Environmental scientists and specialists, including health salary
| Measure | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $52,520 | $25.25 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $82,220 | $39.53 |
| Mean (average) | $91,680 | $44.08 |
| 90th percentile | $140,010 | $67.31 |
These wages describe everyone employed in the occupation, from new entrants to experienced workers. They are not starting salaries and not earnings of graduates from any particular program. Verified data
Environmental scientists and specialists, including health pay by state and metro area
Table: median wage and employment for all 54 states and territories
| State | Median | 10th pct | 90th pct | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $72,490 | $41,260 | $114,900 | 870 | 0.72 |
| Alaska | $91,960 | $61,840 | $147,910 | 860 | 4.59 |
| Arizona | $80,600 | $57,100 | $160,910 | 1,970 | 1.06 |
| Arkansas | $57,220 | $35,580 | $122,270 | 270 | 0.36 |
| California | $106,510 | $65,350 | $161,910 | 12,490 | 1.19 |
| Colorado | $85,990 | $65,260 | $140,340 | 2,580 | 1.56 |
| Connecticut | $82,070 | $60,820 | $130,620 | 620 | 0.64 |
| Delaware | $64,690 | $50,220 | $106,060 | 290 | 1.04 |
| District of Columbia | $132,620 | $78,270 | $185,220 | 1,270 | 3.15 |
| Florida | $60,830 | $42,600 | $109,290 | 5,950 | 1.04 |
| Georgia | $85,710 | $56,470 | $162,410 | 1,750 | 0.62 |
| Guam | $68,640 | $45,260 | $100,420 | 80 | 2.02 |
| Hawaii | $79,510 | $53,500 | $111,700 | 670 | 1.85 |
| Idaho | $70,350 | $53,360 | $108,100 | 670 | 1.36 |
| Illinois | $81,590 | $46,540 | $153,150 | 1,550 | 0.44 |
| Indiana | $64,700 | $46,830 | $124,380 | 1,290 | 0.7 |
| Iowa | $78,780 | $54,340 | $117,040 | 690 | 0.77 |
| Kansas | $78,210 | $56,120 | $136,990 | 590 | 0.72 |
| Kentucky | $71,040 | $48,540 | $94,840 | 1,000 | 0.87 |
| Louisiana | $69,820 | $49,890 | $132,810 | 1,600 | 1.44 |
| Maine | $66,480 | $49,280 | $107,100 | 530 | 1.45 |
| Maryland | $84,190 | $57,840 | $137,440 | 1,760 | 1.11 |
| Massachusetts | $100,640 | $63,460 | $139,310 | 2,930 | 1.4 |
| Michigan | $76,080 | $52,300 | $111,770 | 3,100 | 1.23 |
| Minnesota | $88,000 | $35,510 | $133,570 | 2,260 | 1.34 |
| Mississippi | $57,780 | $37,230 | $112,260 | 390 | 0.58 |
| Missouri | $61,050 | $49,140 | $88,710 | 1,380 | 0.82 |
| Montana | $80,260 | $64,290 | $124,800 | 570 | 1.94 |
| Nebraska | $64,040 | $52,110 | $101,190 | 510 | 0.87 |
| Nevada | $83,050 | $57,570 | $138,740 | 490 | 0.55 |
| New Hampshire | $80,810 | $59,230 | $111,840 | 480 | 1.23 |
| New Jersey | $79,210 | $52,760 | $130,590 | 3,150 | 1.28 |
| New Mexico | $86,630 | $60,920 | $129,080 | 940 | 1.88 |
| New York | $82,160 | $58,240 | $139,490 | 3,700 | 0.67 |
| North Carolina | $74,130 | $49,320 | $125,930 | 4,150 | 1.46 |
| North Dakota | $84,570 | $60,110 | $109,300 | 240 | 0.96 |
| Ohio | $78,540 | $50,610 | $109,490 | 2,460 | 0.77 |
| Oklahoma | $75,910 | $43,590 | $119,150 | 520 | 0.53 |
| Oregon | $97,440 | $62,200 | $132,190 | 1,370 | 1.21 |
| Pennsylvania | $76,110 | $50,660 | $125,520 | 3,020 | 0.87 |
| Puerto Rico | $53,030 | $38,020 | $97,470 | 390 | 0.73 |
| Rhode Island | $100,730 | $66,420 | $139,050 | 330 | 1.15 |
| South Carolina | $74,910 | $46,200 | $133,470 | 490 | 0.37 |
| South Dakota | $68,230 | $49,390 | $97,060 | 240 | 0.91 |
| Tennessee | $76,840 | $54,040 | $133,180 | 1,230 | 0.65 |
| Texas | $92,000 | $60,080 | $163,110 | 5,630 | 0.7 |
| Utah | $90,710 | $55,410 | $149,990 | 1,020 | 1.02 |
| Vermont | $77,460 | $58,570 | $111,700 | 490 | 2.79 |
| Virgin Islands | $53,830 | $39,330 | $109,300 | 40 | 2.05 |
| Virginia | $82,230 | $57,720 | $135,580 | 2,850 | 1.21 |
| Washington | $98,300 | $71,140 | $153,960 | 4,470 | 2.19 |
| West Virginia | $82,100 | $51,520 | $119,020 | 250 | 0.63 |
| Wisconsin | $72,820 | $48,580 | $104,360 | 920 | 0.54 |
| Wyoming | $74,050 | $58,510 | $100,670 | 410 | 2.55 |
A location quotient above 1 means the occupation is more concentrated in that state than in the nation overall.
