Durham, NC | $99,560 | $76,460–$138,010 |
| Billings, MT | $99,270 | $73,920–$106,330 |
| Asheville, NC | $99,160 | $79,490–$127,650 |
| Kennewick, WA | $97,770 | $80,600–$129,140 |
| Manchester, NH | $97,610 | $73,420–$108,750 |
| Jacksonville, FL | $97,470 | $76,970–$117,050 |
| Tampa, FL | $95,140 | $61,400–$107,240 |
| Philadelphia, PA | $94,850 | $73,820–$109,990 |
| Los Angeles, CA | $94,660 | $66,100–$132,320 |
| Reno, NV | $94,610 | $71,930–$124,310 |
| Salt Lake City, UT | $93,030 | $81,010–$118,500 |
| Austin, TX | $92,930 | $76,360–$134,340 |
| Omaha, NE | $92,340 | $67,160–$107,410 |
| Trenton, NJ | $92,150 | $71,050–$107,760 |
| Lansing, MI | $91,100 | $73,090–$101,080 |
| New York, NY | $90,810 | $77,530–$120,240 |
Data period: BLS OEWS May 2025.