On the plane from EKATI, I overheard a mine geologist bemoaning his lot. “I could have become a miner and earned more, but I wanted to do geology and now look at me,” he said before the noise of the plane drowned him out. I thought of this lad when I came across the following un-readable graph:
Let me try and explain this graph which has some interesting information in it.
Along the X-Axis is plotted the number of years a geologist has been working. Along the Y-Axis is plotted the number of dollars a geologist with X-years’ of experience thinks he/she should be paid. The big name for this is Salary Expectation Versus Years In the Industry (SEYI).
Now you probably cannot read the numbers very well. For that I say sorry, but I cannot get a better, bigger version into this blog, and the creator of the graph won’t give me a link that I can pass on to a better, more legible version. Here is what the graph compiler writes about this graph:
An analysis of InfoMine’s proprietary salary database showed that the average starting salary expectation for a geologist in Canada in 2010 was around USD $60,000. It also showed that over time, Canadian geologists expect an annual salary increase of around 4%, more than twice the Canadian inflation rate of ~ 1.8% (2010). With the increase of industry experience, the salary gap between the 20th and 80th percentile increased significantly. It grew from USD $25,000 at the beginning of a geologist’s career to more than $80,000 with 20 years of experience. This gap is most likely a result of the job setting (office versus field/remote), as well as of the industry type, such as the differences between government and academic positions versus industry (exploration, mine service, mine production), and by commodity. Individual expectations in this study were in line with surveys issued by the CostMine division, including “Canadian Mine Salaries, Wages and Benefits, 2010 survey Results“, with average salaries of Cnd $78,000 and $104,000 for mine geologists and chief geologists, respectively.
Kind of tough to understand, so here is my explanation:
The average geologist, just starting his/her career in Canada (mining or otherwise, I presume) expects a salary of $60,000. This does no mean that is what they get: there is always a disconnect between expectation and achievement; between what you think you should get and what you actually get.
Now for the 4 percent number. Seems if you read the graph a-right, the longer the geologist has been working, the more they expect as a salary. Again this does not mean that they get more, just that they hope to get more if they change jobs–jump ship to put it simply. The rate of increase of expected salary is 4 percent per year.
Now as pointed out that is more than twice the rate of inflation. So either geologists are in deep illusion about salaries or they are being paid sufficiently more to inflate their expectations. Or maybe they are just setting impossible goals when out job hunting.
As for the gap between the 20 and the 80 percentile. The quote attributes this to different jobs as a geologist. For example a geologist with an easy job in a depressed sector may have lower salary expectations than somebody in a booming sector. At least that is how I read the quote.
Of course there are other possible explanations. Once you have been working as a geologist for twenty years, you pretty much know your worth and the industry know your ability. Maybe this gap between the 20 and the 80 percentile is a reflection of personal objectivity regarding one’s ability. Some geologists just know they are good, and obviously some geologists just know they are not. Hence some expect more money when seeking a new jobs, and some acknowledge that they will have to settle for less.
Still $80,000 is a big difference in expectation between competent and incompetent geologists. Maybe though that is a reflection of reality. If all the geologist can do is log core after 20 years why pay him as much as a geologist who can find a great new ore body to mine?
I am told there are many more graphs like this, and the promise is someday to make them public. In the meantime, if you are curious, email Jan Pfeifer jpfeifer@infomine.com> and ask him for information, advice, and help.
As for the correlation to actual salaries earned by mining geologists as tabulated by CostMine, all I can say is take a look at the many, far more detailed postings on this blog of publically-available information about mining salaries. You can find them all by way of a simple search using the Search box above. Alternatively here are links to a few:
To end, a picture that proves that if you earn enough, you can stand on a beautiful beach having your photo takne by a beautiful girl!
Interesting stuff.
I’ve been an international exploration geologist (non-PGeo) for 31 years…off and on with at least 3 major commodity price collapses and industry implosions. I now work in a largely clerical position (logistics, tenure, permitting, native issues…) and make a little more than half the daily charges I routinely see on consultanting geologist invoices.
That’s OK as I feel my pay matches the value of the work I perform. But as a practicing field geologist for so many years, I have seen recently a class of prima dona geos who demand much and perform less. Sure I’m old school. But to see “kids” with less ten years experience demanding +$100,000 but won’t cover ground in the rain yards my chain.
Boots still find mines. And we are loosing the field application enthusiast of the exploration talent pool. After fighting bugs in northern Saskatchewan for a few years, so many geos feel entitled to a corner office and a staff of remote sensing specialists.
With regulations tightening every few years in a bureacratic effort to stop perceived fraud in the industry, geologist now must dedicate so much more effort to paperwork logistics than geology. The indstry has become more about process than product. Land claims, enviro issues, permitting, assessment reporting, stock exchange issues and the infamous 43-101…a licence to produce mountains of paper. Years ago, mid size and larger companies had technicians who did the bulk of this work. Now, PGeos are velcroed to leather office chairs at $800 day to draft reports that are 20% geology and 80% background filler.
