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| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 642 | 0.00% |
| 2020 | 706 | 0.00% |
| 2019 | 704 | 0.00% |
| 2018 | 672 | 0.00% |
| 2017 | 684 | 0.00% |
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $70,860 | $34.07 | +2.6% |
| 2024 | $69,051 | $33.20 | +0.3% |
| 2023 | $68,828 | $33.09 | +2.5% |
| 2022 | $67,154 | $32.29 | +0.7% |
| 2021 | $66,680 | $32.06 | +2.1% |
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vermont | 623,657 | 157 | 25% |
| 2 | Delaware | 961,939 | 222 | 23% |
| 3 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 299 | 22% |
| 4 | Virginia | 8,470,020 | 1,782 | 21% |
| 5 | South Dakota | 869,666 | 180 | 21% |
| 6 | North Dakota | 755,393 | 159 | 21% |
| 7 | Rhode Island | 1,059,639 | 211 | 20% |
| 8 | Colorado | 5,607,154 | 1,038 | 19% |
| 9 | Oregon | 4,142,776 | 747 | 18% |
| 10 | Connecticut | 3,588,184 | 628 | 18% |
| 11 | Wyoming | 579,315 | 103 | 18% |
| 12 | Maine | 1,335,907 | 231 | 17% |
| 13 | New Jersey | 9,005,644 | 1,455 | 16% |
| 14 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 905 | 16% |
| 15 | Montana | 1,050,493 | 164 | 16% |
| 16 | Illinois | 12,802,023 | 1,934 | 15% |
| 17 | Pennsylvania | 12,805,537 | 1,889 | 15% |
| 18 | Utah | 3,101,833 | 464 | 15% |
| 19 | New Mexico | 2,088,070 | 323 | 15% |
| 20 | Nebraska | 1,920,076 | 287 | 15% |
Kent State University
Drake University
Gonzaga University
Quinnipiac University
Gannon University

Lafayette College

Kennesaw State University

Southwestern University

West Virginia Wesleyan College

Concordia University
Albright College

Dickinson State University
Michigan State University
Kansas State University
Missouri University of Science and Technology

