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Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics

Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2023

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)
80,730 1.2 % $ 41.69 $ 86,710 0.6 %

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

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median) 		75% 90%
Hourly Wage $ 23.36 $ 29.29 $ 37.97 $ 49.72 $ 64.26
Annual Wage (2) $ 48,580 $ 60,920 $ 78,980 $ 103,420 $ 133,660

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) 21,760 1.03 $ 36.54 $ 75,990
Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services 15,980 0.86 $ 43.41 $ 90,290
Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services 11,430 0.69 $ 40.43 $ 84,080
Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) 11,100 0.20 $ 38.68 $ 80,450
Federal, State, and Local Government, excluding State and Local Government Schools and Hospitals and the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) 5,150 0.24 $ 53.80 $ 111,910

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)
State Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) 21,760 1.03 $ 36.54 $ 75,990
Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services 15,980 0.86 $ 43.41 $ 90,290
Social Advocacy Organizations 2,090 0.83 $ 36.93 $ 76,820
Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services 11,430 0.69 $ 40.43 $ 84,080
Remediation and Other Waste Management Services 900 0.50 $ 40.36 $ 83,950

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

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Wholesale Trade Agents and Brokers (8) (8) $ 92.85 $ 193,120
Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods (4242 and 4246 only) 40 0.01 $ 84.49 $ 175,740
Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing 150 0.13 $ 68.97 $ 143,450
Natural Gas Distribution 150 0.13 $ 63.30 $ 131,650
Pipeline Transportation of Crude Oil 40 0.31 $ 61.60 $ 128,130

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 2023


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 12,590 0.70 1.32 $ 49.21 $ 102,350
Florida 5,210 0.54 1.02 $ 31.71 $ 65,960
Washington 4,100 1.17 2.21 $ 45.34 $ 94,300
North Carolina 3,940 0.82 1.55 $ 36.25 $ 75,410
New York 3,680 0.39 0.74 $ 43.74 $ 90,970


Map of location quotient of environmental scientists and specialists, including health by state, May 2023


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)
Alaska 730 2.34 4.39 $ 44.32 $ 92,180
District of Columbia 1,620 2.30 4.34 $ 55.73 $ 115,910
Wyoming 500 1.84 3.45 $ 34.70 $ 72,180
New Mexico 1,180 1.39 2.62 $ 39.47 $ 82,090
Vermont 360 1.21 2.28 $ 34.19 $ 71,120


Map of annual mean wages of environmental scientists and specialists, including health by state, May 2023


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 1,620 2.30 4.34 $ 55.73 $ 115,910
Connecticut 700 0.42 0.80 $ 52.75 $ 109,710
Massachusetts 2,250 0.62 1.16 $ 49.38 $ 102,700
California 12,590 0.70 1.32 $ 49.21 $ 102,350
Colorado 2,780 0.98 1.85 $ 49.16 $ 102,250



Map of employment of environmental scientists and specialists, including health by area, May 2023


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 4,240 0.45 0.84 $ 46.70 $ 97,130
Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA 3,210 3.06 5.75 $ 50.03 $ 104,070
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 2,980 0.96 1.81 $ 52.39 $ 108,970
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 2,670 0.43 0.81 $ 49.41 $ 102,760
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA 2,460 1.18 2.23 $ 47.77 $ 99,370
Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH 1,820 0.66 1.24 $ 50.64 $ 105,330
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA 1,710 0.70 1.32 $ 56.11 $ 116,700
Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO 1,330 0.83 1.57 $ 53.10 $ 110,440
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD 1,270 0.45 0.84 $ 39.58 $ 82,320
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI 1,210 0.63 1.19 $ 39.98 $ 83,160


Map of location quotient of environmental scientists and specialists, including health by area, May 2023


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)
Boulder, CO 850 4.35 8.18 $ 42.15 $ 87,660
Trenton, NJ 940 3.92 7.38 $ 40.13 $ 83,470
Carson City, NV 110 3.43 6.45 $ 32.97 $ 68,570
Cheyenne, WY 150 3.31 6.23 $ 33.98 $ 70,670
Fairbanks, AK 110 3.19 6.01 $ 42.60 $ 88,600
Santa Fe, NM 190 3.18 5.99 $ 33.58 $ 69,850
Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA 3,210 3.06 5.75 $ 50.03 $ 104,070
Tallahassee, FL 550 3.03 5.70 $ 22.02 $ 45,790
Olympia-Tumwater, WA 360 2.91 5.47 $ 36.21 $ 75,310
Lansing-East Lansing, MI 520 2.49 4.68 $ 37.47 $ 77,940