On the surface, it seems like careers in wildlife are pretty financially solid. If you search online for how much wildlife biologists make, you’ll discover it’s about $70K here in the US. In fact, when I discovered wildlife biology as a career option, I was incredibly relieved to see a solid salary posted! I was previously pursuing a career in acting, which is notorious for having low salaries, lots of unpaid work, uncertainty, and risk.
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But after 20 years of being in this field working in internships, going to graduate school, postdocing, and then applying for permanent jobs, I realized there are many parallels to theater and wildlife careers, and there’s more to that $70K salary than it seems. In fact, when I was applying to jobs, most of the jobs I was competitive for had salaries around the $50-$55K range even with having a Ph.D. and having been in the field for 15 years.
So what gives? Why is there such a disparity?
In this episode of the Fancy Scientist podcast, I talk about just that: what goes into getting that $70K salary and what jobs are most likely to lead you there. I’m pulling back the curtain on what it REALLY takes to make it in wildlife careers, and trust me, it’s not what your college career counselor told you or what you read on the Internet. I talk about how it’s incredibly difficult to generalize careers in wildlife and that you have to be careful of the images you see and the information you read – as it often doesn’t apply to most wildlife careers!
But don’t worry, I’m not here to crush your dreams. I 100% believe that you can do this! And to make that happen, you need a realistic understanding of what these careers in wildlife are like so that you can prepare. I’m here to arm you with the knowledge you need to beat the system and thrive in this amazing field. Using my own experiences and those of colleagues, I paint a realistic picture of what aspiring wildlife biologists can expect in this competitive field.
By the time you finish this episode, you’ll understand the hidden factors that go into getting a $70K salary, what kinds of jobs are more likely to be lucrative, and how some jobs may never pay that much. So, if you’re ready to start taking charge of your career and become the successful wildlife professional that you know you are deep down inside, this episode is for you.
Specifically, we discussed:
- Why the $70,600 median salary figure from the US Bureau of Statistics is misleading and what goes into making that figure
- The experience paradox: why you can’t get a job without experience, and can’t get experience without a job
- The truth about temporary and seasonal positions in wildlife biology
- How your education level impacts your job prospects and salary potential
- Common misconceptions about wildlife biology work (spoiler alert: it’s way more than fieldwork and cute animals!)
- The crucial importance of data analysis skills in modern wildlife careers
- Practical tips for preparing for a successful career in wildlife biology
- The realities of fieldwork vs. lab work in wildlife biology careers
- And More!!!
