1. Duke University
Durham, NC • Private
In-State Tuition
$55,695
Enrollment
6,596
What is a Gerontologist?
The average gerontologist salary is $54,496. The most common degree is a master's degree degree with an gerontology major. It usually takes more than 10 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 8% and produce 10,600 job opportunities across the U.S.
How To Become a Gerontologist
If you're interested in becoming a gerontologist, one of the first things to consider is how much education you need. We've determined that 40.0% of gerontologists have a bachelor's degree. In terms of higher education levels, we found that 46.7% of gerontologists have master's degrees. Even though most gerontologists have a college degree, it's possible to become one with only a high school degree or GED.
Average Salary for a Gerontologist
Gerontologists in America make an average salary of $54,496 per year or $26 per hour. The top 10 percent makes over $117,000 per year, while the bottom 10 percent under $25,000 per year.
Average Gerontologist Salary
$54,496 Yearly$26.20 hourly
What Am I Worth?
Roles and Types of Gerontologist
There are several types of gerontologist, including:
Researcher
Role:
A researcher is someone who studies how to apply the scientific method within their chosen field.
Their primary responsibilities can be performing systemic investigations, overseeing internal research, or serving as the lead author on reports or articles. They are often tasked with things like collecting data (either quantitative or qualitative) and using that data to solve problems.
They can work in academic settings or in areas like the industrial, government, or private sectors. They need to have exceptional attention to detail and be both accurate and specific in their findings. They also need to ensure that their research is complete and thorough.
It is also important for a researcher to have a curious mind and to question why things are the way they are. Soft skills that can be important for a researcher include communication, leadership, and moderation. They must be able to lead project teams, moderate discussions, and communicate their knowledge clearly and persuasively.
To become a researcher, you will typically need to have a Ph.D. or similar degree. Researchers can work in a wide array of areas including sociology, medicine, and psychology. There are also researchers who work in the sciences like biology, chemistry, and physics.
Their primary responsibilities can be performing systemic investigations, overseeing internal research, or serving as the lead author on reports or articles. They are often tasked with things like collecting data (either quantitative or qualitative) and using that data to solve problems.
They can work in academic settings or in areas like the industrial, government, or private sectors. They need to have exceptional attention to detail and be both accurate and specific in their findings. They also need to ensure that their research is complete and thorough.
It is also important for a researcher to have a curious mind and to question why things are the way they are. Soft skills that can be important for a researcher include communication, leadership, and moderation. They must be able to lead project teams, moderate discussions, and communicate their knowledge clearly and persuasively.
To become a researcher, you will typically need to have a Ph.D. or similar degree. Researchers can work in a wide array of areas including sociology, medicine, and psychology. There are also researchers who work in the sciences like biology, chemistry, and physics.
- Average Salary: $67,145
- Degree: Bachelor's Degree
Fellow
Role:
A fellow's duties will be based on the organization or company they are engaged in. However, several times, your job will center around carrying out research and examination, leading discussions, turning up for negotiations, and taking care of lectures while regarding the principle or effort laid by supervisors. You are also to aid in different projects and events. As a fellow, you are required to stick to the company or organization rules and regulations every time, satisfy all the conditions and output involved, and cooperate with every person in the labor force.
Additionally, you are expected to take part in analyzing the standard of learning made available by the program. You must exhibit excellent observation, communication, and interpersonal skills to suit the role of a fellow. Also, you must have studied political science, law, or psychology and hold a bachelor's degree or a master's degree in them. With this, you will be able to earn a decent average salary of $66,381 per year or $31.91 per hour.
Additionally, you are expected to take part in analyzing the standard of learning made available by the program. You must exhibit excellent observation, communication, and interpersonal skills to suit the role of a fellow. Also, you must have studied political science, law, or psychology and hold a bachelor's degree or a master's degree in them. With this, you will be able to earn a decent average salary of $66,381 per year or $31.91 per hour.
- Average Salary: $66,364
- Degree: Bachelor's Degree
Research Fellow
Role:
As the name implies, as a Research Fellow, you will be conducting research and analysis of comprehensive results, literature, and data. You will be supervising research assistants and recruiting study participants for specific studies.
For the educational requirement, a Research Fellow needs to have a doctorate relevant to the discipline and should have published papers that are peer-reviewed. As a Research Fellow, you can be supervised or independent.
The top skills Research Fellow applicants include in their resumes include Molecular Biology, Data Analysis, Cell Culture, Research Projects, and Ph.D. You might want to brush up your knowledge on these things and make sure you are knowledgeable in the field you will be applying to.
You can earn an average annual salary of $49,120 with a job growth rate of 8%. You can also explore other careers like being a Research Scientist, a Scientist, and a Senior Scientist.
For the educational requirement, a Research Fellow needs to have a doctorate relevant to the discipline and should have published papers that are peer-reviewed. As a Research Fellow, you can be supervised or independent.
The top skills Research Fellow applicants include in their resumes include Molecular Biology, Data Analysis, Cell Culture, Research Projects, and Ph.D. You might want to brush up your knowledge on these things and make sure you are knowledgeable in the field you will be applying to.
You can earn an average annual salary of $49,120 with a job growth rate of 8%. You can also explore other careers like being a Research Scientist, a Scientist, and a Senior Scientist.
