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Astrogeologists

Outlook

Employment of all geoscientists is expected to grow faster than the average for all occupations through 2032, according to the Occupational Outlook Handbook. It is important to remember that astrogeology is a small field, and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), other government employers, and private aerospace agencies hire only a small number of astrogeologists. Competition for astrogeologist jobs will be keen. Additionally, federal government funding for NASA has been cut (in terms of its percentage of the total federal budget) in recent years, which affects the amount of funding it can provide the USGS Astrogeology Science Center and other employers of astrogeologists. In the future, the field is expected to become more prominent as new technology helps astrogeologists make more discoveries about planets, moons, asteroids, and other celestial bodies.

Astrogeologists also have many opportunities outside of the field of exogeology. They can work for oil and gas extraction and mining companies, environmental agencies (studying climate change), and private consulting firms.