University of Notre Dame

University of Wisconsin-Madison

Michigan State University
Arizona State University
Dr. Christopher Post PhD: Start local and get an internship while an undergraduate. Any position with the federal lands agencies (parks, forests, BLM, etc.) are tough to get and you have to work your way in to that federal system. Start local with regional/county/city parks and forests and work up to the federal level. Also keep that balance between the science (the biology and earth science) and the more social science/humanities (ethics, economics, communications) material you’ve learned as undergraduate. These jobs are all about communicating complex scientific/environmental issues with the general public so that context is very important. You have to be nimble and know both areas (the science and the social science) and their overlap.
Dr. Christopher Post PhD: Geographic Information Science—the ability to take field data and make it visual with maps so that you and others can witness and analyze spatial relations is the most important skill set in environmental careers right now and will continue as such. Everything in nature moves—albeit sometimes slowly—and understanding those interactions is key to unfolding humanity’s impacts on the environment, and vice versa.
Dr. Christopher Post PhD: Having field and lab experience as an undergraduate—showing you can put theory to practice via internships or other undergraduate research opportunities should best position a student for maximizing that starting salary.
Drake University
Natural Resources Conservation And Research
Keith Summerville: 2. #1 is how to leverage analytics and generative AI to design and implement innovative solutions to environmental challenges.
Keith Summerville: 1. To anyone getting a start in this field- build your professional network as early as possible- attend volunteer work days, try going to low cost local conferences or meetings (local Audubon Societies, Iowa Prairie Network, Society for Ecological Restoration Midwest Chapter, Ducks Unlimited). The more people in the field you know, the more opportunities you will be exposed to.
Keith Summerville: 3. Get as many internships as one can get during time at Drake and develop some fairly deep taxa or field of specialty expertise so that you can hit the ground running in a career.
Gonzaga University
Natural Resources Conservation And Research
Dr. Greg Gordon Professor/Chair: Do field work as much as possible while you're young! Don't shun seasonal work or internships. There are a plethora of federal jobs right now, so it's a good time to get in with a federal agency.
Dr. Greg Gordon Professor/Chair: We find that graphical information systems (GIS) skills are in high demand. Soft skills such as ability to work as a team, develop work plans, collaborate and communicate with diverse stakeholders, communicate technical and scientific information, are, and will be very important in the near and long term future.
Quinnipiac University
Microbiological Sciences And Immunology
Lisa Cuchara Ph.D.: The first and foremost would be Critical Thinking. We live in a world where facts can be easily acquired, sometimes even by asking Siri/Alexa/ChatGPT/Google/etc. But critical thinking is timeless and priceless. I can ask anyone on the street what xyz is and they can look it up, but can they provide advice or interpret.
Also being a good steward towards science and being willing and able to communicate not just with peers as we are trained, but also with the public, the politicians, the board members. John Holdren*, stated that Scientists should be tithing at least 10 percent of their time to public service ... including activism. In the ever growing science denialism that is happening in our country being able to communicate science with the public is important. As Peter Hotaz states, "Anti-science propaganda is "killing Americans in unprecedented numbers,""
*Holdren is an American scientist who served as the senior advisor to President Barack Obama on science and technology issues through his roles as assistant to the president for science and technology, director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, and co-chair of the President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology and a Research Professor in Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government
Gannon University
Natural Resources Conservation And Research
Liu Cao Ph.D.: For graduates in environmental science embarking on their careers, it's essential to embrace a multidisciplinary approach and remain adaptable to the evolving landscape of environmental challenges. Prioritize gaining practical experience through internships or volunteer work to apply your theoretical knowledge in real-world contexts, enhancing your employability. Networking is also key; engage with professionals in your field through industry conferences, workshops, and professional associations to expand your opportunities and gain insights into emerging trends. Continuously refine your skills, particularly in data analysis, GIS, and sustainability practices, and consider further education or certifications to specialize in high-demand areas. Finally, stay informed about global environmental issues and technological advancements, as this will enable you to contribute innovatively to your field.
Liu Cao Ph.D.: In the evolving landscape of environmental science, key skills poised to gain prominence over the next 3-5 years, in my opinion, include data analysis and environmental modeling, essential for interpreting complex datasets and predicting trends. Proficiency in GIS and remote sensing will become increasingly vital for monitoring environmental changes and managing resources efficiently. Additionally, a deep understanding of climate change adaptation and mitigation strategies will be crucial as professionals seek to address global warming's pressing challenges. These skills, combined with interdisciplinary collaboration and effective communication, will equip environmental scientists to tackle the multifaceted issues facing our planet.
Aaron Haines Ph.D., Certified Wildlife Biologist ®: Having more technical skill sets can help you get entry level positions that can lead to higher pay positions. These include the ability to extract DNA from biological samples and understand the process of DNA sequencing, be familiar with geographical information systems (GIS) software such as ArcPro, ArcGIS, QGIS, be familiar with programming language such as Phyton and R statical programming, and government policies that impact your field of study.
Be a member of a professional organization and attend their conferences. This will allow you the opportunity to learn from others, network, and meet potential future employers.
Aaron Haines Ph.D., Certified Wildlife Biologist ®: The current most prevalent skill sets and qualifications for students interested in the ecology and environmental fields include good communication through speaking and writing. It is important to be able to communicate as an effective team member, communicate with private landowners, volunteers, and to the public for education purposes. Writing skills will be important for correctly recording data, completing certifications, helping to write grants (and other fundraising efforts) and completing reports.
Be in good physical condition to complete fieldwork and gather data. Sometimes you will be deep in the field and off-trail. The better shape you are in, the better your ability to deal with hot, cold, or humid weather conditions and bothersome insects. Physical exhaustion leads to increased errors in the field.
When in the field, certain professions prefer combinations of the following skills: Use of GPS units, ability to drive 4-wheel drive vehicles and/or ATVs, boating experience, chainsaw, herbicide and pesticide application, identification of flora and fauna, ability access soil and water quality, and prescribed fire experience.
Have standard IT skills to gather data via phone or tablet and be familiar with standard programs such as WORD, EXCEL, and ACCESS.
Future skills will include the ability to gather data remotely from the field (e.g., Lidar spatial data, acoustic recordings, remote cameras, drone data, eDNA) and onto the Could. It will also be beneficial to speak more than one language and be able to develop a strong web presence for your project and organization.
Aaron Haines Ph.D., Certified Wildlife Biologist ®: Learn to be a team player and be reliable enough to complete tasks by yourself. Make sure your online presence is one of a professional in your field. Potential employers will search you out online. Have these searches lead to the professional you. The ecology and environmental biology fields are competitive. As a growing professional in these fields, you will begin with lower salaries compared to biology majors in other fields such as the medical, pharmaceutical, and research lab professions. Most government organizations that deal with ecology-based issues, such as natural resources or environmental monitoring, have lower budgets compared to other government departments. Also, non-government organizations that work in these fields are mainly non-profit. The best way to get into these competitive fields is via internships and temporary positions. Experience is key. Temporary positions are low pay, but they provide the building blocks of experience to get you more permanent and better pay positions or entry into graduate school with an assistantship. Graduate assistantships provide opportunities for graduate students to get paid, have benefits, and have tuition covered. That is a good deal. Look for jobs in places you would never think to look. Examples of unique employers in these fields include private consulting organizations, research labs doing environmental work, and Department of Defense.

