Environmental careers?

Question

What careers are there in this field that pay well? I'm interested in the environment and am considering doing a degree in environmental science, but I would like to know if there are any high paying jobs in this field or closely related to this field?

Answer 1

I have been doing work as a consultant for several years.  It pays the bills, but you will not get rich unless you own your own company.

If you want to get into environmental field, there are several avenues.

You can go into civil engineering, chemical engineering, or even environmental engineering.  You will need to be very good at math and science and you will need to pass your Fundamentals of Engineering and then your Professional Engineering exams to make good money.  If you pass the FE, you will intern for several years making okay pay, but working 50+ hour weeks (if you work for a consulting company).  Most new hires washout after about 5 years.

You can go into environmental geology.  Again, passing the Geologist in Training and PG exams are crucial for bigger bucks.

However, the people that make more than anybody are the environmental lawyers.  How do you become an environmental lawyer?  After graduating in either engineering, geology or environmental science, you get a job in your field.  After at least 5 years, you go to law school and graduate near the top of your class and market yourself to your employer as an environmental attorney.  

I have known two people that have done this and both doubled their salary overnight (well, at least after 3 years of law school or law school at night).

It is not an easy field to sustain a lifestyle as it is very demanding.  You will be on call for weekends if you get into emergency response.  You will be on call on holidays too.

Bottom line:  Make great grades and graduate at the top of your class.  Intern during the summers or coop (for nearly nothing) while you are in school and gain some experience.

When you graduate, remember that your client does not want to destroy the planet and your job is to help him legally do so (if you get into the permitting end of things [boring]), or that your client is not made of money and cannot afford to install the latest technology for groundwater remediation.

Answer 2

Careers regarding the environment are numerous and can be profitable. Also it depends what you consider high paying?  Also do you want to be private or public sector?

Environmental cleanup can be quite profitiable as there are lots of sites that need to be cleaned up the down side is there is a varitey of different methods and most are costly even the equipment so start up can be expensive. But can be a rewarding career.

Environmental Engineers make decent coin as well.

Environmental Protection Officer, if your into the legal side and enjoy investigating this is a good career but your wage will depend on the province u work for.

Environmental Lawyer can be quite profitiable too

Most jobs in the Environment and Natural resources pay well, and there is a mix of both public and priviate sector jobs it all depends on what your itnerested. If you want more info email me and I'll see what i can find.