| Atmospheric and Space Scientists | Geoscientists | Oceanographers | Astronomers | Mining and Geological Engineers | Undifferentiated Earth Science Professors | K12 Earth Science Teachers | Total * | |||
| Academia | 2,000 | 4,800 | 1,500 | 1,200 | 100 | 9,000 | 5,000 | 23,600 | +/- | 3,500 |
| Business / Industry | ||||||||||
| Mining | - | 5,000 | - | - | 3,400 | - | - | 8,400 | +/- | 2,100 |
| Petroleum | - | 21,000 | - | - | 700 | - | - | 21,700 | +/- | 3,400 |
| Environmental | 800 | 14,000 | - | - | - | - | - | 14,800 | +/- | 2,800 |
| Other | 1,000 | 500 | 250 | 600 | 700 | - | - | 3,050 | +/- | 1,300 |
| Total Industry | 1,800 | 40,500 | 250 | 600 | 4,800 | - | - | 47,950 | +/- | 5,000 |
| Consultants | ||||||||||
| Mining | - | 900 | - | - | - | - | - | 900 | +/- | 700 |
| Petroleum | - | 2,000 | - | - | - | - | - | 2,000 | +/- | 1,000 |
| Environmental | 50 | 800 | - | - | - | - | - | 850 | +/- | 700 |
| Other | 50 | 100 | - | - | - | - | - | 150 | +/- | 300 |
| Total Consultants | 100 | 3,800 | - | - | - | - | - | 3,900 | +/- | 1,400 |
| Federal Government | ||||||||||
| Mining | - | 150 | - | - | 300 | - | - | 450 | +/- | 500 |
| Petroleum | - | 700 | - | - | - | - | - | 700 | +/- | 600 |
| Environmental | 2,800 | 5,000 | 450 | - | 100 | - | - | 8,350 | +/- | 2,100 |
| Other | 1,300 | 2,200 | 600 | 600 | 300 | - | - | 5,000 | +/- | 1,600 |
| Total Federal | 4,100 | 8,050 | 1,050 | 600 | 700 | - | - | 14,500 | +/- | 2,800 |
| State/Local Government | 400 | 5,000 | - | - | 300 | 600 | - | 6,300 | +/- | 1,800 |
| Retired ** | 1,000 | 17,000 | - | 150 | 800 | - | - | 18,950 | +/- | 3,200 |
| Unemployed ** | 300 | 6,000 | 150 | - | 1,000 | - | - | 7,450 | +/- | 2,000 |
| Total | 9,700 | 85,150 | 2,950 | 2,550 | 7,700 | 9,600 | 5,000 | 122,650 | +/- | 8,000 |
Data is from the NSF National Survey of College Graduates, 1993
Data reflects status as of 15 April 1993
- = Insufficient data
* Confidence interval is 90%
** Retired and unemployed reflect persons whose highest degree is in the earth sciences