Top growing jobs for outdoorsy people

 

Love the great outdoors? Consider some of these growing career opportunities.

We all like to get out of the office and into nature every once in a while, but for some, the call of the wild is strong enough to lure them from life behind a desk. If you're looking for an opportunity to spend your working hours a little closer to nature, here are 10 growing jobs for you to consider:

1. Wind turbine service technicians install, maintain, and repair wind turbines. They inspect the exterior and physical integrity of towers, perform routine maintenance on turbines and collect turbine data for testing or research and analysis.

• 2011-2016 job growth – 21%
• 2016-2021 job growth – 11%
• Median hourly earnings – $21.48

2. Solar photovoltaic installers assemble, install, or maintain solar panel systems on roofs or other structures.

• 2011-2016 job growth – 20%
• 2016-2021 job growth – 9%
• Median hourly earnings – $19.68

3. Anthropologists and archeologists study the origin, development and behavior of humans. They examine the cultures, languages, archeological remains and physical characteristics of people in various parts of the world.

• 2011-2016 job growth – 12%
• 2016-2021 job growth – 9%
• Median hourly earnings – $29.50

4. Geoscientists study the physical aspects of the Earth, such as its composition, structure and processes, to learn about its past, present and future.

• 2011-2016 job growth – 11%
• 2016-2021 job growth – 9%
• Median hourly earnings – $46.83

5. Geographers study the Earth and its land, features and inhabitants. They gather geographic data through field observations, maps, photographs, satellite imagery and censuses.

• 2011-2016 job growth – 11%
• 2016-2021 job growth – 11%
• Median hourly earnings – $34.95

6. Grounds maintenance workers ensure that the grounds of houses, businesses and parks are attractive, orderly and healthy in order to provide a pleasant outdoor environment.

• 2011-2016 job growth – 10%
• 2016-2021 job growth – 6%
• Median hourly earnings – $14.47

7. Landscape architects design parks and the outdoor spaces of campuses, recreational facilities, private homes and other open spaces.

• 2011-2016 job growth – 8%
• 2016-2021 job growth – 3%
• Median hourly earnings – $29.35

8. Marine engineers and naval architects design, build and maintain ships from aircraft carriers to submarines, from sailboats to tankers. Also known as marine design engineers or marine mechanical engineers, marine engineers are primarily responsible for the internal systems of a ship, such as propulsion, electrical, refrigeration and steering. Naval architects are primarily responsible for ship design, including the form, structure and stability of hulls.

• 2011-2016 job growth –
• 2016-2021 job growth –
• Median hourly earnings –

9. Zoologists and wildlife biologists study animals and other wildlife and how they interact with their ecosystems. They study the physical characteristics of animals, animal behaviors and the impacts humans have on wildlife and natural habitats.

• 2011-2016 job growth – 3%
• 2016-2021 job growth – 5%
• Median hourly earnings – $28.67

10. Foresters manage the overall land quality of forests, parks, rangelands and other natural resources.

• 2011-2016 job growth – 3%
• 2016-2021 job growth – 4%
• Median hourly earnings – $28.51