Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health

Pay and outlook

Median annual wage, May 2025

$82,220

Half earn more, half earn less

Middle half earn

$64,490 – $107,970

25th to 75th percentile

People employed, May 2025

89,250

Wage and salary jobs (OEWS)

Projected change, 2025–35

+6.1%

At or above the all-jobs rate (3.5% to under 7%)

Openings a year (projected)

7,300

New jobs plus replacing people who leave

Typical education to enter

Bachelor's degree

BLS

• All figures are for the United States as a whole. Pay varies a lot by state and city.
• Wages are for everyone working in the occupation in May 2025, at every career stage. They are not starting salaries or figures for new graduates.
• Growth and openings are BLS projections for 2025–35. They are estimates, not promises. Openings include jobs that open up when people retire or change occupation, not just new jobs.

What the work involves

Conduct research or perform investigation for the purpose of identifying, abating, or eliminating sources of pollutants or hazards that affect either the environment or public health. Using knowledge of various scientific disciplines, may collect, synthesize, study, report, and recommend action based on data derived from measurements or observations of air, food, soil, water, and other sources.

Main 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.

More specific O*NET® occupations under this one: Climate Change Policy Analysts, Environmental Restoration Planners, Industrial Ecologists.

Description and tasks from the O*NET® 31.0 Database.

Getting in

Typical education to enter (BLS)

Bachelor's degree

O*NET Job Zone 4

Considerable preparation

Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.

Fields of study that lead here

From the federal CIP–SOC crosswalk, which links 11 programmes to this occupation. A link means the programme prepares people for this kind of work. It doesn't mean the programme is required, or that it's the only route.

Related careers

Related occupations from the O*NET database, in its order.

• Environmental Engineers

  $107,110 median · +6.3% projected

• Environmental Science and Protection Technicians, Including Health

  $55,090 median · +6.9% projected

• Conservation Scientists

  $73,010 median · +5.3% projected

• Environmental Engineering Technologists and Technicians

  $59,920 median · +3.1% projected

• Hydrologic Technicians

  $64,790 median · -1.3% projected

• Health and Safety Engineers, Except Mining Safety Engineers and Inspectors

  $115,160 median · +5.4% projected