Environmental Scientists and Specialists in Kentucky

Get the information you need to know about working as an Environmental Scientist or Specialist.

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

• Environmental Scientists and Specialists in Kentucky earn lower 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 Kentucky?

In Kentucky, there were 1,200 people working as Environmental Scientists and Specialists in the year 2018.

There were 1,180 Environmental Scientists and Specialists employed in this state in 2017.

That’s growth of 20 jobs between 2017 and 2018.

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

Job Projections for Kentucky

Jobs for Environmental Scientists and Specialists in this state are growing at a rate of 5.0% which is slower than the nationwide estimated projection of 11.1%.

Kentucky Annual Job Openings

The BLS is projecting 100 annual Environmental Scientists and Specialists job openings in Kentucky, and 1,050 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 Kentucky?

In 2018 wages for Environmental Scientists and Specialists ranged from $35,900 to $73,750 with $47,830 being the median annual salary.

Broken down to an hourly rate, workers in this field made anywhere from $17.26 to $35.46. The median hourly rate was $22.99.

In 2017 the median pay for this field was $23.02 an hour.

The hourly rate declined by $0.03.

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

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Top Kentucky 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
Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN	240	$45,450
Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN	200	$56,020
Lexington-Fayette, KY	200	$57,200
Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH	60	$57,840
Evansville, IN-KY	50	$52,660

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.