Everyone from the President to NASA officials to business executives has said it over and over again: science careers are key to America’s future. Careers in the sciences are incredibly varied: medical, engineering, and technology careers all fall within the greater scientific umbrella. Here we’re going to take a look at just a small sampling of myriad rewarding science careers.
Science Careers Require the Right Degree
Paths for Science Careers
The aviation industry isn’t usually the first thing that comes to mind when people think of careers in science. But the pilots who fly the aircraft, the flight engineers who maintain and repair them, and the air traffic controllers who coordinate them are all keenly aware of the science and engineering that makes up the backbone of their industry.
Jobs within the natural sciences, such as chemists, material scientists, and biological scientists, are other growing options for science careers. Far from the days where such scientists were employed in a handful of universities and research labs, now the growing awareness and importance of biological and chemical knowledge makes those with advanced training in the physical sciences very valuable commodities.
As the world’s demand on the limited supply of oil and other fossil fuels continues to grow, the need for sustainable fuel production increases every day. Biofuel and biodiesel product careers help create new and exciting forms of automotive fuel to augment or replace gasoline and diesel. Biomass plant operators help to produce fuels made from plant matter such as agricultural waste.
Salaries For Science Careers
Earnings for pilots and flight engineers will vary greatly depending on the type of planes that they fly or maintain and whether they work for passenger airlines or commercial ventures. Generally speaking, however, most pilots and flight engineers earn between $81,000 and $150,000, with the median falling around $111,000. Commercial pilots tend to earn significantly less, with their median salary around $65,000, with most earning between $45,000 and 89,000.
Air traffic controllers earn a median salary of around $111,000, with most earning between $71,000 and 143,000. Air traffic controllers also generally receive very good benefits, with most receiving 13 days’ paid sick leave, 13 to 26 days’ paid vacation, as well as health and life insurance benefits.
Chemists earn a median wage of around $66,000, with most earning between $48,000 to 89,000. The wage of a chemist will depend greatly on his employer: the median wage for chemists employed by the Federal Executive Branch of the government was $95,000; those employed by scientific research and development services earned median wages of $76,000, while those working in the architectural, engineering, and related fields earned median wages of just over $51,000. Materials scientists earn significantly more than chemists, with median wages around $80,000.
Careers in the biological sciences can also pay very well, depending on the specific area of biology studied. Biochemists and biophysicists earn median salaries around $82,000. Microbiologists earn median salaries around $64,000. And zoologists and wildlife biologists earn around $55,000. As usual, those working for the Federal Government can expect to earn significantly more than their private counterparts, with microbiologists earning around $97,000 and zoologists, $116,000.
Biofuel and biodiesel product developer salaries are difficult to peg exactly as the industry is still in its infancy. However, engineering managers earn average incomes around $117,000, with most earning between $90,000 and $144,000. Biomass plant operators earn average incomes of just under $50,000.
Education For Science Careers
Many pilots learn to fly in the military, but growing percentage have civilian flight training and college degrees. In fact, while some small airlines hire high school graduates, the majority of entrants into the pilot profession have a college degree. As focus on airline liability continues to rise, many are making it a requirement. Pilots must also have sufficient training and flight experience to qualify for FAA licensure: they must have at least 250 hours of flight experience, pass strict physical examinations and written exams on regulations and flight principles, and must finally demonstrate their flying ability to FAA examiners.
Air traffic controllers have varying requirements, but all must have enough education and experience to be relatively comparable to a two- or four-year, non-engineering degree in aviation principles. They must also pass a pre-employment exam lasting about eight hours that measures their ability to learn the duties of a controller.
Chemists and materials scientists require at least a bachelor’s degree in order to qualify for entry-level jobs. However, most research and executive positions within the industry require a Ph.D. Likewise, biological scientists may often gain entry-level employment with an undergraduate degree, but in order to conduct their own research or gain high-level jobs within the industry, graduate training is almost always necessary.
Biofuel and biodiesel product developers typically hold degrees in engineering, chemistry, or mathematics. The vast majority hold bachelor’s degrees or higher. On the other hand, only slightly more than half of biomass plant operators hold a college degree – though those that do tend to earn higher salaries. Those with college training usually hold degrees in the sciences or technology.
Featured Degrees in Science
- Schools and Degree Information in Food Science
- Schools and Degree Information in Biomedical Engineering
Outlook for Science Careers
Jobs for pilots and flight engineers are expected to grow about as fast as the average for all occupations, at around 12 percent. Opportunities are expected to be best for experienced pilots, while those seeking jobs with major airlines will face strong competition.
Positions for air traffic controllers tell a similar story: while employment is expected to grow by about 13 percent, competition for entry into the FAA Academy is expected to be particularly keen.
Chemists and materials scientists will see varying degrees of job growth. Overall, the industry is expected to grow much slower than the national average, at around three percent. However, employment within industrial and professional settings is expecting more robust growth, at around 12 percent.
Biological scientists, on the other hand, can expect growth nearly double the national average, at around 21 percent. As more and more students are pursuing graduate education in the field, competition for jobs and grant funding will be intense.
Biofuel and biodiesel product developers will see slower growth, at around 6 percent. Again, however, this figure is difficult to predict with any certainty due to the small size of the industry. Likewise, biomass plant operators can expect growth between three and nine percent.
Science careers have the advantage of flexibility. Those with college-level training in physical sciences have wide applicability, and can often find work in any economy as long as they’re willing to think outside the box just a little.
