I am currently a sophomore in a civil engineering program but have come to find out through the project engineering internship that I’m currently at that I absolutely hate engineering and cannot see myself doing it for the rest of my life. However, I am in a geology class and have found it very interesting. Our prof mentioned that petroleum geology can be a solid career path for someone that loves geology but also wants a lucrative career (she cited an average $85k starting after graduate degree). Does anyone have information on the job prospects for a petroleum geologist assuming they have a masters degree? What is the competition for these jobs like? I just want to make sure I won’t be working in a coffee shop after college before I drop engineering. Thanks in advance!
I’ve heard a lot of good things about petrol geology, but you need to keep in mind it’s a huge boom/bust industry. The availability of jobs and good wages is extremely dependent on the price of oil. Right now, for example, with prices crashing, is a bad year to graduate as a petrol geologist.
You also need to consider where you want to live in the future. Most of the big oil advancements now are coming from fracking. You might be working in the Midwest, or in Alberta. Those can be beautiful places, but also very remote.
That said–you can do more with geophysics than JUST petrol. You can work in seismology, work to find other resources besides oil, etc. Then your options are more open. : )