Environmental Scientists and Specialists in Virginia
Considering a career as an Environmental Scientist or Specialist in Virginia?
You’re in luck! Jobs for Environmental Scientists and Specialists in Virginia are projected to grow and these jobs tend to pay higher than average.
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Projected employment for Environmental Scientists and Specialists in Virginia is growing faster than average.
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Environmental Scientists and Specialists in Virginia 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 Virginia?
In Virginia, there were 3,150 people working as Environmental Scientists and Specialists in the year 2018.
There were 2,810 Environmental Scientists and Specialists employed in this state in 2017.
That’s growth of 340 jobs between 2017 and 2018.
The typical state has 850 Environmental Scientists and Specialists working in it, which means Virginia has more Environmental Scientists and Specialists than average.
Job Projections for Virginia
Jobs for Environmental Scientists and Specialists in this state are growing at a rate of 11.2% which is faster than the nationwide estimated projection of 11.1%.
Virginia Annual Job Openings
The BLS estimates 320 annual job openings, and a total of 3,380 jobs for Virginia Environmental Scientists and Specialists in 2026.
Nationwide, the prediction is 9,500 annual jobs and 99,400 total jobs in 2026.
What do Environmental Scientists and Specialists Make in Virginia?
In 2018 wages for Environmental Scientists and Specialists ranged from $48,060 to $139,390 with $75,060 being the median annual salary.
Broken down to an hourly rate, workers in this field made anywhere from $23.11 to $67.01. The median hourly rate was $36.09.
In 2017 the median pay for this field was $34.15 an hour.
The hourly rate grew by $1.94.
The median salary in Virginia is higher than the nationwide median salary.
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Top Virginia 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 |
---|---|---|
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 3,980 | $105,660 |
Richmond, VA | 730 | $65,340 |
Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC | 390 | $65,290 |
Roanoke, VA | 120 | $61,000 |
Charlottesville, VA | 70 | $87,320 |
Kingsport-Bristol-Bristol, TN-VA | 70 | $68,000 |
Harrisonburg, VA | 50 | $60,710 |
Top States for Environmental Scientists and Specialists Employment
The table below shows the states 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.