Environmental accountants record data related to pollution output.
As the United States continues to focus on the environment, the number of jobs in the environmental sector will increase accordingly. Some jobs allow professionals to use their current skills and experience in their field to help the environment. For example, in environmental accounting, the recording and analysis of data in financial matters expands to include data that affects the environment. As various industries cope with new rules and regulations regarding pollution, environmental accountants help keep companies in compliance.
Internal Auditor
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) anticipates that the number of jobs in accounting will likely increase by 22 percent between 2008 and 2018. This rate is nearly double that of all other careers in both the public and private sectors. Environmental accountants may receive specialized training beyond their standard accounting education. Although very few schools offer a specialized environmental accounting degree program, many schools offer opportunities for joint degrees or minors in environmental studies. Environmental accountants must be keenly aware of trends and laws in the environmental sector. Accordingly, environmental accountants must possess some level of specialized environmental education. The BLS places environmental accountants in the category of accountants referred to as internal auditors. Internal auditors work in various industries to evaluate a company's financial numbers, but also they also check for waste and fraud to ensure the company complies with environmental laws. A bachelor's degree is usually the minimum requirement for such a position. According to the BLS, the median annual salary of auditors in the management of companies was $59,820 as of May 2008.
Eco Consultant
Eco consultants provide similar services to those of internal auditors, but may do so for a firm that provides consulting services in the environmental sector for other businesses. They may also work as internal consultants with environmentally focused companies. Positions in this field may require either an associate or bachelor's degree, depending on the hiring firm or company. Fields of study include environmental science, business or accounting. An eco consultant's duties include audits with full sustainability evaluations, consultations with companies or potential clients, record-keeping and compliance evaluations. The BLS reports that the median hourly wage of those working in the consulting field varies. Accounting clerks and auditors earned a median wage of $16.61 per hour as of May 2008, while business operations specialists earned $27.99 per hour. Eco consultants are likely to fall within these two extremes.
Plant and Operations Managers
Individuals who possess a degree in accounting or environmental science and have some level of expertise or working knowledge of plant operations can work as plant or systems operators. Leadership in the water and liquid waste industry is a growing need. According to the BLS, the number of jobs in water and liquid waste management will grow 20 percent between 2008 and 2018. Although most jobs in this sector do not require a college education, larger companies with a strong national presence employ those with accounting and environmental expertise to help maintain legal standards and compliance. The BLS reports the median annual salary in this field as $38,430 as of 2008, but the top 10 percent earned over $59,860 per year. Plant and operations managers who possess specialized degrees and work for larger companies may command a salary closer to this latter figure.
