Hazardous materials removal workers salary
| Measure | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $38,460 | $18.49 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $49,450 | $23.78 |
| Mean (average) | $56,430 | $27.13 |
| 90th percentile | $82,410 | $39.62 |
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
Hazardous materials removal workers pay by state and metro area
Table: median wage and employment for all 53 states and territories
| State | Median | 10th pct | 90th pct | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $38,610 | $34,450 | $59,160 | 350 | 0.49 |
| Alaska | $60,320 | $46,130 | $121,770 | 140 | 1.3 |
| Arizona | $50,530 | $34,410 | $60,650 | 800 | 0.75 |
| Arkansas | $36,630 | $34,800 | $108,620 | 440 | 1.01 |
| California | $56,120 | $41,660 | $85,470 | 7,340 | 1.21 |
| Colorado | $59,920 | $44,800 | $71,870 | 1,400 | 1.46 |
| Connecticut | $47,090 | $39,060 | $64,150 | 750 | 1.33 |
| Delaware | $44,250 | $32,000 | $63,120 | ||
| District of Columbia | $60,240 | $53,320 | $85,160 | 50 | 0.22 |
| Florida | $42,350 | $34,960 | $59,290 | 1,780 | 0.54 |
| Georgia | $48,960 | $35,640 | $61,170 | 460 | 0.28 |
| Guam | Data unavailable | 30 | 1.37 | ||
| Hawaii | $58,440 | $44,420 | $77,270 | 340 | 1.63 |
| Idaho | $49,710 | $42,900 | $103,850 | 600 | 2.09 |
| Illinois | $61,330 | $43,990 | $98,970 | 1,980 | 0.98 |
| Indiana | $46,680 | $38,280 | $62,860 | 990 | 0.93 |
| Iowa | $49,870 | $38,490 | $61,150 | 270 | 0.52 |
| Kansas | $45,530 | $36,100 | $56,330 | 480 | 1.01 |
| Kentucky | $47,640 | $40,160 | $63,140 | 460 | 0.69 |
| Louisiana | $38,000 | $34,440 | $50,120 | 880 | 1.36 |
| Maine | $47,280 | $39,920 | $85,340 | 190 | 0.88 |
| Maryland | $48,640 | $45,590 | $75,180 | 660 | 0.72 |
| Massachusetts | $49,620 | $46,220 | $65,870 | 2,770 | 2.29 |
| Michigan | $46,380 | $36,610 | $68,390 | 1,610 | 1.1 |
| Minnesota | $59,100 | $44,260 | $92,150 | 730 | 0.75 |
| Mississippi | $39,440 | $33,600 | $48,030 | 250 | 0.64 |
| Missouri | $59,120 | $37,280 | $68,330 | 370 | 0.38 |
| Montana | $54,540 | $46,180 | $62,930 | 250 | 1.46 |
| Nebraska | $48,540 | $37,770 | $59,110 | 210 | 0.62 |
| Nevada | $47,520 | $37,870 | $62,500 | 400 | 0.77 |
| New Hampshire | $55,310 | $47,840 | $97,200 | 140 | 0.6 |
| New Jersey | $55,900 | $43,750 | $107,570 | 2,250 | 1.58 |
| New Mexico | $53,440 | $37,010 | $78,000 | 680 | 2.35 |
| New York | $73,090 | $47,600 | $99,320 | 4,090 | 1.27 |
| North Carolina | $43,180 | $37,330 | $58,720 | 1,250 | 0.76 |
| North Dakota | $60,160 | $20,930 | $70,130 | 170 | 1.18 |
| Ohio | $46,620 | $39,090 | $66,620 | 830 | 0.45 |
| Oklahoma | $44,300 | $37,590 | $50,630 | 650 | 1.15 |
| Oregon | $49,720 | $41,660 | $64,450 | 1,130 | 1.73 |
| Pennsylvania | $47,860 | $37,570 | $72,800 | 1,590 | 0.79 |
| Puerto Rico | $28,220 | $23,670 | $42,920 | 180 | 0.59 |
| Rhode Island | $46,670 | $40,400 | $79,710 | 330 | 2.01 |
| South Carolina | $49,170 | $37,840 | $102,770 | 870 | 1.13 |
| South Dakota | $51,420 | $47,400 | $58,030 | 190 | 1.26 |
| Tennessee | $60,090 | $39,460 | $96,100 | 570 | 0.53 |
| Texas | $44,390 | $37,920 | $60,460 | 4,450 | 0.95 |
| Utah | $49,240 | $36,870 | $77,120 | 530 | 0.92 |
| Vermont | $46,780 | $44,860 | $52,290 | 70 | 0.7 |
| Virginia | $45,320 | $37,140 | $60,440 | 930 | 0.68 |
| Washington | $60,160 | $45,460 | $104,530 | 3,250 | 2.75 |
| West Virginia | $46,390 | $37,530 | $76,650 | 130 | 0.57 |
| Wisconsin | $47,750 | $38,890 | $77,530 | 590 | 0.6 |
| Wyoming | $48,570 | $46,110 | $58,240 | 30 | 0.36 |
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 hazardous materials removal workers
- Average annual openings, 2025 to 2035: 4,300. Openings include new jobs plus replacement needs when workers retire or leave the occupation. Official projection
