Membership
We are the world’s largest community of professional ecologists
ESA is a community of 9,000 scientists, researchers, decision-makers, policy managers, and educators who are dedicated to understanding life on earth. We are an advocate for ecology and a voice for ecologists. ESA strengthens connections within and outside our community to support your work and promotes ecological science. As our discipline expands its boundaries with new ideas, new experimental tools, and the recruitment of scientists across disciplines and career sectors, we hope you will join us.
All memberships (except Life and Emeritus) are based on the calendar year and expire on December 31 of the year, except when membership for the next upcoming year opens each fall. For example:
- Join in January 2024: Expires in December 2024
- Join in May 2024: Expires in December 2024
- Join in November 2024: Expires December 2025
Benefits of belonging to ESA include:
- CAREER DEVELOPMENT: Members enjoy free (or highly discounted) professional development events, and our professional certification opens doors to career opportunities and growth without the need to pursue more degrees, and at a fraction of the cost. We aim to make ecologists better scientists and leaders.
- COMMUNITY: Our membership is the largest in the field; we are also the center of an international community of tens of thousands. Our support for DEIJ in ecology is unmatched.
- NETWORKING: Connect through our Member Directory, our listservs (including ECOLOG-L) and our many sections and chapters — all members choose one when they join and may add others at $5 each, dues that allow those bodies to support activities throughout the membership year — to say nothing of meeting in person with thousands of colleagues at the Annual Meeting.
- RESEARCH: Online access to all ESA journals, and unique publications covering important areas of emerging science.
- PUBLISHING: Researchers at the cutting edge of ecology and allied sciences come to our journals for their prestige, but also for the unparalleled editorial support that leads to more citations and engagement with the community than can be found anywhere. We also have grant support for those who need it. See each journal’s author guidelines.
- ADVOCACY and IMPACT: We work with media to convey the value of ecological research results to the general public, as well as to garner federal support for ecological research; we also support the growth of emerging ecologists as advocates for the use of good science in decision-making.
- SAVE MONEY: ESA members enjoy substantial savings on everything from the Annual Meeting to workshops and courses to webinars and certification, plus unique opportunities available only to ESA members, like 10% off courses offered by PR Statistics — contact gro.asenull@pihsrebmem for more info.
Membership Pricing
Regular Membership
| Annual Income | Dues |
| Under $40,000 | $77 |
| $40,001 – $60,000 | $118 |
| $60,001 – $100,000 | $148 |
| $100,001 – $150,000 | $179 |
| Over $150,001 | $214 |
| Students | $40 |
| A copy of a valid student ID card required by email to the ESA membership office. Please also inform us your anticipated degree (BA, MS, PhD, etc.) and anticipated degree year in the email. | |
| Contributing Member | $331 |
| Provides an addition level of annual support to ESA programs. | |
| Life Member | $3,019 |
| Enjoy lifetime membership benefits offered through the Society. Chapter and section memberships must be renewed on an annual basis. | |
| Developing Country Membership | |
| Regular | $61 |
| Student | $25 |
| Developing Country Memberships are available to individuals who are citizens of a developing country and currently residing in that country. For a list of developing countries, select the following link. Worldbank™ Country Classifications | |
Emeritus Membership
Complimentary and available to retired individuals who have been ESA members for at least 30 consecutive years. If you have recently retired and think you may be eligible for this category, please contact the ESA membership office to verify your eligibility. Chapter and section memberships must be renewed on an annual basis, which can be done online.
Cancellation and Refund Policy for Membership
Membership dues are non-refundable. However, if you paid for a membership by mistake on our member portal, written request of refund with explanations must be emailed to the ESA membership office within 30 days from the date of your membership dues payment.