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Job outlook for environmental analysts in the United States
Environmental analyst job growth summary. After extensive research, interviews, and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
The projected environmental analyst job growth rate is 5% from 2018-2028.
About 3,800 new jobs for environmental analysts are projected over the next decade.
Environmental analyst salaries have increased 6% for environmental analysts in the last 5 years.
There are over 31,859 environmental analysts currently employed in the United States.
There are 17,018 active environmental analyst job openings in the US.
The average environmental analyst salary is $60,795.
Are environmental analyst jobs in demand?
Environmental analyst job and salary trends over time
Environmental analyst jobs over time
Environmental analyst job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 31,859 | 0.01% |
| 2020 | 35,058 | 0.01% |
| 2019 | 34,925 | 0.01% |
| 2018 | 33,346 | 0.01% |
| 2017 | 33,943 | 0.01% |
Average environmental analyst salary over time
Environmental analyst salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $60,795 | $29.23 | +2.6% |
| 2025 | $59,242 | $28.48 | +0.3% |
| 2024 | $59,051 | $28.39 | +2.5% |
| 2023 | $57,615 | $27.70 | +0.7% |
| 2022 | $57,208 | $27.50 | +2.1% |
Environmental analyst jobs by state
Most common states for environmental analysts
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 150 | 22% |
| 2 | North Dakota | 755,393 | 84 | 11% |
| 3 | Alaska | 739,795 | 68 | 9% |
| 4 | Virginia | 8,470,020 | 641 | 8% |
| 5 | Maine | 1,335,907 | 92 | 7% |
| 6 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 424 | 6% |
| 7 | Maryland | 6,052,177 | 339 | 6% |
| 8 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 263 | 5% |
| 9 | Connecticut | 3,588,184 | 178 | 5% |
| 10 | Iowa | 3,145,711 | 157 | 5% |
| 11 | Nebraska | 1,920,076 | 99 | 5% |
| 12 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 62 | 5% |
| 13 | Rhode Island | 1,059,639 | 51 | 5% |
| 14 | Vermont | 623,657 | 31 | 5% |
| 15 | New York | 19,849,399 | 779 | 4% |
| 16 | Ohio | 11,658,609 | 431 | 4% |
| 17 | Georgia | 10,429,379 | 369 | 4% |
| 18 | Washington | 7,405,743 | 333 | 4% |
| 19 | New Mexico | 2,088,070 | 78 | 4% |
| 20 | West Virginia | 1,815,857 | 66 | 4% |
Most common cities for environmental analysts
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fairbanks | 1 | 3% | $57,046 |
| 2 | Gloucester | 1 | 3% | $56,636 |
| 3 | Muskegon | 1 | 3% | $52,810 |
| 4 | Boston | 14 | 2% | $58,296 |
| 5 | Springfield | 3 | 2% | $61,518 |
| 6 | Hartford | 2 | 2% | $59,831 |
| 7 | Rosemead | 1 | 2% | $90,501 |
| 8 | Worcester | 2 | 1% | $59,533 |
| 9 | Grand Rapids | 1 | 1% | $53,324 |
| 10 | Lawrence | 1 | 1% | $56,791 |
| 11 | Los Angeles | 2 | 0% | $90,607 |
| 12 | Phoenix | 1 | 0% | $55,021 |
| 13 | Sacramento | 1 | 0% | $94,807 |
| 14 | Washington | 1 | 0% | $93,057 |
Environmental Analyst job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of environmental analyst experts
University of Rhode Island
Bellarmine University
Lawrence University
American University
University of New Hampshire
Washington State University
Utah State University
Kent State University
University of North Alabama
University of Puerto Rico-RP
University of Mary Washington
Simona Trandafir
Associate Professor & Undergraduate Program DirectorUniversity of Rhode Island
Environmental/Natural Resources Management And Policy
What will help Environmental Analysts increase their earning potential?
Simona Trandafir: I would advise graduates to leverage the interdisciplinary nature of their studies. Utilize your understanding of both economic theory and environmental science to address complex sustainability issues. It's important to stay informed about current and emerging environmental policies and to develop an adaptive mindset to respond effectively to the dynamic nature of global environmental challenges. Engaging in continuous professional development and participating in industry conferences can also greatly benefit their career growth and networking opportunities.
What general advice would you give to an Environmental Analyst?
Martha Carlson Mazur PhD: Be a contributing member of the communities you occupy. Forming authentic relationships builds the network that will lead to opportunities for advancement.
