Environmental science is a booming field, and graduates that have a master’s degree or higher in this area can find extreme high-paying jobs no matter where you want to live or what job you want to take. This is a field that is growing faster than average as well, which means that not only are their more job openings than in most fields, but that salary is higher as well. Let’s take a look at what you can expect to earn if you go back to school to get a masters in environmental science.
Salary by Job Title
Environmental science is an extremely broad field, so in most master’s degree programs in this area, you’ll be able to specialize or at least take a few classes geared toward the job title you hope to have when you graduate. The job you take does have a significant effect on your salary; the more in demand workers are, the more you can expect to make in most cases. Here are some of the most common jobs in this field, along with the average salary you can expect
- Hydologists: $71, 450
- Geoscientists: $79, 160
- Oil and Gas Extractors: $127, 560
- Oceanographers: $105, 671
- Environmental Science Protection Technicians: $44, 440
- Environmental Science Specialists: $59, 750
- Environmental Engineers: $74, 020
- Atmospheric Scientists: $81, 290
- Conservation Scientists: $58, 720
- Foresters: $53, 750
- Agricultural and Food Science Technicians: $35, 140
- Cartographers: $51, 180
This is not big any means a complete list of the jobs you could hold with a degree in environmental science. As you can tell, though, in most areas, you’ll earn somewhere between $50, 000 and $80, 000 with this type of degree.
Other Factors Affecting Salary
Your job title in the environmental science world isn’t the only factors that will effect your paycheck. In fact, there are dozens of different factors that come into play. For example, if you live in an area where your expertise is in high demand, you’ll typically make more money. The type of employer hiring you makes a huge difference as well – as you can image, a government department or private company typically pays more than a non-profit. You can also make more money simply by gaining experience in the field; this is especially the case if you continue to work for one company over time.