Lafayette College
Department of Geology and Environmental Geosciences
Dru Germanosk Ph.D.: Good communication skills, including writing and verbal communication, are essential.
Dru Germanosk Ph.D.: A strong multidisciplinary set of science and engineering courses along with GIS and multidisciplinary courses in environmental courses in Policy, social sciences, and the humanities. Being well-rounded, as well as having a depth of knowledge, is essential. We infuse interdisciplinary problem solving into our curriculum, including a team-based capstone seminar course.
Dru Germanosk Ph.D.: A deep foundation in the sciences with a focus on problem-solving along with the ability to function at the nexus of economics, politics, and policy.

Kennesaw State University
Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology
Dr. Dan Ferreira Ph.D.: I think the best advice I can offer recent graduates is to be as flexible as possible. Being willing to relocate, for example, vastly expands the number of potential jobs they can apply to. Applying for positions that might not be exactly where they want to go, but might give them the experience or skills they need to get to their desired career after a year or two also will help open more doors. So if you can't find your ideal job right away, consider that internship or volunteer opportunity that will make you more marketable in the future.

Dr. Romi Burks: Certainly, a strong scientific background and understanding of the scientific process would rank as #1 in terms of skills. An environmental scientist needs both to be able to conduct quality sound science but also recognize the strengths and weaknesses in other work.
An Environmental Scientist needs strong communication skills, both oral and written. It is often necessary to explain and/or justify the research associated with the environment and/or "translate" complex environmental phenomena, problems, and solutions into ideas that people understand. Construction of metaphors and parallel situations help.
In terms of "additional skills," a working knowledge and ability to use and incorporate GIS (in simple terms, mapping - but in more complex terms, geographical spatial analysis) set apart many in the field, and the technical nature of this skill set often garners more money in terms of career prospects.
To the rest, I would add another quality environmental scientists that readily employ includes critical thinking skills. In this case, professionals must analyze situations for any ethical concerns that could exist and also for the solution that takes into account multiple perspectives. Such work also requires a strong degree of organization.

West Virginia Wesleyan College
Department of Biology and Environmental Science
Joseph Niederhauser Ph.D.: Communication skills are essential as an Environmental Scientist. You need to communicate with a lot of different people and organizations over a variety of mediums. Having good people skills is very important when communicating with team members, the public, government officials, and property and business owners, especially when the data collected impacts them. Presentation skills are also very important in order to present data at government agencies, scientific meetings, and public talks.
Joseph Niederhauser Ph.D.: Data collection, management, and analysis skills. Specifically, knowing how to design experiments, collect different kinds of data, creating or maintaining a database for samples, and analyzing changes over time or the impact of those data.
Joseph Niederhauser Ph.D.: Having technical skills will help you get a job, but more advanced degrees, certificates, and experience using those skills will help you earn more. Even volunteering for state or federal agencies will help you get those skills and experience. Many federal agencies, especially the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, offer directorate programs to get experience prior to finishing your degree, and when you complete your degree, the program will help to place you into a job within the agency.

