There will be a steady demand for ecologists and environmental scientists in the foreseeable future. While the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) does not report data specifically for ecologists, they do report job growth and salary data for environmental scientists and specialists. As of September 2021, the BLS estimates job growth for environmental scientists and specialists to increase by about 8% from 2020 to 2030, which is as fast as the average for all occupations, generating an increase of about 7,300 jobs in the field.2 According to the BLS, as of May 2020,3 environmental scientists and specialists have a median annual wage of $73,230.3
Grand Canyon University can help you pursue your dream of becoming an ecologist or other type of environmental scientist. In addition to the Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science degree for undergraduate students, GCU offers the Master of Science in Biology with an Emphasis in Education program, with online courses available.
1 Retrieved from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Environmental Scientists and Specialists, How to Become an Environmental Scientist or Specialist in August 2022.
2 COVID-19 has adversely affected the global economy and data from 2020 may be atypical compared to prior years. The pandemic may impact the predicted future workforce outcomes indicated by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics as well. Accordingly, data shown is based on September 2021, which can be found here: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Environmental Scientists and Specialists.
3 The earnings referenced were reported by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (“BLS”), Environmental Scientists and Specialists as of May 2020. Due to COVID-19, data from 2020 may be atypical compared to prior years. The pandemic may also impact the predicted future workforce outcomes indicated by the BLS. BLS calculates the median using salaries of workers from across the country with varying levels of education and experience and does not reflect the earnings of GCU graduates as Environmental Scientists and Specialists. It does not reflect earnings of workers in one city or region of the country. It also does not reflect a typical entry-level salary. Median income is the statistical midpoint for the range of salaries in a specific occupation. It represents what you would earn if you were paid more money than half the workers in an occupation, and less than half the workers in an occupation. It may give you a basis to estimate what you might earn at some point if you enter this career. You may also wish to compare median salaries if you are considering more than one career path.
