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Ecologists


Overview

Introduction

Ecology is the study of the interconnections between organisms (plants, animals, fungus, bacterium) and the physical environment. It links biology, which includes both zoology (the study of animals) and botany (the study of plants), with physical sciences such as geology and paleontology. Ecologist is a broad name for any of a number of different biological or physical scientists concerned with the study of plants or animals within their environment. There are approximately 85,000 environmental scientists and specialists emplo...

Quick Facts


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Median Salary

$71,130

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Employment Prospects

Good

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Minimum Education Level

Bachelor's Degree


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Experience

Internship, volunteer, or a part-time experience useful


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Skills

Research
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Personality Traits

Curious
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Earnings

Salaries for ecologists vary depending on such factors as their level of education, experience, area of specialization, and the organization for which they work. The median annual income of environmental scientists and specialists was $71,130 in May 2018, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. The lowest 10 percent earned $42,520 and the top 10 percent earned $124,620 or more. 

Feder...

Work Environment

Ecologists can work in a variety of places, from wilderness areas to forests to mountain streams. Ecologists also might work in sewage treatment plants, spend their days in front of computers or in research laboratories, or find themselves testifying in court. A certain amount of idealism probably is useful, though not required. It takes more than just loving nature to be in this field; a perso...

Outlook

Employment for environmental scientists is expected to grow faster than the average for all careers from 2018 to 2028, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. It reports that "heightened public interest in the hazards facing the environment, as well as the increasing demands placed on the environment by population growth, are projected to spur demand for environmental scientists and speciali...