How To Become A Gerontologist: What It Is and Career Path

What is a gerontologist and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

2 min read

Quoted expert

Amber Watts Ph.D.

The average gerontologist salary is $54,496. The most common degree is a master's degree degree with an gerontology major. It usually takes 2-4 years of experience to become a gerontologist. Gerontologists with a Gerontology (GC) certification earn more money. Between 2018 and 2028, the career is expected to grow 17% and produce 20,800 job opportunities across the U.S.

What general advice would you give to a gerontologist?

Amber Watts Ph.D.

Associate Professor of Clinical Psychology, University of Kansas

Think about what you want your life to look like, not just your job. Your job has to fit into your life. Do you want a fast paced, achievement-oriented job that may require sacrificing hobbies, family, and relationships? Or would you rather have a regular 40 hour a week job that allows you to balance things out a bit? Is money your primary aim or career advancement? Or helping others? Do you want to work in an office at a desk? Work directly with people? Do you mind traveling for the job? These are all things to consider. Don’t forget, too, that the other people you work with can often be more important to job satisfaction than the actual work that you do.

ScoreGerontologistUS Average

Salary

4.3

Avg. Salary $54,496

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

6.3

Growth rate 17%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

3.0

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.14%

Asian 27.95%

Black or African American 4.60%

Hispanic or Latino 7.38%

Unknown 3.55%

White 56.38%

Gender

female 83.33%

male 16.67%

Age - 39

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 39

Stress level

6.3

Stress level is manageable

7.1 - high

Complexity level

8.8

Complexity level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work life balance

4.7

Work life balance is fair

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become a gerontologist

Explore gerontologist education requirements

Most common gerontologist degrees

Master's

46.7 %

Bachelor's

40.0 %

High School Diploma

6.7 %

Start to develop specific gerontologist skills

Skills	Percentages
Assessment Process	100.00%

Complete relevant gerontologist training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 1-2 years on post-employment, on-the-job training. New gerontologists learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a gerontologist based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real gerontologist resumes.

Research gerontologist duties and responsibilities

Develop and manage KOLs resulting in presentations to regional, national and international meetings.
Develop key relationships with therapeutic area specialists and various supporting diabetes organizations.
Champion the development, preparation, and refinement of MSL level presentations concerning disease states/therapies as well as related medical/clinical topics.
Perform QC of various documents to include PSURs, PADERs, CSRs, CTDs, and other regulatory aggregate reports.

Apply for gerontologist jobs

Now it's time to start searching for a gerontologist job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

Browse job boards for relevant postings
Consult your professional network
Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
Watch out for job scams