Concordia University
Department of Geography, Planning and Environment
Dr. Pascale Biron Ph.D.: A multidisciplinary understanding of environmental problems (Earth systems and climate science, environmental biology, environmental chemistry) is crucial considering the increasing number of challenges, including climate change, severe weather events, the loss of biodiversity, pollution, and the unsustainable use of the Earth's resources that we face in the Anthropocene.
Dr. Pascale Biron Ph.D.: Critical thinking skills to:
- understand the underlying processes relevant to environmental and sustainability sciences
- acquire and interpret analytical data
- understand physical processes of our planet and interpret data related to climate change and sustainable environmental management
- assess the situation within a given ecosystem in an integrated fashion
Dr. Pascale Biron Ph.D.: - Geographical Information Systems, remote sensing, and geospatial data analysis
- Statistics
- Computer programming
Dr. Pascale Biron Ph.D.: - Solid, interdisciplinary, environmental foundations in sustainability from a science perspective
- Tools to solve practical problems in the field of environmental science, including programming, geospatial
technologies and statistics
David Osgood: The post-pandemic workplace will be more complex, require more versatility, and likely experience greater interactions within an increasingly diverse workforce. This will primarily result from an increasing presence of virtual platforms for exchange of ideas and other routine business. Some practices will become easier as a result but new challenges will also emerge. Institutions are likely to adopt more flexibility into the workplace so they are prepared to react to employee demand for increased work-life balance (e.g. strain on child-support) or less predictability in supply and delivery (e.g. changes in transportation). The job market has always required specialized skills and in-depth disciplinary knowledge but, increasingly, positions will open for people that are able to effectively coordinate activities across disciplines and cultures. Institutions will become more co-dependent to increase the ability to adapt to market changes and changing regulations. Interdisciplinarity, the combination of more than one discipline into activities, will become a more explicit requirement within the working world to allow employers to bring complexity and flexibility into their business model. The interdisciplinary nature of fields such as environmental studies where psychology, biology, ecology, and ethics are equally leveraged to address problems, will be called upon to create a network of professionals that are able to work efficiently together. There could even be an increase in an emerging category of profession dedicated to helping a business or institution adapt, where interdisciplinary training will be a cornerstone.
David Osgood: There is unpredictability moving forward in where, geographically, workforce demand will increase, especially as employers adapt to a post-pandemic setting. There will also be less demand on emerging professionals to relocate to specific regions of the country (or the world), as virtual work becomes more commonplace. At the same time, work in interdisciplinary fields such as environmental studies, is predicted to become more available in regions experiencing higher than average population growth, particularly in urban centers. Modern cities are attempting to make themselves more attractive to new professionals and so are creating incentives for businesses to start up or expand their operations. Areas experiencing higher growth, such as the sunbelt urban centers of Phoenix, Houston, Atlanta, Raleigh, among others, are requiring more interdisciplinary environmental professionals to keep up with development. Urban planning itself eventually demands more work at the intersection of multiple disciplines (e.g. public policy and environmental regulations, equity and diversity, public health and safety).

Eric Brevik: At present, I think that is hard to say. Many of our graduates end up in the private consulting sector. Our most recent graduates were able to get good jobs. Of course, a prolonged economic setback, like the one we're currently witnessing, might have an impact on that success. So I think a lot of this depends on how long the pandemic lasts and how much of a hit the economy takes.
Eric Brevik: Anything that provides a student experience that is related to what they are studying and want to do for a career. So for those who want to work in industry, an internship is a really good idea. Many of our environmental science students who do internships end up working for the company they intern with. If you want to go on to graduate school, working as an undergraduate researcher in one of our science labs really stands out.
Berkley Walker: First off, let's clarify which job markets I have some thoughts on. I am most familiar with folks going to graduate school, working as a postdoc, and looking for permanent PhD-level plant science or plant biochemistry jobs in academic and government positions. If you are a graduate student or postdoc still gaining experience for a permanent position, the market is unchanged. There are still funds for training graduate students and postdocs, in fact, this funding may have even increased a little since the pandemic. I have seen a greater pinch on the permanent job front. Universities have hiring freezes on new faculty and the situation for state science jobs is similarly tough. Plant science jobs at the federal level have been less affected, and they do seem to still be hiring.
While the situation right now looks pessimistic for permanent positions, there is no reason to think that these jobs will disappear forever. I expect there to be a strong market in the next one to two years for plant science PhD's, as universities and government agencies seek to fill positions that were on hold during the pandemic.
Berkley Walker: Data science skills. Coursera and similar platforms offer excellent data science courses. These skills are in demand and will complement any in-person lab experience that you may miss out on if you have to delay an internship or graduate school. I would recommend courses in general bioinformatics, machine learning, and statistics.
I would also recommend that you connect with any professors whose work you are interested in from your undergraduate institution and ask for an opportunity to apply some of your computational skills. This is a good way to get meaningful experience and set up a solid letter of recommendation. It is very difficult to write a letter of recommendation for a student who I only interacted with in a classroom setting, regardless of how diligent they were.
Berkley Walker: If you plan to go to graduate school, first get work experience in an academic or industrial lab. This will help you shift from an undergraduate to a graduate mindset where it is more about what you deliver and less about what you can regurgitate on a test.
Dr. J.M. Shawn Hutchinson Ph.D.: Communications and other "soft" skills continue to be cited by employers as both being valued and an area where students are underprepared. With the pandemic and more non-traditional work environments, I can easily see these "soft" skills becoming even more valuable.
Missouri University of Science and Technology
Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering
Joel Burken Ph.D.: Get started and pursue your passions! I tell all of our students and graduates to find where their strongest skill sets and their passions intersect. If they are good at what they do (aligning with talents, skills) and they love what they do (passion for their work) in their profession, they will have a fulfilling and successful career in their profession. I specifically don't say they have a "job" or will "work" in their careers. I want them to know they are part of a great and noble profession in engineering, with a higher calling than a "Job". If they find their path, that 40- to 45-year career will be a great adventure, and they will look back as a Proud Miner alumni member.