What Environmental Analyst skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Martha Carlson Mazur PhD: The art of paying attention is the top emerging skill that students need to acquire before entering the workforce in Environmental Science. We have so many distractions vying for our attention in today’s high-tech world that we need to be mindful of where we choose to direct our thoughts to optimize our productivity. Likewise, paying attention to changes in the environment is of utmost importance in the work that we do, and paying attention to our own needs will keep us going in the hard but rewarding work of changing the world.
What will help Environmental Analysts increase their earning potential?
Martha Carlson Mazur PhD: Be clear to yourself on what you value and how you want to use your unique skills and knowledge to change your piece of the world. Then, connect with people to find shared values and build relationships to enact your vision while being open to opportunities you might not have considered.
What general advice would you give to an Environmental Analyst?
Marcia Bjornerud: Be open to taking short-term jobs for a few years to get a sense of the range of career opportunities in environmental sciences and which match your skills and temperament best. Think creatively about how your interdisciplinary training in environmental sciences can be applied even in fields that are not obviously 'environmental' - e.g. city/regional government, transportation, healthcare, etc. All human activities are embedded within and dependent on the natural environment. Also, the habit of 'systems thinking' that is central to environmental science can be applied to complex human systems.
What will help Environmental Analysts increase their earning potential?
Marcia Bjornerud: Capacity to apply concepts from chemistry, biology and geosciences to 'wicked' (complex, entangled) environmental problems. Familiarity with GIS (Geographic Information Systems) software. Knowledge of statistical methods for analyzing large data sets. Ability to communicate complex scientific concepts to the public.
Dr. Karen Knee (she/her)
Associate Professor and Department ChairAmerican University
Natural Resources Conservation And Research
What general advice would you give to an Environmental Analyst?
Dr. Karen Knee (she/her): Honestly, I don't think most people get into Environmental Science with the goal of maximizing their salary potential. Nor do I think this field is the best choice if that's your top concern. I think it's important to take stock of your financial goals (for example, saving for retirement, buying a house, being able to travel), put together a realistic budget (perhaps with the help of a financial advisor), and see what income you need. Then you can look for jobs in that range. It's important to realize that budgeting, saving, investing and avoiding needless spending are just as important to financial health as maximizing your salary.
What Environmental Analyst skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Dr. James Malley Jr: Some of this is market driven by the type of employer (public versus private), the location of the job (major metropolitan area versus a more rural or smaller city), etc. In the foreseeable future due to Environmental Engineering becoming popular around 1970 there are many people approaching retirement age (“the silver tsunami”) so jobs will likely be plentiful which will help. So, to maximize starting salaries you will want to do your homework and study the different employers, regions, etc. to see what salary ranges are realistic. Then pursue the opportunities that have the higher starting salaries if that is your priority (clearly an Environmental Engineer working for a major industry such as gas and oil will have a higher starting salary offer than one working for municipal governments) and also carefully interview the firms when they invite you to interview to find out how they handle things like overtime, bonuses, salary review frequency, etc.
What Environmental Analyst skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Holly Henning: My advice to students is keep a beginners' mind as they learn their particular job. I always encourage students to seek out a mentor in their position and to ask questions and say yes when they are asked to volunteer for temporary roles that might help them learn more about their employer and the career paths available to them. I also encourage them to connect to other WSU graduates as Cougs love to help other Cougs.
What Environmental Analyst skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Daniella Hirschfeld PhD: Humanity today faces tremendous environmental challenges - chemicals in our water and air are causing major health problems, climate change is leading to increased disaster events, and biodiversity loss is at an all time high. Being an environmental designer allows people to address these challenges head on. It also gives people a chance to make other people's lives more livable, healthier, and happier.
What general advice would you give to an Environmental Analyst?
Dr. Christopher Post PhD: Start local and get an internship while an undergraduate. Any position with the federal lands agencies (parks, forests, BLM, etc.) are tough to get and you have to work your way in to that federal system. Start local with regional/county/city parks and forests and work up to the federal level. Also keep that balance between the science (the biology and earth science) and the more social science/humanities (ethics, economics, communications) material you’ve learned as undergraduate. These jobs are all about communicating complex scientific/environmental issues with the general public so that context is very important. You have to be nimble and know both areas (the science and the social science) and their overlap.
What Environmental Analyst skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Dr. Christopher Post PhD: Geographic Information Science—the ability to take field data and make it visual with maps so that you and others can witness and analyze spatial relations is the most important skill set in environmental careers right now and will continue as such. Everything in nature moves—albeit sometimes slowly—and understanding those interactions is key to unfolding humanity’s impacts on the environment, and vice versa.
