Industrial Ecologists
Apply principles and processes of natural ecosystems to develop models for efficient industrial systems. Use knowledge from the physical and social sciences to maximize effective use of natural resources in the production and use of goods and services. Examine societal issues and their relationship with both technical systems and the environment.
Also called: Ecologist · Environmental Consultant · Environmental Protection Agency Counselor · Research Scientist · Researcher
Median pay (national)
$80,060
$50,130–$134,830 (10th–90th)
Employed (US)
84,930
BLS OEWS, May 2024
Outlook 2024–34
+4.4%
~8,500 openings/yr
Typical entry
Bachelor's degree
What the numbers say
Refit analysis ·Pay for industrial ecologists shows an unusually wide range: the top 10% earn $134,830 versus $50,130 at the bottom 10% — 2.7x. The median of $80,060 leaves roughly 68% of headroom to the 90th percentile, which is where seniority, specialization, and the skills below tend to pay off.
Refit analysis ·Employment is projected to change +4.4% from 2024 to 2034 — faster than the 3% all-occupation average. Even so, BLS projects about 8,500 openings a year, mostly to replace workers who retire or change careers.
Refit analysis ·Where you work moves the number a lot. Across the 54 states with released data, District of Columbia pays the most for this role (median $122,440, +53% vs the national median), while Puerto Rico sits lowest at $47,250 — a 159% spread for the same job title.
Refit analysis ·O*NET rates Reading Comprehension, Active Listening, Writing as the highest-importance skills here — so a resume aimed at this role should lead with evidence of those, not a generic skills list. On the tools side, O*NET flags Microsoft Excel as in-demand technologies for this role.
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Top skills employers ask for
Ranked by O*NET importance for this occupation.
- Reading Comprehension
- Active Listening
- Writing
- Speaking
- Critical Thinking
- Science
- Active Learning
- Mathematics
- Monitoring
- Learning Strategies
What they actually do
Core O*NET tasks for this role.
- Identify or develop strategies or methods to minimize the environmental impact of industrial production processes.
- Conduct environmental sustainability assessments, using material flow analysis (MFA) or substance flow analysis (SFA) techniques.
- Review research literature to maintain knowledge on topics related to industrial ecology, such as physical science, technology, economy, and public policy.
- Redesign linear, or open-loop, systems into cyclical, or closed-loop, systems so that waste products become inputs for new processes, modeling natural ecosystems.
- Prepare technical and research reports, such as environmental impact reports, and communicate the results to individuals in industry, government, or the general public.
- Examine local, regional, or global use and flow of materials or energy in industrial production processes.
- Monitor the environmental impact of development activities, pollution, or land degradation.
- Build and maintain databases of information about energy alternatives, pollutants, natural environments, industrial processes, and other information related to ecological change.
- Perform analyses to determine how human behavior can affect, and be affected by, changes in the environment.
- Recommend methods to protect the environment or minimize environmental damage from industrial production practices.
Tools & technology
- Microsoft Excel
- Adobe Illustrator
- Adobe Photoshop
- Apache Hadoop
- Atlassian JIRA
- Autodesk AutoCAD
- C#
- ESRI ArcGIS software
- Git
- Linux
- Microsoft SQL Server
- Microsoft Visio
- Microsoft Visual Studio
- Microsoft Windows
- NoSQL
- Oracle Database
Knowledge areas
- Mathematics
- Engineering and Technology
- Chemistry
- Computers and Electronics
- Physics
- English Language
- Production and Processing
- Design