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Careers in the Earth Sciences

A degree in the Earth Sciences sets up students for many exciting career opportunities. Earth Science jobs are plentiful, salaries are robust, and the demand for young and enthusiastic geoscientists is expected to continue to grow. Not only does this major allow students to work on many of society's most important challenges, but it also unlocks lucrative and personally rewarding careers in industry, academia, research, and government. 

What Can I Do with an Earth Sciences Degree?

Earth Science students learn to use limited amounts of data to make inferences about the world around them. Many employers find skills learned in the Earth Sciences to be useful in settings where the complexities of "real world" situations often require analysis and action based on limited information. Our curricular focus on core concepts provides a framework of transferable skills across a wide variety of fields, which we view is imperative to students' employability. Traditionally, job opportunities in Earth Sciences include positions in nonprofit, academia, government, industry, and research sectors. The following "Workforce Infographic" from the American Geosciences Institute (AGI) was generated to help students enter the workforce to redefine what it means to have a career in the Earth Sciences. The wedges represent fields where Earth Scientists are commonly employed and include a number of different potential occupations.  

GETTING AN INTERNSHIP/JOB

Government / Academic Research

A number of  organizations offer internship opportunities throughout the year. Please check out some of the resources below: 

Job Classified Ads

These sites provide a classified section for employers in academia and industry to post job positions. Some colleges will also post ads seeking graduate students.