Thinking of career switch into environmental science

[mrgorth]

1) I already have a BS and a useless field. I'm guessing it might take me about 30 credits to get a BS in ES.

2) How is the job market out there? I don't think I could go all the way to get a masters.

3) I currently make about $50k/yr. Would I expect to take a massive pay cut right out of the gate?

4) Can someone recommend good schools in eastern PA?

Thanks.

[phantom power]

1. You might get a feel for salary on this page:

http://www.abbott-langer.com/alasci.html

They don't always break things out exactly the way you want, but it may be enough to get an idea.

If it's anything like field biology, you can expect not to get rich. But my unexpert guess is that you could continue to live the lifestyle to which you've become accustomed.

[midnight armadillo]

2. Just go straight for a master's

Many master's programs will take people from other fields for a new degree. Some may make you spend an extra year doing some 'remedial' work, i.e. taking a few undergrad courses, to get you up to speed.

BS+MS trumps dual bachelor's in the marketplace. What is your BS degree in? It may have some use in the business of environmental science - knowing finance or something would be very useful.

The other advantage of just doing a master's would be the other students would have a better shot at being close to your age than the undergrads, unless you just graduated. This may be a disadvantage, of course, depending on your view.

[mrgorth]

3. My degree

(don't laugh) is in Wood Science and Technology. Essentially, forest products. I know it's wierd but I started out in Forestry and realized there were no jobs so I switched to something more science based. I'd be interested in just getting a masters I just don't think I have the time or patience for a thesis. I'd be trying to do this while juggling a full time job and 2 kids.

[midnight armadillo]

4. That sounds good for a master's program

Your background sounds like it'd be perfect for an environmental sciences master's. I'd make some calls to colleges & check out programs...try calling places like the Rocky Mountain Inst. or the Sierra Club to see if there's any programs near you with a good rep.

Don't sweat the thesis - they're typically as much as 50% background info and filler to make them self-contained. My PhD thesis was 180 pages and has several chapters of background (and I wrote it with a newborn, collicky baby at home, so you have my full sympathy with juggling a family!)
. A MS thesis is typically shorter, maybe 50-75 pages, and when you sit down to write it it's not hard since you just write up all the work you did.

[seasat]

5. I'd be careful about the job market, though.

I'm finishing up a PhD in Oceanography and jobs are scarce. Shrub Inc has and will continuing gutting research funding and degrading environmental regulations. We're scrambling to find funding for me to do a post doc at my university. I may teach school for a while until a job opens up. Most techs with a MS start out at around $35,000.

[mrgorth]

6. Yeah, that's a real concern

I just want to do something that my heart is into you know? Maybe the pendulum will swing the other way. Thanks for the info.

[seasat]

7. You definitely can't beat it for the personal rewards.

In addition to the obvious contributions to human knowledge and evironmental defense, you also get a mentally challenging job. I spent years in the business world and after getting severely disenchanted after the 4th company I worked for went out of business, I went back to college got an MS and now am finishing a PhD. I believe the tides will eventually change because I'm an optimist. However, things are going to be dicey as far as research funds for at least the next 4 years.