Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health: Career Overview
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.
Featured schools near , edit
The Daily Work of Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health Perform?
The core tasks performed by environmental scientists and specialists, including health include:
- 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.
Skills and Knowledge
Successful environmental scientists and specialists, including health draw on a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Top Skills
The abilities most important for this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Core Knowledge
Other Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health Job Titles
Common job titles for this role include:
- Air Analyst
- Ecological Modeler
- Environmental Analyst
- Environmental Consultant
- Environmental Designer
- Environmental Health Specialist
- Environmental Health and Safety Specialist (EHS Specialist)
- Environmental Permitting Specialist
Job Outlook
The U.S. employs around 65,098 environmental scientists and specialists, including health working in the United States today. Demand is forecast to grow by +3.6% over the projection horizon.
How Much Do Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health Make?
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $90,139 |
| Hourly median | $43.34 |
| 10th percentile | $61,346 |
| 25th percentile | $75,743 |
| 75th percentile | $104,536 |
| 90th percentile | $118,933 |
Pay can vary substantially based on experience, location, and industry.
How Much Do Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health Make in Different U.S. States?
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $122,440 |
| California | $97,520 |
| Massachusetts | $96,330 |
| Oregon | $93,560 |
| Rhode Island | $90,460 |
| Illinois | $89,010 |
| Washington | $88,670 |
| Minnesota | $87,210 |
| Alaska | $87,060 |
| Colorado | $86,720 |
| Maryland | $82,100 |
| Georgia | $82,030 |
| Utah | $81,480 |
| Connecticut | $81,370 |
| North Dakota | $81,260 |
| Ohio | $80,640 |
| Nevada | $80,480 |
| New York | $80,240 |
| New Jersey | $79,920 |
| New Mexico | $79,250 |
| New Hampshire | $79,230 |
| Arizona | $78,870 |
| Texas | $78,560 |
| Montana | $78,510 |
| Virginia | $78,140 |
| West Virginia | $77,980 |
| Indiana | $77,380 |
| Tennessee | $76,900 |
| Michigan | $76,670 |
| Arkansas | $75,620 |
| Hawaii | $75,050 |
| Alabama | $74,660 |
| Wyoming | $74,060 |
| Iowa | $74,060 |
| Kansas | $73,300 |
| Pennsylvania | $73,040 |
| South Dakota | $71,510 |
| Vermont | $69,330 |
| Kentucky | $68,990 |
| Wisconsin | $68,980 |
| Oklahoma | $67,530 |
| Louisiana | $67,260 |
| Missouri | $67,190 |
| Idaho | $66,710 |
| South Carolina | $65,960 |
| North Carolina | $65,800 |
| Delaware | $62,780 |
| Guam | $62,170 |
| Nebraska | $61,260 |
| Maine | $60,880 |
| Florida | $59,510 |
| Virgin Islands | $56,400 |
| Mississippi | $55,110 |
| Puerto Rico | $47,250 |
Top-Paying U.S. Regions
Compensation for environmental scientists and specialists, including health differ across the country. Top regions by median wage:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Far Western US | $93,938 | 24.2% | 1.59 |
| New England | $87,163 | 6.2% | 1.41 |
| Middle Atlantic | $83,442 | 14.8% | 1.29 |
| Rocky Mountains | $81,100 | 5.9% | 1.58 |
| Great Lakes | $78,970 | 10.1% | 0.80 |
| Southwest | $78,042 | 8.5% | 0.92 |
| Plains States | $77,498 | 5.5% | 0.91 |
| Southeast | $68,239 | 24.1% | 1.11 |
Highest-Paying Metro Areas for Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | CA | $110,240 | 1,630 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | DC | $109,520 | 2,780 |
| Kennewick-Richland, WA | WA | $108,310 | 330 |
| Monroe, MI | MI | $107,990 | 60 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | CA | $102,420 | 3,390 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | CA | $101,540 | 2,530 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | CA | $99,750 | 450 |
| Worcester, MA | MA | $99,280 | 210 |
Industry Breakdown
Most environmental scientists and specialists, including health work in these industries:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 32,170 | $77,920 |
| Educational Services | 2,640 | $82,360 |
| Other Services (except Public Administration) | 2,610 | $74,910 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | 1,910 | $101,330 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 1,690 | $74,670 |
| Manufacturing | 1,220 | $107,990 |
| Utilities | 1,160 | $108,480 |
| Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction | 690 | $73,180 |
Below are examples of industries where environmental scientists and specialists, including health work:
Tech Stack
- Document management software: Adobe Acrobat (hot technology)
- Graphics or photo imaging software: Adobe Illustrator (hot technology)
- Computer aided design CAD software: Autodesk AutoCAD (hot technology)
- Computer aided design CAD software: Bentley MicroStation (hot technology)
- Object or component oriented development software: C++ (hot technology)
- Geographic information system: ESRI ArcGIS software (hot technology)
- Analytical or scientific software: IBM SPSS Statistics (hot technology)
- Data base user interface and query software: Microsoft Access (hot technology)
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Electronic mail software: Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Presentation software: Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
The Day-to-Day Environment
Daily working conditions for environmental scientists and specialists, including health tends to involve the following characteristics:
- Telephone Conversations
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Spend Time Sitting
- Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team
How to Become Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health
Typical environmental scientists and specialists, including health positions require a bachelor’s degree as the typical entry-level education. This occupation sits in Considerable Preparation Needed (Job Zone 4), signaling the level of preparation typically expected.
Similar Occupations
Similar Occupations
- Water Resource Specialists (Supplemental)
- Brownfield Redevelopment Specialists and Site Managers (Primary-Long)
- Environmental Compliance Inspectors (Primary-Short)
- Environmental Engineers (Primary-Short)
- Health and Safety Engineers, Except Mining Safety Engineers and Inspectors (Supplemental)
- Environmental Engineering Technologists and Technicians (Primary-Long)
- Soil and Plant Scientists (Supplemental)
- Conservation Scientists (Primary-Short)
Where to Study
Aspiring environmental scientists and specialists, including health typically earn programs in:
Health Professions and Related Programs
1 programs across 1 majors
About the Data
Data on this page comes from the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 19-2041.00 (Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health).