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The New Way Of Thinking
Ecologist
Do you love animals?  All wildlife?  Do you enjoy being out in the wilderness?  Would you like to become an expert who understands all walks of life, how animals interact with each other and their environment, and the contributions each animal or plant makes to the worldwide ecosystem as a whole?  If so and if you love Science, Math, and nature, then you should consider becoming an Ecologist.

Ecologists are Environmental and Biological Scientists who study, document, survey, and investigate ecosystems (as small as a puddle or as large as a rain forest, river basin, or even the entire planet) and the close ties between the environment and all living creatures.  They are concerned with ecosystems as a whole:  the diversity, abundance, distribution, and interdependence of biotic organisms (micro-organisms, plants, animals, people), the interactions between all organisms and their environment, and the impact of these transactions on the living and non-living components of ecosystems.  The effects that pollution (air, water, ground, etc.), habitat loss, climate and rainfall changes, temperature shifts, industrialization, and human interaction can produce on an ecosystem are also of utmost importance to them.

The duties of an Ecologist include but are not limited to:  gathering data (soil, plant, water, and animal samples); observing animals (population, behavioral patterns, diet, habitat use); examining and reporting information on the quality of soil, food, air, and water; analyzing habitats and laboratory data; classifying species of plants, animals, and insects; tagging creatures to monitor migratory patterns; protecting native wildlife, habitats, and ecosystems by removing weeds, pest insects, potential hazards, etc.; implementing conservation projects; researching climate change; studying human population's and global warming’s impact on environments, soils, and climates; restoring habitats (forests, lakes, wetlands, etc.) destroyed by pollution and fire; reviving de-forested environments (re-directing streams, planting trees, removing non-native weeds, burning land areas for re-plantation suitability); constructing habitats at zoos and aquariums; implementing sustainable practices for construction firms working near waterways; advising governments on environmental management; developing computer models/simulations; conducting and staying current with ecology research; writing articles in professional journals; and teaching at universities.

High school students interested in becoming an Ecologist benefit from taking Biology, Algebra, Geometry, Calculus, Trigonometry, Computer Applications, Geography, Earth Science, Physical Science, Chemistry, and Physics.  Students entering Ecology Bachelor's of Science programs from high school with no previous Ecology training should expect a period of 4 years to complete said program.

Specialties in Ecology include:  Freshwater/Limnology (freshwater ecosystems); Marine (ocean/saltwater ecosystems); Forest (forest environments, plants, animals); Restoration (re-create/re-vegetate degraded ecosystems); Fire (natural incidence and ecological effects of wildfires); Soil (interactions among soil organisms); Molecular (link ecology to genetic variations); Human (humans in their natural, social, and built environments); Community (interactions of coexisting species populations); Behavioral (evolution/animal behavior due to ecological pressures); and Ecological Toxicology (effects of chemical contaminants on ecosystems and the environment).

Ecologists are researchers, and their jobs rely heavily on research funding and grants.  The availability of research funding depends on politics and government funds allocation.  But as governments around the world become more concerned about global warming, clean energy, sustainable practices, and wildlife conservation and due to the versatility of the field's scope, employment of Ecologists is expected to grow 19 percent over the next decade.
Job Description
Median Salary & Range
​Median Salary:  $61,200

Salary Range:  ~$40,320 - $104,880+
College Majors & Attainment Routes
​The normal routes to becoming an Ecologist have been to major in Ecology, Zoology, Environmental Science, Environmental Biology, Environmental Physics, Environmental Studies, Environmental Studies and Sustainable Systems, Biology (Ecology concentration), Wildlife Biology, Natural Resources, ​Forestry Science, Animal Science, Plant Science, Marine Environmental Science, Wildlife Management, Marine Biology, Fisheries Management, Physics (Environmental Geophysics concentration), Wildlife Ecology Conservation, Forest Resources and Conservation, Natural Resources Conservation, Conservation Science, Marine Science, or Environmental Toxicology.​

Ecology research firms and government agencies typically seek advanced degrees (Master’s or Ph.D.) in Ecology for jobs in research, and a Ph.D. is generally required of teachers at universities, which requires four more years of college after earning a Bachelor's degree.​  Depending on the area of specialization, Ecologists have educational backgrounds in subjects as diverse as:  organic and inorganic chemistry, computer science, political science, statistics, economics, climatology, zoology, soil science, toxicology, environmental science, mathematical modeling, geology, microbiology, oceanography, and meteorology.
Colleges That Provide Above Majors
Colleges and universities that have Ecology and related majors are:  Alabama A&M University (Huntsville, Alabama); Alabama State University (Montgomery, Alabama); Tuskegee University (Tuskegee, Alabama); Miles College (Fairfield, Alabama); Delaware State University (Dover, Delaware); University of the District of Columbia (Washington, DC); Bethune-Cookman University (Daytona Beach, Florida); Florida A&M University (Tallahassee, Florida); Florida Memorial University (Miami Gardens, Florida); Albany State University (Albany, Georgia); Spelman College (Atlanta, Georgia); Fort Valley State University (Fort Valley, Georgia); Paine College (Augusta, Georgia); Savannah State University (Savannah, Georgia); Kentucky State University (Frankfort, Kentucky); Grambling State University (Grambling, Louisiana); Southern University and A&M College (Baton Rouge, Louisiana); Xavier University (New Orleans, Louisiana); Coppin State University (Baltimore, Maryland); University of Maryland Eastern Shore (Princess Anne, Maryland); Alcorn State University (Lorman, Mississippi); Jackson State University (Jackson, Mississippi); Mississippi Valley State University (Itta Bena, Mississippi); Harris-Stowe State University (St. Louis, Missouri); Lincoln University (Jefferson City, Missouri); Elizabeth City State University (Elizabeth City, North Carolina); North Carolina A&T State University (Greensboro, North Carolina); North Carolina Central University (Durham, North Carolina); Shaw University (Raleigh, North Carolina); Johnson C. Smith (Charlotte, North Carolina); Central State University (Wilberforce, Ohio); Langston University (Langston, Oklahoma); Cheyney University (Cheyney, Pennsylvania); Lincoln University (Lincoln University, Pennsylvania); South Carolina State University (Orangeburg, South Carolina); Allen University (Columbia, South Carolina); Fisk University (Nashville, Tennessee); Huston-Tillotson University (Austin, Texas); Claflin University (Orangeburg, South Carolina); Knoxville College (Knoxville, Tennessee); Prairie View A&M University (Prairie View, Texas); Wiley College (Marshall, Texas); Hampton University (Hampton, Virginia); Virginia Union University (Richmond, Virginia); Norfolk State University (Norfolk, Virginia); West Virginia State University (Charleston, West Virginia); Texas Southern University (Houston, Texas); Morehouse College (Atlanta, Georgia); and Jarvis Christian College (Hawkins, Texas).
Available Scholarships