Metro areas with the most jobs
Highest paying metro areas
Job outlook for environmental scientists and specialists, including health
- Average annual openings, 2025 to 2035: 7,300. Openings include new jobs plus replacement needs when workers retire or leave the occupation. Official projection
- Read the official BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile.
These are official BLS projections. ConnectPrep does not alter them or present its own forecasts as official statistics.
Education and training for environmental scientists and specialists, including health
- Typical entry education
- Bachelor's degree
- Related work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- None
- O*NET Job Zone
- Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed
Highest education of people working in this occupation
O*NET describes this preparation level as: Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
Degrees and programs that lead to this career
Programs officially mapped to this occupation in the NCES and BLS CIP to SOC crosswalk. A mapping means the program commonly prepares students for the occupation, not that every graduate works in it. Official crosswalk
- Environmental Studies CIP 03.0103
- Environmental Science CIP 03.0104
- Toxicology CIP 26.1004
- Molecular Toxicology CIP 26.1005
- Environmental Toxicology CIP 26.1006
- Marine Sciences CIP 30.3201
- Sustainability Studies CIP 30.3301
- Environmental Geosciences CIP 30.4101
- Geography and Environmental Studies CIP 30.4401
- Environmental Chemistry CIP 40.0509
- Environmental Health CIP 51.2202
Skills, knowledge, and daily work
Most important skills
Most important knowledge areas
Typical tasks
- Communicate scientific or technical information to the public, organizations, or internal audiences through oral briefings, written documents, workshops, conferences, training sessions, or public hearings.
- Monitor effects of pollution or land degradation and recommend means of prevention or control.
- Collect, synthesize, analyze, manage, and report environmental data, such as pollution emission measurements, atmospheric monitoring measurements, meteorological or mineralogical information, or soil or water samples.
- Review and implement environmental technical standards, guidelines, policies, and formal regulations that meet all appropriate requirements.
- Provide scientific or technical guidance, support, coordination, or oversight to governmental agencies, environmental programs, industry, or the public.
- Process and review environmental permits, licenses, or related materials.
- Conduct environmental audits or inspections or investigations of violations.
- Provide advice on proper standards and regulations or the development of policies, strategies, or codes of practice for environmental management.
Technology skills
- ESRI ArcGIS software (in demand)
- Microsoft Excel (in demand)
- Microsoft Office software (in demand)
- Microsoft Outlook (in demand)
- Microsoft PowerPoint (in demand)
- Microsoft Word (in demand)
- Geographic information system GIS systems (in demand)
- Adobe Acrobat (hot technology)
- Adobe Illustrator (hot technology)
- Autodesk AutoCAD (hot technology)
- Bentley MicroStation (hot technology)
- C++ (hot technology)
- IBM SPSS Statistics (hot technology)
- Microsoft Access (hot technology)
- Microsoft Project (hot technology)
- Microsoft Visual Basic (hot technology)
Transferable skills for career changers: Complex Problem Solving, Coordination, Judgment and Decision Making, Time Management, Social Perceptiveness, Instructing.
Common job titles: Environmental Analyst, Environmental Health and Safety Specialist (EHS Specialist), Environmental Health Specialist, Environmental Programs Specialist, Environmental Protection Specialist, Environmental Scientist, Environmental Specialist, Hazardous Substances Scientist, Natural Resources Specialist, Registered Environmental Health Specialist (REHS).
Is it worth it? Model the cost of getting there
Use the ROI calculator to compare the cost of the education this career usually requires against staying on your current path. It starts from the official wage distribution above, and you can change every assumption.
Frequently asked questions
How much do environmental scientists and specialists, including health make?
The national median annual wage for environmental scientists and specialists, including health was $82,220 in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program. The lowest paid 10 percent earned less than $52,520 and the highest paid 10 percent earned more than $140,010. These figures cover all workers in the occupation, not only new entrants.
What education do environmental scientists and specialists, including health need?
BLS lists bachelor's degree as the typical education needed to enter this occupation, with none of related work experience and none on-the-job training typically needed to become competent.
Is environmental scientists and specialists, including health a growing career?
BLS projects employment of environmental scientists and specialists, including health to change +6.1% from 2025 to 2035, compared with +3.5% for all occupations. About 7,300 openings are projected each year on average, including openings from workers who retire or change occupations.
Which states pay environmental scientists and specialists, including health the most?
By median annual wage in May 2025, the highest paying states were District of Columbia ($132,620), California ($106,510), Rhode Island ($100,730). Pay differences partly reflect differences in living costs.