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Environmental Economists

Environmental Economists score 61 out of 100, which is high exposure to AI. That ranks #94 of 923 US occupations, where #1 is the most exposed. Of the 20 tasks in this job, AI could speed up 4 on its own and 16 more with extra software built on top of it. In April–May 2026, 3 of these tasks showed up in real conversations with Claude, Anthropic's AI assistant.

61/ 100
High
Rank
#94of 923 jobs
US workers
17,790for Economists
Median pay
$124,720a year
In real AI use
3 of 20tasks, April–May 2026

Task by task

Each task this job involves, as listed by O*NET, rated on whether a large language model like GPT-4 could cut the time it takes by at least half at the same quality. Tasks marked Seen in real AI use appeared in conversations with Claude in April–May 2026 (Anthropic Economic Index).

  • AI can speed this up on its own: 4 (20%)
  • AI can speed this up with extra software: 16 (80%)
  • Little or no AI speed-up: 0 (0%)
  • Write technical documents or academic articles to communicate study results or economic forecasts.AI can speed this up on its own · core task
  • Perform complex, dynamic, and integrated mathematical modeling of ecological, environmental, or economic systems.AI can speed this up on its own · core task
  • Write social, legal, or economic impact statements to inform decision makers for natural resource policies, standards, or programs.AI can speed this up on its own · core task
  • Write research proposals and grant applications to obtain private or public funding for environmental and economic studies.AI can speed this up on its own · core task · Seen in real AI use
  • Conduct research on economic and environmental topics, such as alternative fuel use, public and private land use, soil conservation, air and water pollution control, and endangered species protection.AI can speed this up with extra software · core task
  • Collect and analyze data to compare the environmental implications of economic policy or practice alternatives.AI can speed this up with extra software · core task
  • Assess the costs and benefits of various activities, policies, or regulations that affect the environment or natural resource stocks.AI can speed this up with extra software · core task
  • Prepare and deliver presentations to communicate economic and environmental study results, to present policy recommendations, or to raise awareness of environmental consequences.AI can speed this up with extra software · core task
  • Develop programs or policy recommendations to achieve environmental goals in cost-effective ways.AI can speed this up with extra software · core task
  • Develop economic models, forecasts, or scenarios to predict future economic and environmental outcomes.AI can speed this up with extra software · core task
  • Demonstrate or promote the economic benefits of sound environmental regulations.AI can speed this up with extra software · core task
  • Conduct research to study the relationships among environmental problems and patterns of economic production and consumption.AI can speed this up with extra software · core task
  • Teach courses in environmental economics.AI can speed this up with extra software · core task
  • Develop programs or policy recommendations to promote sustainability and sustainable development.AI can speed this up with extra software · core task
  • Develop systems for collecting, analyzing, and interpreting environmental and economic data.AI can speed this up with extra software · core task
  • Examine the exhaustibility of natural resources or the long-term costs of environmental rehabilitation.AI can speed this up with extra software · core task
  • Monitor or analyze market and environmental trends.AI can speed this up with extra software · core task · Seen in real AI use
  • Develop environmental research project plans, including information on budgets, goals, deliverables, timelines, and resource requirements.AI can speed this up with extra software · core task
  • Identify and recommend environmentally friendly business practices.AI can speed this up with extra software · supplemental task
  • Interpret indicators to ascertain the overall health of an environment.AI can speed this up with extra software · supplemental task · Seen in real AI use

Similar jobs, lower exposure

Related occupations that score at least 10 points lower.

Other jobs in this field

Life, Physical, and Social Science occupations close to this one.

Questions about environmental economists and AI

Will AI replace environmental economists?

Probably not entirely, but the job is likely to change a lot. Environmental Economists score 61 out of 100 (high exposure), #94 of 923 US jobs. AI could speed up 20 of the job's 20 tasks, 4 of them on its own. Exposure means the work is likely to change, not that the job will disappear.

Which environmental economists tasks can AI do?

The most exposed tasks include "Write technical documents or academic articles to communicate study results or economic forecasts"; "Perform complex, dynamic, and integrated mathematical modeling of ecological, environmental, or economic systems"; "Write social, legal, or economic impact statements to inform decision makers for natural resource policies, standards, or programs".

Which environmental economists tasks are hardest for AI?

Every task in this job has some AI exposure, though 16 of them need extra software built around the AI.

Are people already using AI for this work?

Yes. In April–May 2026, 3 of the 20 tasks showed up in real conversations with Claude, according to the Anthropic Economic Index.

How many people work as environmental economists, and what do they earn?

About 17,790 people in the US (figure for Economists), with median pay of $124,720 a year (BLS, May 2025).

How to read this score. Exposure measures how much of the work AI could speed up, not whether the job will disappear. A highly exposed job can change shape, with people spending less time on routine tasks and more on the rest. The score counts tasks AI can speed up on its own in full, and tasks that need extra software at half weight.

The ratings come from published research based on GPT-4 (2023). To show what's happening now, each task is also checked against the latest Anthropic Economic Index, which records which tasks people actually use AI for. That data is refreshed automatically when Anthropic publishes a new release. Read the full method.

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