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Any wildlife majors here?
Posted on 1/20/15 at 12:20 pm
Posted on 1/20/15 at 12:20 pm
And if so, what's your income and highest level of education completed?
I got my bachelor's of science a year ago and took a 35k job out of college. Have a graduate project locked up and heading back to school in the Fall. I may be aiming low, but I'm hoping that the master's degree locks me a job paying ~50k starting out after I graduate.
I'm finding that more and more people in our field with a M.S. or Ph.D are taking low level jobs that don't pay as much.
I'm generally just curious about everyone's experiences and any advice from anyone well into their careers already is appreciated.
I got my bachelor's of science a year ago and took a 35k job out of college. Have a graduate project locked up and heading back to school in the Fall. I may be aiming low, but I'm hoping that the master's degree locks me a job paying ~50k starting out after I graduate.
I'm finding that more and more people in our field with a M.S. or Ph.D are taking low level jobs that don't pay as much.
I'm generally just curious about everyone's experiences and any advice from anyone well into their careers already is appreciated.
10
Posted on 1/20/15 at 12:21 pm to dualed
You go into that field for the love of the work, not the money.
Posted on 1/20/15 at 12:21 pm to dualed
quote:
hoping that the master's degree locks me a job paying ~50k
that ain't happenin man 
Posted on 1/20/15 at 12:21 pm to dualed
What the shite is a wildlife major
Posted on 1/20/15 at 12:22 pm to TigerHam85
I absolutely went in bc I loved it and not for the money, but I still like money
Posted on 1/20/15 at 12:22 pm to dualed
quote:
I got my bachelor's of science
what degree do you have?
Posted on 1/20/15 at 12:23 pm to Jones
Natural Resource Ecology and Management
Posted on 1/20/15 at 12:23 pm to dualed
quote:
I'm finding that more and more people in our field with a M.S. or Ph.D are taking low level jobs that don't pay as much.
especially if you are getting a state job.
I know that wildlife actually pays less than fisheries in most cases for the state.
I took a state job with a bachelors in Oceanography and a master's in statistics. Only making about 40K (will top out at 60K because of automatic raises).
Could go work in the private industry and make more, but I love what I do so.
Basic: if you get in the perfect job and you enjoy what you do then don't worry about making big bucks.
This post was edited on 1/20/15 at 12:25 pm
Posted on 1/20/15 at 12:23 pm to TheOcean
quote:
What the shite is a wildlife major
Posted on 1/20/15 at 12:25 pm to dualed
i have a masters in animal science. spent almost 3 years trying to get into wildlife and fisheries for some crappy paying job.
said screw it and went back to school to get a useful degree
said screw it and went back to school to get a useful degree
Posted on 1/20/15 at 12:25 pm to Jones
Posted on 1/20/15 at 12:25 pm to gaetti15
quote:
Masters in statistics
You may love what you do, but making 40k with that degree is BS. Research is becoming so quantitative now that the state should be ashamed of themselves for only forking up 40k for that. Are you in LA?
Posted on 1/20/15 at 12:27 pm to dualed
quote:
I'm hoping that the master's degree locks me a job paying ~50k starting out after I graduate.
The master's will only get you a 3k bump starting out.
Posted on 1/20/15 at 12:28 pm to dualed
quote:
Research is becoming so quantitative now that the state should be ashamed of themselves for only forking up 40k for that. Are you in LA?
yep in LA.
Go look at state salaries for the Office of Wildlife in LDWF...you won't see many Biologists/DCL-A' or B's making very much money.
www.louisianasunshine.org
if they do they have either been in the department a long time, or know somebody higher up.
ETA: Avg. salary is $38,000. (everybody)
For all biologist (I,II,III) average salary is $41,000
Including DCL-A's and DCL-B's into the mix, that bounces the salary up to $46,000
This post was edited on 1/20/15 at 12:38 pm
Posted on 1/20/15 at 12:39 pm to gaetti15
Never knew about that website. I checked out a lot of people that I know and am surprised at how little they make. It's weird too because their job titles should be paying them much more than what they're earning. Seems dumb to me that a 15 year biologist 3 can make more than a biologist manager. Didn't see that specific example but you get the idea. Since when does time put in mean more than having bigger responsibilities
Posted on 1/20/15 at 12:48 pm to TigerHam85
quote:
You go into that field for the love of the work, not the money.
Posted on 1/20/15 at 12:56 pm to dualed
quote:
Never knew about that website. I checked out a lot of people that I know and am surprised at how little they make. It's weird too because their job titles should be paying them much more than what they're earning. Seems dumb to me that a 15 year biologist 3 can make more than a biologist manager. Didn't see that specific example but you get the idea. Since when does time put in mean more than having bigger responsibilities
it really just boils down to what everybody in this thread has been saying, you do it because you enjoy the type of work...not the money.
You will find that (although having more money is always nice) job happiness is way better than doing a job get paid a lot of money for, but don't have any fulfillment in doing.
ETA: if you can find both then suck that job up right away...I've been looking for a couple of years...like a freaking unicorn.
This post was edited on 1/20/15 at 12:58 pm
Posted on 1/20/15 at 1:10 pm to dualed
quote:
dualed
You should look into trying to intern or work for some of the high end high fenced large game lodges, or just some of the high end lodges. I met a few people with wildlife majors that were managing the land at some of those places and making a pretty decent living.
Posted on 1/20/15 at 1:13 pm to dualed
You have to think outside the box.
You can contract yourself out to wealthy landowners as a property/habitat/wildlife manager.
Or you can start a company that specializes in maximum habitat yield design/build for private landowners. Get good enough at it, and the state may contract you to help resource manage state lands.
There are ways of making money doing anything, you just have to have the foresight and balls to do it.
Or you can spend years climbing the ranks in LDWF for $50k......
You can contract yourself out to wealthy landowners as a property/habitat/wildlife manager.
Or you can start a company that specializes in maximum habitat yield design/build for private landowners. Get good enough at it, and the state may contract you to help resource manage state lands.
There are ways of making money doing anything, you just have to have the foresight and balls to do it.
Or you can spend years climbing the ranks in LDWF for $50k......
Posted on 1/20/15 at 1:16 pm to gaetti15
quote:
LDWF
Even though the pay is not the best, I know a lot of folks who work there and really enjoy it. Apparently it is becoming much more difficult to land a job there as tons of qualified people apply for most openings.
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