- Share of workers who are self-employed (2025): 0.8%.
- 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 hazardous materials removal workers
- Typical entry education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- Related work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- Moderate-term on-the-job training
- O*NET Job Zone
- Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed
Highest education of people working in this occupation
O*NET describes this preparation level as: Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may 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
Skills, knowledge, and daily work
Most important skills
Most important knowledge areas
Typical tasks
- Remove asbestos or lead from surfaces, using hand or power tools such as scrapers, vacuums, or high-pressure sprayers.
- Build containment areas prior to beginning abatement or decontamination work.
- Prepare hazardous material for removal or storage.
- Comply with prescribed safety procedures or federal laws regulating waste disposal methods.
- Record numbers of containers stored at disposal sites, specifying amounts or types of equipment or waste disposed.
- Clean contaminated equipment or areas for reuse, using detergents or solvents, sandblasters, filter pumps, or steam cleaners.
- Clean mold-contaminated sites by removing damaged porous materials or thoroughly cleaning all contaminated nonporous materials.
- Operate machines or equipment to remove, package, store, or transport loads of waste materials.
Technology skills
- Jenkins CI (hot technology)
- Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Microsoft Word (hot technology)
- SAP software (hot technology)
- Computerized maintenance management system software CMMS
- Database software
- Inventory management systems
- Xactware Xactimate
Transferable skills for career changers: Coordination, Operations Monitoring, Operation and Control, Judgment and Decision Making, Time Management, Social Perceptiveness.
Common job titles: Abatement Worker, Asbestos Abatement Worker, Asbestos Worker, Clandestine Laboratory Responder (Clan Lab Responder), D and D Operator (Decontaminate and Decommissioning Operator), D and D Operator (Decontamination and Decommissioning Operator), Hazmat Technician (Hazardous Materials Technician), Mold Damage Technician (Mold Damage Tech), Product Disposal Coordinator, Waste Handling Technician (Waste Handling Tech).
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 hazardous materials removal workers make?
The national median annual wage for hazardous materials removal workers was $49,450 in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program. The lowest paid 10 percent earned less than $38,460 and the highest paid 10 percent earned more than $82,410. These figures cover all workers in the occupation, not only new entrants.
What education do hazardous materials removal workers need?
BLS lists high school diploma or equivalent as the typical education needed to enter this occupation, with none of related work experience and moderate-term on-the-job training on-the-job training typically needed to become competent.
Is hazardous materials removal workers a growing career?
BLS projects employment of hazardous materials removal workers to change +1.5% from 2025 to 2035, compared with +3.5% for all occupations. About 4,300 openings are projected each year on average, including openings from workers who retire or change occupations.
Which states pay hazardous materials removal workers the most?
By median annual wage in May 2025, the highest paying states were New York ($73,090), Illinois ($61,330), Alaska ($60,320). Pay differences partly reflect differences in living costs.