What Are the Benefits of Being a Paleontologist?
The benefits of a career in paleontology range from an excellent career outlook to a challenging and rewarding daily life. Paleontologists have the chance to uncover artifacts that detail the progression of human and plant life and make intriguing discoveries. As of 2014, the median annual salary for paleontologists is $67,470.
Paleontologists get the opportunity to work across multiple scientific and sociological disciplines. This gives them the chance to focus on a specific field of research about which they are passionate, such as vertebrates, invertebrates or plants. Paleontologists are also able to travel frequently, often to exotic locations, in order to go on explorations and collect information for their areas of research.
Most paleontologists are passionate about exploring the past and find it thrilling to unearth the lost secrets of life on Earth, such as dinosaur fossils and ancient plant life. Paleontology is an incredibly rewarding field that bridges the gap between many sciences and holds significant opportunity for new discoveries.
Paleontologists are at the forefront of making predictive analyses that have a major impact on everything from climate change to understanding how different species evolved. While other historical sciences are relegated to speculation, paleontologists are able to gather tangible evidence to support their hypotheses of the past.
