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Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics

Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2020

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)
84,610 2.0 % $ 38.50 $ 80,090 0.9 %

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

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median)
75% 90%
Hourly Wage $ 20.66 $ 26.54 $ 35.21 $ 47.17 $ 62.24
Annual Wage (2) $ 42,960 $ 55,210 $ 73,230 $ 98,120 $ 129,450


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)
Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services 21,410 1.41 $ 39.38 $ 81,910
State Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OEWS Designation) 20,120 0.91 $ 33.91 $ 70,530
Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services 10,700 0.71 $ 39.41 $ 81,980
Local Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OEWS Designation) 10,610 0.20 $ 35.38 $ 73,580
Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) 4,950 0.24 $ 50.51 $ 105,060

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 21,410 1.41 $ 39.38 $ 81,910
Social Advocacy Organizations 2,140 0.97 $ 34.76 $ 72,300
State Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OEWS Designation) 20,120 0.91 $ 33.91 $ 70,530
Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services 10,700 0.71 $ 39.41 $ 81,980
Remediation and Other Waste Management Services 810 0.51 $ 41.69 $ 86,710

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

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Other Pipeline Transportation 30 0.37 $ 52.01 $ 108,170
Natural Gas Distribution 150 0.14 $ 51.61 $ 107,350
Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) 4,950 0.24 $ 50.51 $ 105,060
Wholesale Electronic Markets and Agents and Brokers 220 0.04 $ 50.10 $ 104,200
Management of Companies and Enterprises 1,500 0.06 $ 49.37 $ 102,700


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.





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 14,830 0.90 1.48 $ 45.62 $ 94,880
Texas 5,770 0.48 0.78 $ 40.43 $ 84,090
Florida 5,270 0.62 1.03 $ 29.08 $ 60,490
New York 3,700 0.43 0.70 $ 39.90 $ 83,000
North Carolina 3,610 0.84 1.38 $ 32.66 $ 67,940




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 920 3.09 5.09 $ 37.94 $ 78,920
District of Columbia 1,730 2.52 4.14 $ 55.83 $ 116,120
Wyoming 490 1.87 3.07 $ 33.73 $ 70,160
New Mexico 1,380 1.76 2.89 $ 38.82 $ 80,750
Vermont 310 1.09 1.79 $ 31.72 $ 65,980




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 1,730 2.52 4.14 $ 55.83 $ 116,120
California 14,830 0.90 1.48 $ 45.62 $ 94,880
Massachusetts 2,070 0.62 1.02 $ 43.95 $ 91,410
Virginia 3,380 0.91 1.50 $ 42.00 $ 87,360
Washington 3,010 0.94 1.55 $ 41.55 $ 86,420





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 3,870 0.44 0.72 $ 40.13 $ 83,470
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 3,840 1.27 2.09 $ 51.59 $ 107,320
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA 3,180 1.37 2.25 $ 54.01 $ 112,340
Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA 3,000 3.09 5.08 $ 46.04 $ 95,750
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 2,810 0.48 0.79 $ 45.86 $ 95,390
Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH 1,640 0.63 1.04 $ 45.66 $ 94,970
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA 1,620 0.83 1.36 $ 45.35 $ 94,330
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI 1,440 0.33 0.54 $ 41.83 $ 87,010
Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD 1,410 1.10 1.81 $ 40.69 $ 84,640
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA 1,390 0.53 0.87 $ 44.03 $ 91,570




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 990 5.46 8.98 $ 39.71 $ 82,600
Fairbanks, AK 140 4.53 7.46 $ 39.05 $ 81,220
Monroe, MI 130 3.84 6.31 $ 38.92 $ 80,950
Trenton, NJ 850 3.71 6.10 $ 39.39 $ 81,930
Jefferson City, MO 270 3.65 6.00 (8) (8)
Santa Fe, NM 210 3.63 5.97 $ 31.45 $ 65,410
Olympia-Tumwater, WA 380 3.53 5.80 $ 32.77 $ 68,170
Cheyenne, WY 150 3.41 5.60 $ 32.36 $ 67,310
Anchorage, AK 530 3.23 5.32 $ 37.99 $ 79,020
Tallahassee, FL 540 3.17 5.22 $ 23.06 $ 47,960




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)
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA 3,180 1.37 2.25 $ 54.01 $ 112,340
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 3,840 1.27 2.09 $ 51.59 $ 107,320
Utica-Rome, NY 40 0.34 0.55 $ 50.42 $ 104,870
Santa Rosa, CA 230 1.21 1.98 $ 50.34 $ 104,710
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA 140 0.74 1.22 $ 49.05 $ 102,030
Salinas, CA 90 0.53 0.88 $ 48.72 $ 101,340
Midland, TX 180 1.82 2.99 $ 48.39 $ 100,650
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA 580 0.52 0.86 $ 48.00 $ 99,840
Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA 130 1.47 2.41 $ 47.59 $ 98,980
Bakersfield, CA 170 0.55 0.91 $ 47.31 $ 98,400

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)
Northern New Mexico nonmetropolitan area 430 5.54 9.10 (8) (8)
Central Kentucky nonmetropolitan area 400 2.35 3.86 $ 25.15 $ 52,310
Alaska nonmetropolitan area 240 2.43 4.00 $ 37.24 $ 77,460
Southwest Montana nonmetropolitan area 230 1.73 2.85 $ 31.51 $ 65,550
Southeast Coastal North Carolina nonmetropolitan area 230 0.94 1.54 $ 29.27 $ 60,880

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 New Mexico nonmetropolitan area 430 5.54 9.10 (8) (8)
Northern Vermont nonmetropolitan area 190 2.85 4.68 $ 31.98 $ 66,530
Alaska nonmetropolitan area 240 2.43 4.00 $ 37.24 $ 77,460
Central New Hampshire nonmetropolitan area 220 2.42 3.98 $ 32.68 $ 67,980
Central Kentucky nonmetropolitan area 400 2.35 3.86 $ 25.15 $ 52,310

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)
Coastal Plains Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area 40 0.28 0.46 $ 44.52 $ 92,590
Southside Virginia nonmetropolitan area 40 0.36 0.58 $ 43.09 $ 89,630
Eastern Sierra-Mother Lode Region of California nonmetropolitan area 70 1.23 2.02 $ 41.20 $ 85,710
Northwest Virginia nonmetropolitan area 50 0.78 1.29 $ 40.36 $ 83,940
Coast Oregon nonmetropolitan area 40 0.35 0.57 $ 39.38 $ 81,900


About May 2020 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 2020 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2020 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2020 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2020 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2020 Occupation Profiles

Technical Notes

 

Last Modified Date: March 31, 2021