Credentials
One of these credentials matters far more than the others.
The Professional Geologist license changes what you are legally permitted to sign. Everything else on this page is a signal of varying usefulness. We will tell you which is which.
Certification collecting is a substitute for career planning, not an example of it. Before you pay for any credential, read twenty job postings in the sector and geography you actually want. If it does not appear, it is not the thing standing between you and the job.
Professional Geologist Licensure
The single most consequential credential in applied geology. In many states it is not optional if you want to take professional responsibility for your own work.
Read the guide → ASBOG FGASBOG Fundamentals of Geology Exam
A breadth examination across undergraduate geology. The first formal step toward Professional Geologist licensure in most states.
Read the guide → ASBOG PGASBOG Practice of Geology Exam
The applied professional judgment examination, and the final examination step before Professional Geologist licensure.
Read the guide → GISPGIS Professional Certification
A portfolio, experience, and examination credential. The most widely recognized general certification in the geospatial profession.
Read the guide → CPGCertified Petroleum Geologist
A peer-reviewed certification of professional competence and ethical standing in petroleum geology. Distinct from, and not a substitute for, state licensure.
Read the guide → CHGCertified Hydrogeologist
A specialty designation layered on top of geologist licensure in the states that offer it. Where it exists, it is often required for specific groundwater work.
Read the guide → Geospatial certificationCertified Geospatial Information Specialist
A family of technical certifications covering photogrammetry, remote sensing, mapping science, and specific software platforms.
Read the guide →