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Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics

Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2022

19-2041 Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health

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. Excludes “Zoologists and Wildlife Biologists” (19-1023), “Conservation Scientists” (19-1031), “Forest and Conservation Technicians” (19-4071), “Occupational Health and Safety Specialists” (19-5011), “Fish and Game Wardens” (33-3031), and “Forest and Conservation Workers” (45-4011).


National estimates for Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health
Industry profile for Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health
Geographic profile for Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health

National estimates for Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health:

Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health:

Employment (1) Employment
RSE (3)
Mean hourly
wage
Mean annual
wage (2)
Wage RSE (3)
77,270 1.8 % $ 40.30 $ 83,820 1.1 %

Percentile wage estimates for Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median)
75% 90%
Hourly Wage $ 22.56 $ 28.39 $ 36.77 $ 48.40 $ 62.87
Annual Wage (2) $ 46,920 $ 59,060 $ 76,480 $ 100,670 $ 130,770


Industry profile for Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health:

Industries with the highest published employment and wages for Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health are provided. For a list of all industries with employment in Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health, see the Create Customized Tables function.

Industries with the highest levels of employment in Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
State Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OEWS Designation) 20,060 0.95 $ 35.43 $ 73,690
Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services 16,700 0.95 $ 42.81 $ 89,040
Local Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OEWS Designation) 10,750 0.20 $ 37.48 $ 77,950
Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services 10,150 0.64 $ 38.71 $ 80,530
Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) 5,000 0.24 $ 51.41 $ 106,930

Industries with the highest concentration of employment in Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services 16,700 0.95 $ 42.81 $ 89,040
State Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OEWS Designation) 20,060 0.95 $ 35.43 $ 73,690
Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services 10,150 0.64 $ 38.71 $ 80,530
Social Advocacy Organizations 1,420 0.60 $ 32.84 $ 68,310
Remediation and Other Waste Management Services 860 0.51 $ 41.22 $ 85,740

Top paying industries for Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods (4242 and 4246 only) 60 0.01 $ 65.94 $ 137,140
Oil and Gas Extraction 70 0.07 $ 58.76 $ 122,210
Natural Gas Distribution 170 0.16 $ 58.32 $ 121,310
Other Pipeline Transportation (8) (8) $ 57.47 $ 119,540
Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing 120 0.11 $ 57.26 $ 119,100


Geographic profile for Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health:

States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health are provided. For a list of all areas with employment in Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health, see the Create Customized Tables function.



Map of employment of environmental scientists and specialists, including health by state, May 2022


States with the highest employment level in Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
California 11,850 0.67 1.29 $ 48.65 $ 101,190
Florida 4,860 0.53 1.01 $ 30.49 $ 63,420
Texas 3,870 0.30 0.57 $ 38.94 $ 80,980
North Carolina 3,710 0.80 1.53 $ 34.82 $ 72,430
New York 3,680 0.40 0.77 $ 43.07 $ 89,590


Map of location quotient of environmental scientists and specialists, including health by state, May 2022


States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
District of Columbia 1,640 2.38 4.56 $ 56.94 $ 118,430
Alaska 660 2.15 4.12 $ 42.43 $ 88,260
Wyoming 450 1.68 3.22 $ 34.74 $ 72,260
New Mexico 1,200 1.47 2.82 $ 38.79 $ 80,680
Vermont 370 1.25 2.40 $ 32.80 $ 68,210


Map of annual mean wages of environmental scientists and specialists, including health by state, May 2022


Top paying states for Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
District of Columbia 1,640 2.38 4.56 $ 56.94 $ 118,430
Massachusetts 2,010 0.56 1.08 $ 50.00 $ 104,010
California 11,850 0.67 1.29 $ 48.65 $ 101,190
New Jersey 3,260 0.79 1.52 $ 47.43 $ 98,650
Colorado 2,490 0.90 1.73 $ 43.85 $ 91,210



Map of employment of environmental scientists and specialists, including health by area, May 2022


Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA 4,080 0.44 0.85 $ 49.33 $ 102,610
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 3,130 1.03 1.98 $ 51.18 $ 106,460
Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA 3,010 2.93 5.61 $ 49.72 $ 103,420
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA 2,000 0.98 1.88 $ 47.36 $ 98,510
Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH 1,730 0.64 1.23 $ 51.68 $ 107,500
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA 1,710 0.72 1.37 $ 54.56 $ 113,480
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI 1,430 0.76 1.45 $ 41.58 $ 86,490
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD 1,310 0.47 0.91 $ 37.33 $ 77,640
Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO 1,190 0.77 1.47 $ 45.97 $ 95,610
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX 1,190 0.39 0.74 $ 40.42 $ 84,080


Map of location quotient of environmental scientists and specialists, including health by area, May 2022


Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Santa Fe, NM 290 4.85 9.28 $ 29.92 $ 62,230
Boulder, CO 870 4.52 8.66 $ 40.59 $ 84,420
Trenton, NJ 920 3.89 7.44 $ 41.32 $ 85,950
Fairbanks, AK 130 3.66 7.00 $ 41.20 $ 85,690
Carson City, NV 100 3.52 6.74 $ 33.09 $ 68,840
Tallahassee, FL 550 3.14 6.01 $ 22.99 $ 47,820
Cheyenne, WY 140 3.09 5.92 $ 31.68 $ 65,900
Olympia-Tumwater, WA 370 3.03 5.80 $ 35.58 $ 74,010
Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA 3,010 2.93 5.61 $ 49.72 $ 103,420
Lansing-East Lansing, MI 470 2.33 4.47 $ 36.05 $ 74,980


Map of annual mean wages of environmental scientists and specialists, including health by area, May 2022


Top paying metropolitan areas for Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Savannah, GA 70 0.39 0.76 $ 84.18 $ 175,090
Idaho Falls, ID 50 0.67 1.27 $ 60.20 $ 125,220
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA 380 0.34 0.66 $ 56.86 $ 118,280
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA 1,710 0.72 1.37 $ 54.56 $ 113,480
Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH 1,730 0.64 1.23 $ 51.68 $ 107,500
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 3,130 1.03 1.98 $ 51.18 $ 106,460
College Station-Bryan, TX 60 0.52 1.00 $ 49.80 $ 103,590
Chico, CA 40 0.52 1.00 $ 49.76 $ 103,490
Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA 3,010 2.93 5.61 $ 49.72 $ 103,420
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA 4,080 0.44 0.85 $ 49.33 $ 102,610

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest employment in Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Central Kentucky nonmetropolitan area 360 2.00 3.84 $ 25.75 $ 53,550
Southwest Montana nonmetropolitan area 240 1.67 3.20 $ 36.47 $ 75,860
Northern Vermont nonmetropolitan area 210 3.12 5.98 $ 32.92 $ 68,480
Southeast Coastal North Carolina nonmetropolitan area 210 0.85 1.62 $ 29.58 $ 61,520
Central New Hampshire nonmetropolitan area 190 2.13 4.08 $ 33.26 $ 69,170

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Northern Vermont nonmetropolitan area 210 3.12 5.98 $ 32.92 $ 68,480
Central New Hampshire nonmetropolitan area 190 2.13 4.08 $ 33.26 $ 69,170
Maryland nonmetropolitan area 120 2.02 3.86 $ 31.88 $ 66,320
Central Kentucky nonmetropolitan area 360 2.00 3.84 $ 25.75 $ 53,550
Alaska nonmetropolitan area 190 1.84 3.53 $ 38.55 $ 80,190

Top paying nonmetropolitan areas for Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Northern New Mexico nonmetropolitan area (8) (8) (8) $ 47.28 $ 98,340
North Coast Region of California nonmetropolitan area 170 1.64 3.14 $ 43.40 $ 90,280
North Valley-Northern Mountains Region of California nonmetropolitan area 130 1.25 2.39 $ 42.99 $ 89,420
Northwest Virginia nonmetropolitan area 40 0.69 1.32 $ 42.27 $ 87,920
North Texas Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area 40 0.13 0.25 $ 42.00 $ 87,360


About May 2022 National, State, Metropolitan, and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

These estimates are calculated with data collected from employers in all industry sectors, all metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas, and all states and the District of Columbia. The top employment and wage figures are provided above. The complete list is available in the downloadable XLS files.

The percentile wage estimate is the value of a wage below which a certain percent of workers fall. The median wage is the 50th percentile wage estimate—50 percent of workers earn less than the median and 50 percent of workers earn more than the median. More about percentile wages.


(1) Estimates for detailed occupations do not sum to the totals because the totals include occupations not shown separately. Estimates do not include self-employed workers.

(2) Annual wages have been calculated by multiplying the hourly mean wage by a "year-round, full-time" hours figure of 2,080 hours; for those occupations where there is not an hourly wage published, the annual wage has been directly calculated from the reported survey data.

(3) The relative standard error (RSE) is a measure of the reliability of a survey statistic. The smaller the relative standard error, the more precise the estimate.

(8) Estimate not released.

(9) The location quotient is the ratio of the area concentration of occupational employment to the national average concentration. A location quotient greater than one indicates the occupation has a higher share of employment than average, and a location quotient less than one indicates the occupation is less prevalent in the area than average.


Other OEWS estimates and related information:

May 2022 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2022 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2022 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2022 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2022 Occupation Profiles

Technical Notes

 

Last Modified Date: April 25, 2023