The median annual wage of geological and petroleum technicians was $54,020 in May 2010. The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $29,950, and the top 10 percent earned more than $99,860.
The median annual wages in the industries employing the largest numbers of technicians in May 2010 were as follows:
| Petroleum and coal products manufacturing | $88,860 |
| Oil and gas extraction | 61,340 |
| Support activities for mining | 46,640 |
| Architectural, engineering, and related services | 41,560 |
Most geological and petroleum technicians work full time. Technicians generally work a routine schedule while in laboratories and offices, but hours spent in the field may be long or irregular.
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2012-13 Edition