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Environmental consultant vs environmental project manager

The differences between environmental consultants and environmental project managers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 6-12 months to become both an environmental consultant and an environmental project manager. Additionally, an environmental project manager has an average salary of $78,417, which is higher than the $74,913 average annual salary of an environmental consultant.

The top three skills for an environmental consultant include environmental compliance, OSHA and technical reports. The most important skills for an environmental project manager are project management, business development, and renewable energy.

Environmental consultant vs environmental project manager overview

Environmental ConsultantEnvironmental Project Manager
Yearly salary$74,913$78,417
Hourly rate$36.02$37.70
Growth rate4%4%
Number of jobs21,723112,963
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 74%Bachelor's Degree, 75%
Average age4343
Years of experience1212

What does an environmental consultant do?

An Environmental Consultant provides assessment and advisory services for their clients on matters regarding the management of environmental issues. They are generally hired by consultancy firms, which are hired by the public sector or commercial organizations.

What does an environmental project manager do?

The role of an environmental project manager is to provide support and guidance on how businesses can better protect the environment using their knowledge and expertise on environmental issues and legislation. As an environmental project manager, you will perform various tasks throughout your workday. These may include overseeing interaction and activities with environmental government agencies, managing permits, mitigation and compliance involving construction projects, and monitoring utility locators, drillers, or refinery workers. You will also be responsible for consulting with engineers, regulators, and scientists to plan projects.

Environmental consultant vs environmental project manager salary

Environmental consultants and environmental project managers have different pay scales, as shown below.

Environmental ConsultantEnvironmental Project Manager
Average salary$74,913$78,417
Salary rangeBetween $56,000 And $98,000Between $52,000 And $118,000
Highest paying CitySan Francisco, CASan Francisco, CA
Highest paying stateCaliforniaCalifornia
Best paying companyConocoPhillipsLos Alamos National Laboratory
Best paying industryTechnologyTechnology

Differences between environmental consultant and environmental project manager education

There are a few differences between an environmental consultant and an environmental project manager in terms of educational background:

Environmental ConsultantEnvironmental Project Manager
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 74%Bachelor's Degree, 75%
Most common majorEnvironmental ScienceEnvironmental Science
Most common collegeStanford UniversityStanford University

Environmental consultant vs environmental project manager demographics

Here are the differences between environmental consultants' and environmental project managers' demographics:

Environmental ConsultantEnvironmental Project Manager
Average age4343
Gender ratioMale, 69.0% Female, 31.0%Male, 70.1% Female, 29.9%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 3.5% Unknown, 3.8% Hispanic or Latino, 10.1% Asian, 12.8% White, 69.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%Black or African American, 3.7% Unknown, 3.8% Hispanic or Latino, 10.5% Asian, 12.0% White, 69.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%
LGBT Percentage13%13%

Differences between environmental consultant and environmental project manager duties and responsibilities

Environmental consultant example responsibilities.

  • Develop and implement SPCC regulations, and manage and coordinate routine policy audits for oil and gas industry operators.
  • Manage a project for the U.S.EPA Superfund program that evaluate flexible methods to distribute Superfund monies to state and tribal governments.
  • Manage environmental restoration waste site characterization activities in support of CERCLA cleanup.
  • Audit EHS programs for deficiencies, prepare reports with recommend corrective actions.
  • Prepare SPCC plans and other documentation associate with storage of large volumes of fuel oil.
  • Collect GPS points in the field to produce GIS maps of trees inventory and upload marks to database.
  • Show more

Environmental project manager example responsibilities.

  • Manage and coordinate the preparation and production of high-profile and complex environmental documents in compliance with CEQA and NEPA.
  • Manage EPA representatives, consultants, and lawyers to change environmental law to protect the best interests of the base.
  • Manage a staff of engineers and geologists providing environmental restoration support services at various CERCLA NPL and RCRA sites nationwide.
  • Manage environmental restoration waste site characterization activities in support of CERCLA cleanup.
  • Manage sewage treatment plant direct discharge monitoring, operation, reporting and recordkeeping requirements.
  • Project manage the environmental testing component of numerous Superfund, RCRA and state-mandate site investigations.
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Environmental consultant vs environmental project manager skills

Common environmental consultant skills
  • Environmental Compliance, 9%
  • OSHA, 6%
  • Technical Reports, 5%
  • Project Management, 5%
  • EPA, 4%
  • Due Diligence, 4%
Common environmental project manager skills
  • Project Management, 11%
  • Business Development, 6%
  • Renewable Energy, 6%
  • Environmental Projects, 6%
  • Environmental Compliance, 4%
  • OSHA, 4%

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