Now let’s talk automation…I am hardly a computer Ludite. But to see the level of software cost and skill/learning curve required today is yet another detraction from building solid geology skills. To show up on a 10 drill hole project with a pencil, scale and graph paper to plot sections is licence for instant ridicule. Showing up with anything short of $15,000 worth of Gemcom software and the skills to use it simply isn’t acceptable. Yet many skilled Gemcom geos can’t tell a granite from a trachyte. But they can plot the wrong lithology in any colour you want.
Most PGeo are not worth the $700 – $1000 day I see routinley with consultants. When you look at a lot of property visits, sometimes over half the salary cost is spent on travel days at full pay…airfares, hotels, meals, helicopter, truck rental. An example…$15,000 for 6 hours on a property visit in northern BC And geology isn’t an absolute science. Put 3 geos on an outcrop and you can end up with 4 opinions. The statement above that says…”Some geologists just know they are good…”, is partly correct. Many geologist just think they are good but in reality are just average. But too often aggressive debating skills and ego trumps good geology.
Maybe this is why so many geos end up at Home Depot during commodity down cycle. But it sure make you appreciate the upturns. Just don’t ask for the sky.
Hey Steve, great read! I dropped out of college studying Advertising to persue Geology. I am currently taking grade 12 university preReq courses. I plan to attend University to become a Mineralogist, Do you think that is a good idea? Or do you believe a different route would benefit me more?
It’s impossible for me to sit here at the end of a fiber optics thread and give you an answer to this. The only thing I know about you is you’re a good speller.
I got into geology for the love of being in the Canadian bush. Kids today getting into geology based on high salary expectations alone are simply wrong to do so. The high dailies often quoted come with years of experience and networking. Entry level geology pays well, but often comes at a cost of lifestyle and absences from social circles that many young graduates have a tough time coming to grips with. Any job worth doing needs to be enjoyed just as any job worth enjoying is worth doing.
Go into minerology if you have a true interest. Sure…check the employability of the field. But do it only if you have a core interest in it. It’s quite a change from advertising. You’re comparing science to herding cats.
Hello, Steve !
I am a professional philatelist (postage stamp expert/consultant) approaching age 55.
While I was living in Elko, Nevada in 1996 and attending a Minimg Technology degree program therein, I spent the summer as a lab intern at Barrick Goldstrike’s mine in the Carlin Trend.
Because full-time jobs and consulting opportunities are drying up in my philatelic profession, I have been considering returning to school (my first degree is a BA in Classics), earning a BS in Geology and re-entering the field as an entry level Mining Geologist specializing in precious metals mining geology.
I would likely be approaching age 59 by the time I finish school and a couple of summer internships.
Assuming that I will manage to find employers in this great big, global field who will not be ageist, in your frank opinion, how feasible is my plan ?
Or am I effing nuts ?
Alternatively, I have considered completing an AS degree in Laser Electro-Optics and (hopefully) finding full-time work as an entry-level Photonics Technician by the time I am age 57 or 58.
I will appreciate any frank advice yoiu may wish to offer.
Best regards,
Arthur
Jack, the mining industry is just like any other industry, just usually with a lot more money. I am now graduating from a Geology program (Bsc.). I already have a contract signed with quite a large company for 4 years. 90% of my graduating class already have signed contracts for 70,000/year base salary. After all the bonuses and depending on the area of work, we are making between 75,000 to 105,000/year. This isn’t just what we expect, this is what you get and can easily demand as the need for geologists has never been greater. It is true that the mining industry is cyclical, so when the low hits, those of us who have not proven ourselves as dependable and intelligent workers, will most likely be laid off or move down to junior companies who will hire any P.Geo willing to work. I realize many people are shocked at the amount of salary I get for my first time job. This is usually because of the great misconception as to what geologists do, it’s not just simply looking at rocks and wearing khakis while sporting an impressive beard, theres a lot more to it. Steve, you sound bitter about the new generation of geos and software. It is sad seeing some new graduates from universities not being able to tell apart basic minerals (UoT graduates). My school focused greatly on field work so I know the importance of getting down and dirty, that being said, it is no less important to know and be profficient with new technology. To be a good geologist you have to keep up with the times and the tech. The age of prospectors is done. To be valuable to any company you work for so you can maintain a high salary you have to be profficient in all aspects of exploration/geology. It’s better to have one P.Geo who knows his geology and the new software than 4 old geos and 1 guy who only knows his software. Dylan to you I advise to pursue geology only if you are willing to be serious about it. I don’t mean converting your home to a geological library, but truly to understand what you will be doing. If you get into it just for the money, you will end up just like an old geo at the mine site who only logged core his whole career and then gets laid off to make room for young guns who are willing to further themselves. You get out what you put in, it’s not like an office job where you can avoid work and still collect salary. Also go to a school that has a good geo program, just because it’s a prestigious school, does not mean your degree will do you any good in geology. If you get no exposure to field school, then between school years, get a summer job for a geological survey of your state/province, they do great work to expose you to the reality of geological work. The pay is crap but the experience is worth it. I hope this helps Dylan.