How To Become An Ecologist: What It Is and Career Path

What is an ecologist and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

3 min read

Quoted Experts

Dr. Yanhai Yin Ph.D.,

Louis Santiago Ph.D.

An ecologist is a biologist who studies the interrelationship between organisms and their environment. Ecologists perform environmental site assessments. They identify wetland delineations and oversee the management of threatened and endangered species. They conduct habitat evaluations, including presence-absence surveys. Besides that, they manage stormwater run-off and monitor erosion control. Furthermore, they plan and oversee fieldwork and monitor construction projects. Also, they gather, process, and analyze data and prepare technical reports and findings.

To become an ecologist, you need a master's degree in natural resources, ecology, forestry, environmental science, or a related field. You need three or more years of experience in a similar role. You must have a USFSW scientific collection permit. Proficiency in Microsoft Office, GIS, and GPS is a requirement. Also, you must possess communication and math skills. Ecologists earn around $60,266 in a year. Their salary is between $37,000 and $99,000. You can find employment in government and private organizations.

What general advice would you give to an Ecologist?

Dr. Yanhai Yin Ph.D.

Professor and Chair, Iowa State University

Genetics is of fundamental importance to our society. As always, genetic studies will address issues related to human health, agriculture, and environmental sustainability. Genetics will continue guiding many aspects of fundamental biological research. I hope that you will use your knowledge well, and often, in the future, no matter what you will be working on.

ScoreEcologistUS Average

Salary

3.9

Avg. Salary $50,369

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability Level

6.4

Growth Rate 1%

Growth Rate 0.3%

Diversity

5.2

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.72%

Asian 10.40%

Black or African American 3.04%

Hispanic or Latino 8.57%

Unknown 5.30%

White 71.97%

Gender

female 35.51%

male 64.49%

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

6.4

Stress level is manageable

7.1 - high

Complexity Level

10.0

Complexity Level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work Life Balance

5.5

Work Life balance is fair

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become an ecologist

Explore ecologist education requirements

Most common ecologist degrees

Bachelor's

69.3 %

Master's

18.3 %

Associate

5.8 %

Start to develop specific ecologist skills

Skills	Percentages
Data Collection	10.43%
GPS	9.97%
GIS	6.30%
Technical Reports	6.07%
Data Management	5.09%

Complete relevant ecologist training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 6-12 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New ecologists 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 an ecologist based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real ecologist resumes.

Research ecologist duties and responsibilities

Create and manage multidisciplinary, interagency research teams.
Perform surveys for target species including vascular and non-vascular plants, fungi, and lichens using BLM and USFS protocols.
Issue gas and oil drilling permits on BLM land.
Record and monitor nest locations using a marker system and GPS.

Get ecologist experience

Generally, it takes 1-2 years to become an ecologist. The most common roles before becoming an ecologist include research assistant, internship team lead and teaching assistant.

Prepare your ecologist resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your ecologist resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on an ecologist resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose From 10+ Customizable Ecologist Resume templates

Build a professional Ecologist resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your Ecologist resume.

Apply for ecologist jobs

Now it's time to start searching for an ecologist 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

How do ecologists rate their job?