Climatologist?

Question

How much schooling do you need to become a climatologist?(minimum and maximum schooling)
What yearly income do you earn at an entry level, after 5 years, and after 25 years?
What kind of companies would hire you?

Answer 1

You can be a climatologist and go for the $ or you can observe the weather well and get nothing, or anything inbetween.

To my knowledge, these are the only accurate snow statistics for the Poconos:

http://www.joseph-bartlo.net/mtpdat.htm

On the contrary, look here and see what snow statistics the NWS has for Mount Pocono:

http://www.weather.gov/climate/index.php?wfo=phi

Their lack of snow data also adversely affects the precipitation amounts they reoprt.

I am paid nothing - just do that for myself and anyone else who may be interested. I studied weather a long time, was in the college environment for 10 years with 2 degrees for atmospheric science, and have seen and measured many snow events. So you have to learn what you are doing.

These obervations are taken carefully and are very accurate, yet you won't see them in any climatologist's records. They like observations from spotters who took a 2-week course and put down snowboards where snow accumulates when it melts on the ground and where snow blows off when it's windy.

So if you are talking about what you asked and if you are talking about taking accurate observations, you are to some extent referring to 2 different things. Yet just like here on Yahoo! Answers where incorrect answers are chosen as the best from people who "took a course" and correct answers aren't from people who've taken many and then studied some more, it is the same with observations in some cases.

Answer 2

I don't know where you are but I can tell you about Australia. You will need a bachelor of Science degree majoring in Maths and Physics and preferably with Honours to be accepted into the Bureau of Meteorology as a trainee meteorologist. If you are accepted, you will do a 12 month course giving you a Diploma in Meteorology. As a newly qualified meteorologist you would be sent to a Regional Office where you would work in all sections over a three year period, learning your craft.

If you chose to specialise in climatology, you would be encouraged to do a Masters or a PhD and would be helped in your studies by the Government. The Bureau provides two scholarships a year for meteorologists for full time study and assists those doing part time study.

You would be earning between $70,000 and $100,000 a year with further rises as you get promoted.

Answer 3

The old professor says: Anyone can become a climatologist if they have an interest in it. To be recognized as an authority in the discipline you would need at least a bachelor's degree in climatology. There is no upper limit to the education level in climate studies. A Ph.D is the top of the crop, and the highest level of authority...if active in it by doing research and publishing your results frequently.

Income depends on what you are working on and/or who you are working for and what your experience and level of education is. I would hazard a guess of around $25-35k for an entry level position and upwards of $100K for a research Ph.D climatologist associated with a large university and bringing in good research grants.

At present, the US govt. is interested in climatologists, for obvious reasons. Universities are looking for well qualified folks for professorial and research positions. Insurance companies need climatological data etc. for actuarial tables and risk assessment. Other associated areas include environmental climatology, micro and macro climatology, paleoclimatology, and economic climatology. These specialties often require graduate degrees such as a master's or doctorate's.