lionqueen

Hello, I am looking for some advice when it comes to deciding whether pursuing a PhD is worth the time, effort, and so on that it entails. A bit of background first: I earned my BSc in biology in 2015 with a minor in psychology and (minor) research focuses in animal behavior and evolution. I simultaneously worked as a veterinary technician while in undergrad and for 2 years after graduating from undergrad, so for a total of almost 5 years. During this time I decided that vet school was not for me and decided to apply for a MS biology degree program, of which I was accepted into and am currently studying at. This is a two-year program and by the end, I will have finished a thesis that is ecology related that will hopefully be published and/or presented. I finally decided that I wish to pursue a career involving behavioral ecology, evolution, and conservation biology/management. I am now researching Ecology, Behavior, and Evolution PhD programs and plan to apply this fall. My concern is that I am troubled by the depressing salary information I have been reading for some positions related to what I want to study. My main question is would working toward a PhD in this field be worth it financially? It should seem that the greater educational background you have, the greater salary one should receive, but from what I have read, biologists with PhD's and even some biology professors salaries are not as significant as what some may assume they are. I would love to be able to work for conservation organizations and/or be a professor, but I am troubled by the low salaries I have been finding and worry that even though I may have a PhD (which by the way, I have always planned on finishing my education with a doctorate degree, just one of my many goals in life), it will be difficult to pay back what student loans I have and to be able have financial stability. Of course, they say it is not always supposed to be about the paychecks, and you need to find a career that makes you happy and lets you carry out your passions and interests, which I believe working in this field will let me do, but as many Americans are right now, I am concerned about the job market and financial planning for the future. Any advice would be appreciated!