Dominic Chaloner Ph.D.: Reflecting an ongoing trend, use of "Big Data" and large-scale (over both space and time) studies to better understand all aspects of environmental change (pollution, land-use change, loss of biodiversity, climate change). This is epitomized by the NEON Initiative (see Neonscience). More specifically, I also think there will be even more emphasis on understanding how environmental change is leading to disease outbreaks (in the broadest sense, including with food production), and what can be done to stop the spread before they become pandemics. The coronavirus pandemic has and will provide literally mountains of data that are going to need to be sifted through to stop a similar pandemic happening again; meantime, there is going to be a huge amount of funding in that area, and not just in the biomedical sciences.
Dominic Chaloner Ph.D.: Familiarity with remote sensing and other similar approaches and techniques to generate data efficiently and rapidly; coding to wrangle big datasets into a form that they can be used, and then modeling to make projections using those datasets.
Dominic Chaloner Ph.D.: I still think the federal government despite the last four years of the Trump Administration and its antipathy to science. However, I think increasingly state governments and non-government organizations are developing and building their own expertise, especially in the Western and Northeast US. That said, as environmental change becomes even more evident in the Southeastern US, so there are going to be more opportunities for the projection and mitigation of the emerging effects of environmental change, such as because of sea-level rise, extreme storm events, and disease outbreaks.

James Tinjum Ph.D.: Active participation in undergraduate research opportunities, student organizations, and co-ops or internships with engineering firms tend to stand out. Many of our students are very active in the Geological Engineering Club, Engineers without Borders, the Society of Women Engineers, and the Department of Energy Wind Competition, to name a few.
James Tinjum Ph.D.: Because many of our students and alumni work in energy resources (both extractive energy and sustainable/renewable energy), there is a tendency for many of our students to head south and west, to locations such Denver, Phoenix, Houston, Dallas, and Seattle. However, approximately half of our alumni stay within a one-state radius, including significant opportunities in Chicago, Madison/Milwaukee, and Minneapolis.

Michigan State University
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Susan Masten Ph.D.: Independence, motivation, dedication, especially since many people will likely continue to work from home. Also, it is important that they be a team-player as many jobs require collaboration (even while working remotely) to complete tasks. The students have had to hone these skills and I've seen significant improvement since we went online in Spring and even improvement over this semester. Optimism and a positive attitude even in stressful times. Creativity as we find new ways to complete tasks.
Arizona State University
Barrett Honors Faculty
Dr. Becky A. Ball: Environmental issues haven't stopped because of the pandemic, and I continually see job ads being posted and advertised. Construction, land management, reclamation, water treatment... these things haven't come to a stand-still! There might be a slow-down in hiring for any contract work, until firms are certain they can land contracts to support their employees, and there will be a lot more working from home, I imagine. But as far as I'm aware, environmental jobs are still hiring across many sectors.