Environmental Scientist: what the job is, what it pays, and how to get hired.
The work, the skills that matter, the tools in demand and the pay range, from U.S. government data, plus every TryHired page for the role.
10% of environmental scientists earn less than this amount.
- Annual
- $52,520
- Hourly
- n/a
- Source
- BLS May 2025
25% of environmental scientists earn less than this amount.
- Annual
- $64,490
- Hourly
- n/a
- Source
- BLS May 2025
Half of environmental scientists earn more than this and half earn less.
- Annual
- $82,220
- Hourly
- $39.53
- Source
- BLS May 2025
75% of environmental scientists earn less than this amount.
- Annual
- $107,970
- Hourly
- n/a
- Source
- BLS May 2025
90% of environmental scientists earn less than this amount.
- Annual
- $140,010
- Hourly
- n/a
- Source
- BLS May 2025
Environmental Scientists 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. The median pay is $82,220 a year ($39.53 an hour) (BLS, May 2025). The most commonly reported education requirement is a bachelor's degree (47% of workers surveyed by O*NET).
- Median pay
- $82,220
- BLS May 2025
- Employed in the U.S.
- 89,250
- BLS May 2025
- Preparation
- Job Zone 4 of 5
- considerable preparation
- Most common education
- Bachelor's Degree
- 47% of workers
Data Government data groups this job as Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health (O*NET-SOC 19-2041.00). Figures on this page are for that occupation.
Every page for Environmental Scientists
What environmental scientists do day to day
Data Core tasks rated most important by workers in the role (O*NET).
- Monitor effects of pollution or land degradation and recommend means of prevention or control.
- 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.
- Process and review environmental permits, licenses, or related materials.
- Conduct environmental audits or inspections or investigations of violations.
- Provide advice on proper standards and regulations or the development of policies, strategies, or codes of practice for environmental management.
- Prepare charts or graphs from data samples, providing summary information on the environmental relevance of the data.
- Research sources of pollution to determine their effects on the environment and to develop theories or methods of pollution abatement or control.
Ranked by importance to the job
Data O*NET importance ratings. The first three are core.
Knowledge areas: English Language, Biology, Customer and Personal Service, Law and Government, Computers and Electronics, Public Safety and Security.
Software environmental scientists use
Data Examples reported for the role; employer demand flags from O*NET.
- ESRI ArcGIS softwareGeographic information systemIn demand
- Geographic information system GIS systemsGeographic information systemIn demand
- Adobe IllustratorGraphics or photo imaging softwareHot technology
- Autodesk AutoCADComputer aided design CAD softwareHot technology
- Bentley MicroStationComputer aided design CAD softwareHot technology
- IBM SPSS StatisticsAnalytical or scientific softwareHot technology
- ADMS pollution modeling softwareAnalytical or scientific software
- CAP88-PCAnalytical or scientific software
- CERC EMITAnalytical or scientific software
- Chemicals and Irrigation CANDIAnalytical or scientific software
- Compass softwareAnalytical or scientific software
- Corel CorelDraw Graphics SuiteGraphics or photo imaging software
Also called: Environmental Analyst, Environmental Health and Safety Specialist (EHS Specialist), Environmental Health Specialist, Environmental Programs Specialist, Environmental Protection Specialist.
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How this page is built
Tasks, skills, tools, education and related roles come from O*NET 31.0. Pay and employment come from the BLS OEWS May 2025 national estimates. The skill-match score is our calculation: Skill match is the correlation between the two occupations' skill profiles: for each of 35 O*NET skills (10 essential, 25 transferable) we multiply importance by level, subtract the average across all occupations, and correlate the two profiles. 100 means identical shape; 0 or below means unrelated. Only occupations that O*NET itself lists as related are compared.
- How a specific employer defines the job.
- Pay for self-employed workers (OEWS covers employees).
- Your own chances: data describes the occupation, not you.
- O*NET 31.0 Database, U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. TryHired selected, ranked and combined the data; O*NET is not responsible for these pages.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates (public domain).