All careersEngineering & science

Environmental Scientist

$82,220
median / year
$52,520 – $140,010
what most earn per year (10th–90th percentile)

What the job actually is

Study the environment to protect human health, testing samples and advising on pollution and cleanup.

You may also see this posted as: Environmental Programs Specialist, Environmental Protection Specialist, Environmental Specialist, Environmental Analyst, Environmental Health and Safety Specialist (EHS Specialist), Environmental Health Specialist.

Where you work

Labs, offices, and outdoor field sites; travel to sites is common.

The hours

Usually full-time; fieldwork can mean travel and irregular hours.

The day to day

What you'd actually spend time doing

  • 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.

Good fit if you like…

Investigative

solving problems, analyzing evidence, and figuring out how things work

Realistic

working with tools, equipment, materials, or the physical world

Conventional

organizing information, following systems, and getting details right

O*NET job zone 4 of 5

High preparation—usually a four-year degree plus experience—is common.

Work styles that matter most

Attention to DetailDependabilityIntegrityIntellectual Curiosity

Software that shows up in the work

Examples employers report—not a checklist you must already know.

ESRI ArcGIS softwareGeographic information system GIS systemsMicrosoft ExcelMicrosoft Office softwareMicrosoft OutlookMicrosoft PowerPoint

By the numbers

May 2025 BLS wage & employment data · 2024–34 BLS employment projections.

Median pay
$82,220
per year
Hourly median
$39.53
per hour
What most earn
$52,520–$140,010
yearly, 10th to 90th percentile
Openings a year
~8,500
projected, 2024–34
Outlook to 2034
+4.4%
About average
Working in the U.S.
89,250
people, nationwide

Openings a year counts new jobs plus the ones that open when people retire or move on — a truer picture of your odds than growth alone.

“Median” means half earn more and half earn less. Your city, employer, and years on the job move it a lot — that is what the 10th-to-90th range shows.

BLS estimates 1.5% of workers in this occupation are self-employed.

What it pays in your state

Statewide medians are a better starting point than the national number. Your city and experience still matter.

BLS state wage tables

How you get in

Typical starting education

Bachelor's degree

Training path: A science degree.

Related work experience: None.

On-the-job training: None.

License or certification

No license required in general; some specialties value certification.

Check the path where you live

Licensing rules and available programs change by state. These federal tools take you to the current official listings.

Find state licensesFind recognized certifications

What it takes

Analytical thinkingProblem solvingCommunicationAttention to detail

The honest take

Climate compliance work is growing in every state.

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Standard Occupational Classification 19-2041. Pay and employment from the BLS May 2025 OEWS survey; outlook and openings from the 2024–34 employment projections; job context from the Occupational Outlook Handbook; tasks, interests, work styles, software examples, and job zone from O*NET 30.3. See something off? Tell us.