I live in the west and know a lot of geologists, and their careers are as geologists. They are great fun to go on hiking or boating trips with as they can expound on the rocks and glaciers. I think for work most of them do a lot of reports for oil and gas companies, survey studies, government work. Two I know the best have their own consulting companies.
One famous geologist from Colorado is our senator. He was governor before that, owned a brewery before that, and was a geologist before that.