Environmental Economists
Overview
Introduction
In general, economists focus on societys past and current use of resources such as land, labor, raw materials, and machinery to produce goods and services for consumption and production. Environmental economists are concerned with how the use of these resources affects the environment and the economic costs that are involved. They study government policies regarding natural resources and analyze the costs and benefits of alternative environmental practices. There are approximately 17,500 economists, including environmental economist...
Quick Facts
Median Salary
Employment Prospects
Minimum Education Level
Experience
Skills
Personality Traits
Earnings
Environmental economists earned average base salaries that ranged from $46,000 to $122,500 or more in December 2024, according to ZipRecruiter.com. The average annual salary was $82,064. The U.S. Department of Labor does not provide information on environmental economists, but reports that in May 2023, the median salary for all economists was $115,730. Salaries ranged from $62,520 or less to $2...
Work Environment
Environmental economists usually work in offices. The workweek is typically 40 hours, with occasional overtime in the evenings and weekends when project deadlines must be met. Economists work independently and collaborate with other economists, statisticians, and environmental specialists. They spend much of their workday on computers, gathering and analyzing data, conducting research, and writ...
Outlook
Employment opportunities for economists are expected to grow about as fast as the average for all occupations through 2033, according to the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL). Private industry, such as management, scientific, and technical consulting services, will offer the most job prospects for environmental economists. Growth in this area is due to the increasingly global economy, which requir...
