Some Grad Students Make $120K per Year in Shale Gas Industry

| |

Heading to grad school and want to make $120K a year when you graduate? You might consider an advanced degree in geology or geophysics and working in the shale gas industry.

The natural gas drilling boom sweeping the tri-state region is paying dividends for those earning graduate degrees in geology or geophysics from West Virginia University.

"I have kids who are going out and making as much as $120,000 a year, right off the bat," said Tim Carr, WVU’s Marshall Miller professor of geology.

Noting the number of students earning advanced degrees has jumped significantly with the increased development of the Marcellus and Utica shale fields, Carr said those students have gone to work for companies such as Chesapeake Energy, Consol Energy, EQT Corp., and Petroleum Development Corp.

"And right now, our employment rate for those graduating from our program is 100 percent," Carr added.*

*The Intelligencer/Wheeling News-Register (Jan 22, 2012) – Shale Studies Pay Off; Students Enter Lucrative Jobs

2 Comments