Environmental Economists

Environmental economists participate in internships and fellowships while in school to gain practical work experience. This introduces them to the methods and tools used for collecting and analyzing data, conducting surveys, and creating reports and presentations to share their findings. Most employers prefer to hire environmental economists with several years of prior work experience. Environmental economists are knowledgeable about economic and accounting principles; mathematics, including calculus and statistics, and their applications; and laws and regulations. They are detail oriented, capable of gathering and reviewing large amounts of data and using logic to identify and solve problems. They have a good grasp of the English language and are able to communicate their findings and ideas in clear, concise ways that people can understand. Environmental economists are investigative and enterprising, and are able to work alone and as part of a team.