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Environmental Economist

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What You Need to Know About Environmental Economist

Job Description: Conduct economic analysis related to environmental protection and use of the natural environment, such as water, air, land, and renewable energy resources. Evaluate and quantify benefits, costs, incentives, and impacts of alternative options using economic principles and statistical techniques.

A Day in the Life of an Environmental Economist

  • Monitor or analyze market and environmental trends.
  • Perform complex, dynamic, and integrated mathematical modeling of ecological, environmental, or economic systems.
  • Write research proposals and grant applications to obtain private or public funding for environmental and economic studies.
  • Conduct research on economic and environmental topics, such as alternative fuel use, public and private land use, soil conservation, air and water pollution control, and endangered species protection.
  • Collect and analyze data to compare the environmental implications of economic policy or practice alternatives.
  • Develop economic models, forecasts, or scenarios to predict future economic and environmental outcomes.

What Skills Do You Need to Work as an Environmental Economist?

When polled, Environmental Economists say the following skills are most frequently used in their jobs:

Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.

Writing: Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.

Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.

Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

Judgment and Decision Making: Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.

Mathematics: Using mathematics to solve problems.

  • Natural Resource Economist
  • Ecological Economist
  • Agricultural Economist
  • Energy Economist
  • Environmental Economist

Job Opportunities for Environmental Economists

In the United States, there were 21,300 jobs for Environmental Economist in 2016. New jobs are being produced at a rate of 6.1% which is above the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 1,300 new jobs for Environmental Economist by 2026. Due to new job openings and attrition, there will be an average of 1,600 job openings in this field each year.

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The states with the most job growth for Environmental Economist are Alabama, Louisiana, and Washington. Watch out if you plan on working in Wyoming, West Virginia, or Vermont. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.

Environmental Economist Average Salary

The typical yearly salary for Environmental Economists is somewhere between $58,130 and $182,560.

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Environmental Economists who work in District of Columbia, Virginia, or Maryland, make the highest salaries.

How much do Environmental Economists make in different U.S. states?

State Annual Mean Salary
Alabama $103,740
Alaska $85,970
Arizona $93,350
Arkansas $75,380
California $124,430
Colorado $104,350
Connecticut $95,450
Delaware $86,850
District of Columbia $134,260
Florida $105,230
Georgia $111,570
Hawaii $98,100
Idaho $61,130
Illinois $108,690
Indiana $84,740
Iowa $87,530
Kansas $72,600
Louisiana $103,070
Maryland $116,870
Massachusetts $117,680
Michigan $90,040
Minnesota $81,720
Mississippi $75,450
Missouri $112,240
Montana $89,980
Nebraska $81,010
Nevada $79,170
New Hampshire $74,570
New Jersey $100,500
New Mexico $87,680
New York $127,520
North Carolina $81,470
Ohio $125,490
Oklahoma $76,500
Oregon $87,420
Pennsylvania $87,630
South Carolina $68,550
Tennessee $83,350
Texas $106,480
Utah $88,280
Vermont $96,620
Virginia $126,080
Washington $95,010
West Virginia $68,430
Wisconsin $80,070

What Tools do Environmental Economists Use?

Below is a list of the types of tools and technologies that Environmental Economists may use on a daily basis:

  • Microsoft Excel
  • Microsoft Word
  • Microsoft Office
  • Microsoft PowerPoint
  • Microsoft Outlook
  • Web browser software
  • Microsoft Access
  • MySQL
  • The MathWorks MATLAB
  • SAS
  • Microsoft Visual Basic
  • IBM SPSS Statistics
  • Minitab
  • C
  • StataCorp Stata
  • Wolfram Research Mathematica
  • Formula translation/translator FORTRAN
  • Insightful S-PLUS
  • ESRI ArcGIS software
  • Aptech Systems GAUSS

How do I Become an Environmental Economist?

What education or degrees do I need to become an Environmental Economist?

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How many years of work experience do I need?

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Who Employs Environmental Economists?

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Below are examples of industries where Environmental Economists work:

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References:

Image Credit: Bernard Ladenthin via Public domain

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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