Bat Biologist

Also called: Chiropterologist, Bat Ecologist

Studies and protects bats, often for environmental surveys and conservation.

A day in the life

Sets up mist nets at dusk to catch bats, records their ultrasonic calls with acoustic detectors, and surveys caves and bridges before construction projects.

Pay over a career

Starting

$45k

Typical

$65k

High

$95k

Estimate.

Approximate: anchored on Bureau of Labor Statistics data for a broader job group.

Training

Bachelor's degree (4-year), about 4 years after high school. Bachelor's in wildlife biology; federal bat-handling permits; master's for advancement.

Ways in: 4-year college, Graduate school. Training cost: $15k – $60k.

Majors to look at: Wildlife Biology, Biology.

Outlook

Growing about average. Steady demand from environmental review work.

Will it last? Our AI estimate

Low risk for 10 years. Acoustic AI sorts bat calls automatically, but mist-netting at night and cave surveys stay hands-on fieldwork.

Start now, in high school

Classes: AP Biology, AP Environmental Science, Statistics, Earth science.

• Join a local bat walk or Bat Week event
• Build and monitor a bat box for a science fair
• Log sightings on iNaturalist

Official data: O*NET occupation 19-1023.

More Wildlife & Conservation Biology careers

• Wildlife Veterinarian
• Research Wildlife Biologist
• Endangered Species Program Manager
• Conservation Organization Director
• Wildlife Biologist
• Fish & Game Warden
• Wildlife Forensic Scientist
• Ornithologist
• Wildlife Refuge Manager
• Wildlife GIS Analyst
• Wildlife Damage Management Specialist
• Wildlife Technician
• Interpretive Park Ranger
• Wildlife Removal Specialist
• Hunting & Fishing Guide
• Wildlife Photographer
• Wildlife Special Agent
• Wildlife Disease Biologist
• Wildlife Capture Specialist
• Camera Trap Technician
• Bear Management Technician
• Game Bird Farmer
• Chronic Wasting Disease Sampling Technician

Career Universe is an early version. Pay, training and AI-risk figures are estimates to start your own research, not verified facts. The research was written with AI research assistants, checked by validation scripts and spot-checked by hand. Check anything important with schools, employers and official sources. How the numbers work.