A geology degree is very versatile, more so than many other degrees. Most people think “oil, gas, and mining” when they think about geology. But the degree has expanded in the last decades. Here are some interesting factoids:
About 40% of geologists work in the environmental sector. There is a trend to prefer geologists over environmental scientists, especially in the area of mine mitigation and contamination remediation and ecological restoration.
Geologists have often attained special instrumentation and lab skills. With applied training you can work in forensics and criminal investigation, as well as environmental investigation.
Job growth in the geology sector is above average according to the US Department of Labor.
A new breed of geologists is getting trained for space exploration and mining. Some universities are starting to offer degrees in that.
Hydrogeology is a hot topic for the global clean drinking water crisis. You can run out of oil, but you can NOT run out of water. There is a HUGE future in that.
Geology is not the “easiest degree”. It takes effort and as far as I know there is no “online” option for an entire degree in geology. But the discipline belongs to the STEM sciences and students often shy away from those because “it is hard”. Think again: “Hard” equates to “employability”, even during difficult times. Most students do not understand that. During the height of our last major recession in 2008, there was a shortage of STEM scientists to satisfy the labor market in the US, because there were not enough US graduates in these disciplines. Employers were forced to hire from “overseas” to satisfy demand. Just for fun and giggles, go to a university and see how many “foreign” Ph.D.s are employed there and then ask yourself “why?”