What will help Environmental Analysts increase their earning potential?
Dr. Christopher Post PhD: Having field and lab experience as an undergraduate—showing you can put theory to practice via internships or other undergraduate research opportunities should best position a student for maximizing that starting salary.
What will help Environmental Analysts increase their earning potential?
Aaron Haines Ph.D., Certified Wildlife Biologist ®: Learn to be a team player and be reliable enough to complete tasks by yourself. Make sure your online presence is one of a professional in your field. Potential employers will search you out online. Have these searches lead to the professional you. The ecology and environmental biology fields are competitive. As a growing professional in these fields, you will begin with lower salaries compared to biology majors in other fields such as the medical, pharmaceutical, and research lab professions. Most government organizations that deal with ecology-based issues, such as natural resources or environmental monitoring, have lower budgets compared to other government departments. Also, non-government organizations that work in these fields are mainly non-profit. The best way to get into these competitive fields is via internships and temporary positions. Experience is key. Temporary positions are low pay, but they provide the building blocks of experience to get you more permanent and better pay positions or entry into graduate school with an assistantship. Graduate assistantships provide opportunities for graduate students to get paid, have benefits, and have tuition covered. That is a good deal. Look for jobs in places you would never think to look. Examples of unique employers in these fields include private consulting organizations, research labs doing environmental work, and Department of Defense.
What general advice would you give to an Environmental Analyst?
Aaron Haines Ph.D., Certified Wildlife Biologist ®: Having more technical skill sets can help you get entry level positions that can lead to higher pay positions. These include the ability to extract DNA from biological samples and understand the process of DNA sequencing, be familiar with geographical information systems (GIS) software such as ArcPro, ArcGIS, QGIS, be familiar with programming language such as Phyton and R statical programming, and government policies that impact your field of study.
Be a member of a professional organization and attend their conferences. This will allow you the opportunity to learn from others, network, and meet potential future employers.
What Environmental Analyst skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Aaron Haines Ph.D., Certified Wildlife Biologist ®: The current most prevalent skill sets and qualifications for students interested in the ecology and environmental fields include good communication through speaking and writing. It is important to be able to communicate as an effective team member, communicate with private landowners, volunteers, and to the public for education purposes. Writing skills will be important for correctly recording data, completing certifications, helping to write grants (and other fundraising efforts) and completing reports.
Be in good physical condition to complete fieldwork and gather data. Sometimes you will be deep in the field and off-trail. The better shape you are in, the better your ability to deal with hot, cold, or humid weather conditions and bothersome insects. Physical exhaustion leads to increased errors in the field.
When in the field, certain professions prefer combinations of the following skills: Use of GPS units, ability to drive 4-wheel drive vehicles and/or ATVs, boating experience, chainsaw, herbicide and pesticide application, identification of flora and fauna, ability access soil and water quality, and prescribed fire experience.
Have standard IT skills to gather data via phone or tablet and be familiar with standard programs such as WORD, EXCEL, and ACCESS.
Future skills will include the ability to gather data remotely from the field (e.g., Lidar spatial data, acoustic recordings, remote cameras, drone data, eDNA) and onto the Could. It will also be beneficial to speak more than one language and be able to develop a strong web presence for your project and organization.
Michael Pretes
Professor and Chair of Geoscience, University of North AlabamaUniversity of North Alabama
Geography And Cartography
What skills stand out on Environmental Analyst resumes?
Michael Pretes: Environmental Analyst jobs are increasingly important, given greater impact and awareness of sustainability and climate change issues. Environmental Analysts help determine the environmental impacts of human actions and corporate and government policies. They also help corporations and government agencies achieve compliance with environmental regulations. Work, internship, or volunteer experience in areas related to the job really stands out on a resume. This could mean work that involves either field experience or policy development and reports writing. Field experience can mean the collection of land, water, or atmospheric data in the area of impact rather than from textual sources. Each type of data collection will require its own set of skills. Having been involved in policy decisions or having written and published reports on environmental conditions or impacts also looks good for some types of jobs.
What soft skills should all Environmental Analysts possess?
Michael Pretes: Good communication skills are essential for Environmental Analyst positions, as indeed they are for most jobs. This means good written, oral, and visual communication skills. Writing skills are used in everything from emails to technical reports. Oral communication skills are essential when speaking to individuals and to small and large groups. And visual communication skills are increasingly important in everything from social media to the production of maps, charts, and images.
