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Geological Technicians, Except Hydrologic Technicians pay in Idaho and Maryland
The May 2025 BLS OEWS median for Geological Technicians, Except Hydrologic Technicians is $46,680 per year in Idaho. It is $102,090 per year in Maryland. Idaho is 54.3% below Maryland on the published median.
Both rows use SOC 19-4043 and the same annual wage metric. Median means the middle of each area's published wage spread. It is not one worker's pay. The larger median is not proof that one place gives a better job or a better result. It is one wage fact from one source period.
BLS lists 70 wage and salary jobs in Idaho and 30 in Maryland. Those are survey job counts, not open posts. Read pay, job scale, local share, and price level as separate facts before you make a choice.
Evidence: bls-oews-may-2025 · Rule: same-soc-same-metric-pair · nominal-median-gap · employment-not-openings
