# Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health

SOC 19-2041. Page: https://educationguide.com/careers/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.

## Pay and outlook
- U.S. median wage $82,220 (middle half $64,490–$107,970; BLS May 2025)
- Ages 25-34: median $63,545; 100% hold a bachelor's or higher (Census ACS 2020-2024)
- Jobs 2025-35: 6.1%; ~7.3k openings a year; typical entry: Bachelor's degree

## Fields of degree of young workers (ages 25-34, bachelor's+)
- Environmental Science: 27% (https://educationguide.com/degrees/environmental-science-conservation)
- Biology: 15% (https://educationguide.com/degrees/biology)
- Geology And Earth Science: 6%
- Natural Resources Management: 5% (https://educationguide.com/degrees/environmental-natural-resources-management-and-policy, https://educationguide.com/degrees/wildlife-and-wildlands-science-and-management)
- Ecology: 4% (https://educationguide.com/degrees/ecology-and-evolutionary-biology)
- Chemistry: 2% (https://educationguide.com/degrees/chemistry)
- Miscellaneous Biology: 2%
- Business Management And Administration: 1% (https://educationguide.com/degrees/business-administration)
- General Medical And Health Services: 1% (https://educationguide.com/degrees/health-sciences)
- Psychology: 1% (https://educationguide.com/degrees/psychology)

## Median wage by state
- AK: $91,960
- AL: $72,490
- AR: $57,220
- AZ: $80,600
- CA: $106,510
- CO: $85,990
- CT: $82,070
- DC: $132,620
- DE: $64,690
- FL: $60,830
- GA: $85,710
- GU: $68,640
- HI: $79,510
- IA: $78,780
- ID: $70,350
- IL: $81,590
- IN: $64,700
- KS: $78,210
- KY: $71,040
- LA: $69,820
- MA: $100,640
- MD: $84,190
- ME: $66,480
- MI: $76,080
- MN: $88,000
- MO: $61,050
- MS: $57,780
- MT: $80,260
- NC: $74,130
- ND: $84,570
- NE: $64,040
- NH: $80,810
- NJ: $79,210
- NM: $86,630
- NV: $83,050
- NY: $82,160
- OH: $78,540
- OK: $75,910
- OR: $97,440
- PA: $76,110
- PR: $53,030
- RI: $100,730
- SC: $74,910
- SD: $68,230
- TN: $76,840
- TX: $92,000
- UT: $90,710
- VA: $82,230
- VI: $53,830
- VT: $77,460
- WA: $98,300
- WI: $72,820
- WV: $82,100
- WY: $74,050

Method: https://educationguide.com/how-we-score#careers

Free to reuse with attribution: cite "EducationGuide.com" with a link to the page URL. Most figures are U.S. government data (public domain); loan default rates and athletics come from the Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-By 1.0, attribution required) and founding years from Wikidata (CC0). O*NET data: CC BY 4.0, O*NET 31.0 (USDOL/ETA).