What hard/technical skills are most important for Environmental Analysts?
Michael Pretes: Remote Sensing Applications, including LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging), are increasingly important. These technologies include the collection and analysis of images and data collected from satellites, aircraft, and UAVs (drones). The ability to use technology to acquire this imagery and then to analyze it will be of great use in pursuing a career as an Environmental Analyst or related careers. Knowledge of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and general mapping skills are also of great use. All of these skills can be acquired through Geography and Geoscience courses and programs.
What skills will help Environmental Analysts earn the most?
Michael Pretes: The above two abilities--good communication skills and experience with Remote Sensing technologies--will give anyone an edge. Having a Master's degree or extensive field experience can also help boost your salary.
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Environmental Analysts?
Elvia Melendez-Ackerman Ph.D.: An unwritten rule is that the more marketable college graduates not only finish with an appropriate selection of content courses but also with a myriad of hands-on experiences where the student has had the opportunity to develop and strengthen scientific and technical skills, but just as important are the soft skills expected in their chosen profession. Many of these hands-on experiences occur off campus and indeed these are highly encouraged by academic advisors. For most students graduating after 2020, the pandemic reduced the number of opportunities in which they engaged in these types of activities, reducing their number of hours spent in "job-like" settings. It is in these settings where students can develop and demonstrate their leadership, teamwork and, organizational skills and, their ability to get the job done.
Because these off-campus experiences are carried out under supervision, they become important sources of letters of recommendations for employment from experts that truly know how they can perform under different situations. In the short-term, COVID-19 and events with similar outcomes (i.e.. shutdown of educational facilities) could be viewed as a selective factor that would favor those students that engaged early in their undergraduate degree in complementary activities (i.e., internships, volunteer work in research projects, research for credit, etc.). Within that context, shutdowns related to the pandemic might have impacted job preparedness of students from different socio-economic backgrounds differently. For those students that needed to work to pay for college, engaging early in ancillary professional activities might not have been an option. Socio-economic disparities in terms of access to technology (good computer, high speed internet) may have also led to unequal learning experiences. I taught a course in drone technologies where we managed to purchase GIS software licenses to allow students to work on simple spatial analyses remotely, but some students just did not have the computing capacity to operate these at home and ended up having to watch others.
For employers looking to hire recent college graduates that can do reliable fieldwork and perform well under fieldwork conditions (e.g., research areas related to environmental, social, or social-environmental work), the pool of experienced students would now be reduced. At the same time, college graduates will have a tougher time accruing the much-needed experience time that will make them competitive.
What soft skills should all Environmental Analysts possess?
Elvia Melendez-Ackerman Ph.D.: To me the following are almost universal. College graduates should be responsible, reliable, have good organizational skills, great capacity work both in groups and independently. Ideally a college graduate shows good leadership, communication, and problem-solving abilities. These last three often appear as requirements in job applications, but even if unlisted you better believe that a prospective employer is looking for those skills when reviewing an application. The pandemic brought to the forefront the importance of communication skills (written and oral) and the importance of networking especially in their professional environments. It has also shifted the ways in which communication needs to be conducted in workplaces. Understanding and becoming proficient in these new communication strategies is more desirable than ever.
Dr. Jackie Gallagher
Associate Professor, ChairUniversity of Mary Washington
Department of Geography
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Environmental Analyst job market given the pandemic?
Dr. Jackie Gallagher: The job market has slowed down in many or most areas, but contractors with funded contracts that need to be completed are still hiring. The University of Mary Washington is located in Fredericksburg VA, 50 miles south of D.C., even closer to a number of government agencies, and their contractors; these are the kinds of places that are still hiring. Jobs in Geographic Information Science (GIS) have remained somewhat strong throughout the pandemic, and I expect them to come back even stronger. I expect the health industries to use GIS more than they have up until now. The maps that are being produced to show the spread of COVID-19, the kinds of people who are most seriously impacted, the kinds of spreading events, locations of resources, and so on - they have all highlighted the importance of geography. I expect organizations to use GIS more in the future. People with geographic or spatial understanding will be needed to help understand, interpret, and create such maps.
The other main trend is environmental, related to climate change and impacts caused by it. We have already seen new flood mapping by FEMA. We will be looking at coastal changes, new risk maps for hurricane damage, and probably new species distributions over time. Geographers interested in environmental and climate impacts will work for government agencies, contractors, non-profits, and local and regional city/county planning organizations. These exist in the greater D.C. region, but also all over Virginia and the country.