Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers Salary
The median pay for a geoscientists, except hydrologists and geographers in Billings, MT is $99,270/year ($47.73/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $58K at the entry level to $125K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 93.53), which stretches that salary to about $106,137 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,417/month, or 22.6% of estimated take-home pay.
Where the paycheck goes
What $99K actually covers in Billings, month by month
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Billings’s Regional Price Parity (93.53). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About geoscientists, except hydrologists and geographers
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What this looks like in Billings
Geoscientists, except hydrologists and geographers pay in Billings tracks closely to the national median, $99K locally vs. $102K nationwide, a 3% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,417/month, 23.1% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 93.53 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 6% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for geoscientists, except hydrologists and geographers in metros near Billings, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Casper | $55K | $59K |
| Boise City | $89K | $90K |
| Cheyenne | $74K | $77K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Billings, MT
Entry-level geoscientists, except hydrologists and geographers (10th percentile) start around $58K. Mid-career wages sit at $99K. Top earners bring in $125K or more, a $68K spread from bottom to top.
Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Texas | $145K | +42% | 4,900 |
| Rhode Island | $121K | +19% | N/A |
| Oklahoma | $120K | +18% | 770 |
| Colorado | $114K | +12% | 1,480 |
| Mississippi | $112K | +10% | 250 |
| Maryland | $111K | +8% | 390 |
| Massachusetts | $108K | +6% | 420 |
| Alaska | $107K | +5% | 430 |
| California | $107K | +4% | 3,350 |
| Hawaii | $106K | +4% | 110 |
| Washington | $105K | +3% | 840 |
| New Hampshire | $101K | -1% | N/A |
| Nevada | $100K | -2% | 520 |
| Oregon | $98K | -4% | 380 |
| Illinois | $97K | -5% | 410 |
| North Carolina | $95K | -7% | 570 |
| Florida | $95K | -7% | 660 |
| Delaware | $94K | -8% | 110 |
| Louisiana | $92K | -10% | 440 |
| Idaho | $91K | -11% | 130 |
| Utah | $90K | -12% | 300 |
| Alabama | $89K | -13% | 110 |
| New Mexico | $89K | -13% | 160 |
| New Jersey | $89K | -13% | 300 |
| Virginia | $88K | -13% | 300 |
| Vermont | $87K | -15% | N/A |
| Maine | $87K | -15% | 70 |
| New York | $86K | -15% | 600 |
| South Carolina | $86K | -16% | 230 |
| Nebraska | $86K | -16% | 110 |
| Arizona | $85K | -16% | 550 |
| Pennsylvania | $84K | -17% | 910 |
| North Dakota | $84K | -18% | 100 |
| Missouri | $83K | -18% | 260 |
| Ohio | $81K | -20% | 410 |
| Michigan | $81K | -21% | 320 |
| Minnesota | $81K | -21% | 240 |
| Kansas | $80K | -21% | 190 |
| Wisconsin | $79K | -23% | 110 |
| Tennessee | $78K | -24% | 230 |
| Kentucky | $78K | -24% | 170 |
| West Virginia | $76K | -25% | 90 |
| Montana | $76K | -26% | 210 |
| Wyoming | $75K | -27% | 220 |
| Iowa | $74K | -27% | 40 |
| Georgia | $74K | -27% | 340 |
| South Dakota | $71K | -30% | 80 |
| Indiana | $68K | -33% | 270 |
| Arkansas | $68K | -33% | 70 |
| Connecticut | $62K | -39% | N/A |
Showing 1–10 of 50 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track geoscientists, except hydrologists and geographers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Billings numbers change.
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Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a geoscientists, except hydrologists and geographer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Billings?
Yes — at the median salary of $99K, rent takes 23.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,417/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for geoscientists, except hydrologists and geographers in Billings?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new geoscientists, except hydrologists and geographers typically earn — is $58K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,835/month. At HUD’s $1,417/month FMR, rent would take 37% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is geoscientists, except hydrologists and geographer a high-paying job in Billings?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $99K locally vs. $102K nationally, a 3% difference.
How does Billings compare to the national average for geoscientists, except hydrologists and geographers?
Billings pays $99K median vs. the U.S. average of $102K — that’s -3%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 93.53), the purchasing-power equivalent is $106K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do geoscientists, except hydrologists and geographers make in Billings, MT?
The median is $99,270 a year, that works out to about $48 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $57,590, and experienced geoscientists, except hydrologists and geographers can clear $125,380. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $99K enough to live in Billings?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $6,123/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,417/month, which eats 23.1% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a geoscientists, except hydrologists and geographers salary go in Billings?
Billings has a Regional Price Parity of 93.53 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median geoscientists, except hydrologists and geographers salary is worth about $106,137 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do geoscientists, except hydrologists and geographers get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.