As global warming melts the polar ice caps, pushing sea levels to record levels and disrupting currents and ecosystems, experts on protecting and managing natural water systems are more important than ever. In fact, employment of oceanographers, geoscientists who study the world's oceans and coastal waters, is projected to grow more than 20 percent from 2006 to 2016, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Another indicator of the importance of oceanographers is the salary the position demands: the highest paid geoscientists bring home upward of $135,000 each year.
Salaries
As of May 2006, the middle 50 percent of U.S. geoscientists brought home between $51,860 and $100,650 annually, according to BLS. The median annual earnings were $72,660 with the lowest 10 percent of geoscientists earning less than $39,740 and the highest 10 percent making annual salaries of more than $135,950. The U.S. government paid oceanographers an average annual salary of $93,461.
Education and Work Experience
Among the many factors that can impact the salary of a geoscientist is education. According to the U.S. Office of Naval Research, oceanographers with a bachelor's degree earn, on average, $32,828 annual salaries at their first job. Annual entry-level salaries increase to $47,981 with a master's degree and $61,050 with a doctorate degree. Salaries are also commensurate with work experience. Payscale.com places the average annually salary of geoscientists with between one and four years of working experience between $40,000 and $95,000. The median salary range increases to $56,600 through $145,500 for geoscientists with between 10 and 19 years experience.
Employment Growth
As concern about environmental protection and responsible water management increases, so too will the demand for oceanographers. Overall, the employment outlook for geoscientists is promising. BLS estimates that employment of geoscientists is expected to grow at a rate of 22 percent through 2016, which is much faster than the national average for all professions. That means that by 2016, there will be 38,000 geologist jobs available in the U.S., which is 6,800 more than were available in 2006.
Employment Opportunities
Job candidates with a master's degree in the geosciences have excellent job opportunities, according to BLS. There are very little job opportunities in the field of oceanography for recent graduates who hold only a bachelor's degree, according to BLS. However graduates with a geoscience undergraduate degree may have a competitive edge when applying for related jobs, such as a science educator or technician.
Job Locations
While oceanography jobs can be found in nearly every part of the U.S., most are near large bodies of water on the east and west coasts, the Great Lakes and Gulf of Mexico, according to the U.S. Office of Naval Research. The state and federal governments and institutions of higher learning employ the vast majority of oceanographers.
Tags: more than, annual salaries, average annual, bachelor degree, geoscientists with, geoscientists with between, master degree