- Average Salary: $53,823
- Degree: Bachelor's Degree
States With The Most Gerontologist Jobs
Number Of Gerontologist Jobs By State
| Rank | State | Number of Jobs | Average Salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | 81 | $73,941 |
| 2 | Texas | 69 | $42,762 |
| 3 | New York | 68 | $63,303 |
| 4 | New Jersey | 67 | $75,028 |
| 5 | Massachusetts | 59 | $62,208 |
| 6 | Florida | 54 | $42,508 |
| 7 | Illinois | 45 | $55,666 |
| 8 | Pennsylvania | 38 | $58,592 |
| 9 | Ohio | 29 | $55,030 |
| 10 | North Carolina | 29 | $52,430 |
| 11 | Georgia | 24 | $37,875 |
| 12 | Kentucky | 20 | $41,812 |
| 13 | Oregon | 20 | $39,423 |
| 14 | Michigan | 19 | $59,077 |
| 15 | Washington | 19 | $38,295 |
| 16 | Minnesota | 18 | $51,497 |
| 17 | South Carolina | 18 | $35,546 |
| 18 | Tennessee | 15 | $51,772 |
| 19 | Colorado | 14 | $36,612 |
| 20 | Maryland | 11 | $64,149 |
| 21 | Utah | 10 | $34,709 |
| 22 | Wisconsin | 9 | $50,381 |
| 23 | Missouri | 9 | $30,772 |
| 24 | Delaware | 8 | $67,707 |
| 25 | Connecticut | 8 | $78,815 |
| 26 | Indiana | 8 | $54,677 |
| 27 | Arizona | 7 | $52,852 |
| 28 | Alabama | 7 | $37,411 |
| 29 | New Hampshire | 6 | $55,162 |
| 30 | Louisiana | 6 | $33,465 |
| 31 | North Dakota | 5 | $36,413 |
| 32 | Iowa | 5 | $36,379 |
| 33 | Kansas | 5 | $35,085 |
| 34 | Nevada | 4 | $54,909 |
| 35 | Oklahoma | 4 | $44,090 |
| 36 | South Dakota | 4 | $35,676 |
| 37 | Mississippi | 4 | $33,999 |
| 38 | Maine | 3 | $64,095 |
| 39 | Rhode Island | 2 | $78,314 |
| 40 | West Virginia | 2 | $42,828 |
| 41 | Nebraska | 2 | $34,151 |
| 42 | Vermont | 1 | $55,465 |
| 43 | Montana | 1 | $46,775 |
| 44 | Idaho | 1 | $35,050 |
| 45 | Alaska | 0 | $77,900 |
| 46 | Virginia | 0 | $47,850 |
| 47 | Hawaii | 0 | $47,897 |
| 48 | Arkansas | 0 | $40,573 |
| 49 | New Mexico | 0 | $40,528 |
| 50 | Wyoming | 0 | $36,631 |
Top Colleges for Gerontologists
2. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-State Tuition
$56,225
Enrollment
19,548
3. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
In-State Tuition
$50,420
Enrollment
7,582
4. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor, MI • Private
In-State Tuition
$15,262
Enrollment
30,079
5. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-State Tuition
$59,430
Enrollment
8,216
6. University of California - Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-State Tuition
$13,226
Enrollment
31,568
7. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, NC • Private
In-State Tuition
$8,987
Enrollment
18,946
8. Yale University
New Haven, CT • Private
In-State Tuition
$53,430
Enrollment
5,963
9. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
In-State Tuition
$53,740
Enrollment
5,567
10. Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN • Private
In-State Tuition
$49,816
Enrollment
6,840
Gerontologist Demographics
Gerontologist Gender Distribution
Female
83%
Male
17%
After extensive research and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
- Among gerontologists, 83.3% of them are women, while 16.7% are men.
- The most common race/ethnicity among gerontologists is White, which makes up 56.4% of all gerontologists.
- The most common foreign language among gerontologists is Spanish at 100.0%.
Online Courses For Gerontologist That You May Like
Advertising Disclosure
1. Symptom Management in Palliative Care
This course should be taken after the Essentials of Palliative Care course and continues building your primary palliative care skills – communication, psychosocial support and goals of care. You will learn how to screen, assess, and manage both physical and psychological symptoms. You will explore common symptoms such as pain, nausea, fatigue, and distress and learn specific treatments. You will continue to follow Sarah and Tim’s experience and learn cultural competencies critical for optimal...
See More on Coursera2. Essentials of Palliative Care
This course starts you on your journey of integrating primary palliative care into your daily lives. You will learn what palliative care is, how to communicate with patients, show empathy, and practice difficult conversations. You will learn how to screen for distress and provide psychosocial support. You will learn about goals of care and advance care planning and how to improve your success with having these conversations with patients. Finally, you will explore important cultural...
See More on Coursera3. Transitions in Care from Survivorship to Hospice
This course should be taken after the Symptom Management course and continues building your primary palliative care skills – communication, psychosocial support, goals of care, and symptom management. You will explore transitions in care such as survivorship and hospice. You will learn how to create a survivorship care plan and how to best support a patient. The course also covers spiritual care and will teach you how to screen for spiritual distress. Finally, you will learn the requirements...
See More on CourseraJob type you want
Full Time
Part Time
Internship
Temporary
How Do Gerontologist Rate Their Jobs?
Top Gerontologist Employers
Most Common Employers For Gerontologist
| Rank | Company | Average Salary | Hourly Rate | Job Openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brookdale Senior Living | $34,036 | $16.36 | 1 |
| 2 | Eldercare Services | $33,188 | $15.96 | 1 |