Environmental Scientists and Specialists in Illinois

Want to work in Illinois as an Environmental Scientist or Specialist? Read this first!

You’re in luck! Jobs for Environmental Scientists and Specialists in Illinois are projected to grow and these jobs tend to pay higher than average.

• Projected employment for Environmental Scientists and Specialists in Illinois is growing faster than average.

• Environmental Scientists and Specialists in Illinois earn higher salaries than the typical U.S. wage earner.

What Major Will Prepare You For an Environmental Scientist or Specialist Career?

• Natural Resources & Conservation
• Natural Resources Conservation
• Environmental Studies
• Environmental Science
• Multi / Interdisciplinary Studies
• Marine Science
• Marine Sciences
• Physical Sciences
• Chemistry
• Environmental Chemistry
• Health Professions
• Public Health
• Environmental Health

How Many Environmental Scientists and Specialists Work in Illinois?

1,690 people worked as Environmental Scientists and Specialists in 2018 in this state.

There were 2,590 Environmental Scientists and Specialists employed in this state in 2017.

That’s a decline of 900 jobs between 2017 and 2018.

The typical state has 850 Environmental Scientists and Specialists working in it, which means Illinois has more Environmental Scientists and Specialists than average.

Job Projections for Illinois

Jobs for Environmental Scientists and Specialists in this state are growing at a rate of 6.3% which is slower than the nationwide estimated projection of 11.1%.

Illinois Annual Job Openings

The BLS is projecting 300 annual Environmental Scientists and Specialists job openings in Illinois, and 3,220 total jobs in the year 2026.

Nationwide, the prediction is 9,500 annual jobs and 99,400 total jobs in 2026.

What do Environmental Scientists and Specialists Make in Illinois?

In 2018 wages for Environmental Scientists and Specialists ranged from $42,650 to $123,850 with $74,850 being the median annual salary.

Broken down to an hourly rate, workers in this field made anywhere from $20.5 to $59.54. The median hourly rate was $35.98.

Workers in this field were paid a median of $40.22 an hour in 2017.

The hourly rate declined by $4.24.

The median salary in Illinois is higher than the nationwide median salary.

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Top Illinois Metros for Environmental Scientists and Specialists

The table below shows some of the metros in this state with the most Environmental Scientists and Specialists.

Metro	Number Employed	Annual Median Salary
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI	1,310	$74,060
St. Louis, MO-IL	340	$62,420
Springfield, IL	120	$71,890
Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL	60	n/a
Champaign-Urbana, IL	50	$54,800

Top States for Environmental Scientists and Specialists Employment

View the list below to see where most Environmental Scientists and Specialists work.

State	Number Employed	Annual Median Salary
California	12,750	$87,080
Florida	4,920	$49,500
New York	4,400	$73,600
Texas	4,170	$74,800
North Carolina	3,790	$58,600
Virginia	3,150	$75,060
Colorado	2,930	$86,190
Washington	2,880	$78,230
Michigan	2,780	$63,970
New Jersey	2,670	$77,190
Maryland	2,560	$71,820
Pennsylvania	2,050	$66,110
Ohio	2,000	$74,890
Massachusetts	1,950	$77,280
Minnesota	1,780	$68,060
Illinois	1,690	$74,850
District of Columbia	1,600	$118,400
Arizona	1,420	$63,810
Tennessee	1,410	$65,300
Georgia	1,300	$66,420

Below are the states where Environmental Scientists and Specialists get paid the most:

State	Annual Median Salary
District of Columbia	$118,400
California	$87,080
Colorado	$86,190
Rhode Island	$80,700
Washington	$78,230
Oregon	$77,330
Massachusetts	$77,280
New Jersey	$77,190
Alaska	$75,550
Connecticut	$75,430

References

• Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)
• College Factual
• National Center for Education Statistics
• O*NET Online
• Image Credit: By Lynn Betts under License

More about our data sources and methodologies.