Paleontologist demographics and statistics in the US
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Paleontologist demographics by:
Paleontologist gender statistics
19.4% of paleontologists are women and 80.6% of paleontologists are men.
- Male, 80.6%
- Female, 19.4%
Paleontologist gender ratio
Gender  | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Male | 80.6% |
| Female | 19.4% |
Paleontologist gender pay gap
Women earn 94¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male Income
$99,076
Female Income
$93,341
Paleontologist gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in paleontologist positions over time. Currently, 19.4% of paleontologists are female.
Paleontologist gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 73.89% | 26.11% |
| 2011 | 73.36% | 26.64% |
| 2012 | 71.65% | 28.35% |
| 2013 | 70.58% | 29.42% |
| 2014 | 72.25% | 27.75% |
| 2015 | 71.27% | 28.73% |
| 2016 | 71.27% | 28.73% |
| 2017 | 69.71% | 30.29% |
| 2018 | 75.36% | 24.64% |
| 2019 | 76.61% | 23.39% |
| 2020 | 75.53% | 24.47% |
| 2021 | 80.65% | 19.35% |
Paleontologist related jobs gender ratio
We compared paleontologists with similar job titles to see how gender ratios vary. As you can see, seismologist and optical scientist have the biggest gender ratio gaps.
| Job Title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Aerologist | 11% | 89% |
| Senior Advocate | 33% | 67% |
| Paleontologist | 81% | 19% |
| Remote Sensing Engineer | 91% | 9% |
| Optical Scientist | 91% | 9% |
| Seismologist | 94% | 6% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Paleontologist demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among paleontologists is White, which makes up 86.5% of all paleontologists. Comparatively, 5.3% of paleontologists are Hispanic or Latino and 4.5% of paleontologists are Unknown.
- White, 86.5%
- Hispanic or Latino, 5.3%
- Unknown, 4.5%
- Asian, 2.7%
- Black or African American, 0.5%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%
Paleontologist Race
| Paleontologist Race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 86.5% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 5.3% |
| Unknown | 4.5% |
| Asian | 2.7% |
| Black or African American | 0.5% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.5% |
Paleontologist race and ethnicity over time
See how paleontologist racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
- White
- Asian
- Hispanic or Latino
- Black or African American
Paleontologist race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 87.92% | 2.19% | 4.14% | 4.83% |
| 2011 | 86.57% | 2.32% | 4.52% | 3.91% |
| 2012 | 88.20% | 2.45% | 2.90% | 3.45% |
| 2013 | 86.52% | 1.71% | 4.43% | 4.63% |
| 2014 | 86.51% | 2.09% | 5.70% | 3.37% |
| 2015 | 87.11% | 2.47% | 5.27% | 3.03% |
| 2016 | 87.67% | 2.26% | 3.70% | 4.42% |
| 2017 | 86.70% | 2.20% | 4.07% | 4.95% |
| 2018 | 88.64% | 1.47% | 4.58% | 4.21% |
| 2019 | 87.27% | 0.77% | 4.60% | 5.52% |
| 2020 | 87.86% | 1.12% | 2.25% | 4.68% |
| 2021 | 86.52% | 0.50% | 2.66% | 5.31% |
Paleontologist wage gap by race
According to our data, asian paleontologists have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Black or african american paleontologists have the lowest average salary at $94,995.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $98,237 |
| White | $95,654 |
| Black or African American | $94,995 |
| Asian | $107,115 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $99,844 |
Paleontologist JOBS
Average paleontologist age
See how the average age of paleontologists varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Paleontologist age by race and gender
| Race | Male Age | Female Age |
|---|---|---|
| Unknown | 41 | |
| White | 46 | 40 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 44 |
Paleontologist age breakdown
The average age of paleontologists is 40+ years years old, representing 60% of the paleontologist population.
Paleontologist age breakdown
| Paleontologist Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 60% |
| 30-40 years | 31% |
| 20-30 years | 9% |
Paleontologist educational attainment
The most common degree for paleontologists is bachelor's degree, with 67% of paleontologists earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are master's degree degree at 22% and master's degree degree at 4%.
- Bachelor's, 67%
- Master's, 22%
- Diploma, 4%
- Doctorate, 4%
- Other Degrees, 3%
Paleontologists by degree level
| Paleontologist Degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 67% |
| Master's | 22% |
| Diploma | 4% |
| Doctorate | 4% |
| Other Degrees | 3% |
Paleontologist Jobs You Might Like
Paleontologist wage gap by degree level
According to the data, paleontologists with a Doctorate degree earn more than those without, at $110,038 annually. With a Master's degree, paleontologists earn a median annual income of $100,127 compared to $88,271 for paleontologists with an Bachelor's degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $100,127 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $88,271 |
| Doctorate Degree | $110,038 |
Paleontologist turnover and employment statistics
Paleontologist unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for paleontologists between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
- Unemployment rate
Paleontologist unemployment rate by year
| Year | Paleontologist Unemployment Rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 2.40% |
| 2011 | 3.59% |
| 2012 | 2.76% |
| 2013 | 3.54% |
| 2014 | 2.58% |
| 2015 | 3.12% |
| 2016 | 2.97% |
| 2017 | 2.32% |
| 2018 | 1.53% |
| 2019 | 1.36% |
| 2020 | 5.86% |
| 2021 | 3.75% |
Average paleontologist tenure
The average paleontologist stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 39 paleontologists resumes in Zippia's database.
Paleontologist tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 37% |
| 1-2 years | 16% |
| 3-4 years | 16% |
| 5-7 years | 13% |
| 8-10 years | 8% |
| 11+ years | 11% |
Paleontologist LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of paleontologists that are members of the LGBT community. You can see how this compares to similar jobs in the chart below.
| Job Title | LGBT | Job Openings |
|---|---|---|
| Paleontologist | 4.45% | - |
| Research And Development Chemist | 5.26% | 100,225 |
| Remote Sensing Program Manager | 8.32% | 71,760 |
| Hazardous Substances Scientist | 15.61% | 41,089 |
Similar paleontologist jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job Openings |
|---|---|---|
| Research And Development Chemist | 5.26% | 100,225 |
| Remote Sensing Program Manager | 8.32% | 71,760 |
| Hazardous Substances Scientist | 15.61% | 41,089 |
Foreign languages spoken by paleontologists
The most common foreign language among paleontologists is Spanish at 50.0%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is Russian at 25.0% and Hawaiian is the third-most popular at 25.0%.
- Spanish, 50.0%
- Russian, 25.0%
- Hawaiian, 25.0%
Paleontologist languages spoken
| Foreign Language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 50.0% |
| Russian | 25.0% |
| Hawaiian | 25.0% |