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The differences between environmental engineers and waste management specialists 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 engineer and a waste management specialist. Additionally, an environmental engineer has an average salary of $75,718, which is higher than the $58,616 average annual salary of a waste management specialist.
The top three skills for an environmental engineer include environmental compliance, project management and OSHA. The most important skills for a waste management specialist are EPA, RCRA, and OSHA.
| Environmental Engineer | Waste Management Specialist | |
| Yearly Salary | $75,718 | $58,616 |
| Hourly rate | $36.40 | $28.18 |
| Growth Rate | 4% | 4% |
| Number Of Jobs | 24,787 | 86,676 |
| Job Satisfaction | 5 | - |
| Most Common Degree | Bachelor's Degree, 75% | Bachelor's Degree, 61% |
| Average Age | 43 | 43 |
| Years Of Experience | 12 | 12 |
Environmental engineers use the principles of science, biology, engineering, and chemistry to create solutions to certain environmental problems. They primarily work to improve waste disposal, public health, recycling, and to control water and air pollution. It is also their responsibility to address global issues, such as climate change, unsafe drinking water, and environmental sustainability. They typically prepare and review environmental investigation reports so that documents and permits are updated and in compliance with environmental regulations.
A waste management specialist designs and manages waste reduction and reclamation projects. They work with government officials to ensure that waste management goes smoothly. They ensure the implementation of waste management and evaluate a waste management program's success. This position requires a university degree or a recognized training certificate.
Environmental engineers and waste management specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Environmental Engineer | Waste Management Specialist | |
| Average Salary | $75,718 | $58,616 |
| Salary Range | Between $58,000 And $98,000 | Between $36,000 And $93,000 |
| Highest Paying City | San Francisco, CA | Philadelphia, PA |
| Highest Paying State | Louisiana | Pennsylvania |
| Best Paying Company | McKinsey & Company Inc | |
| Best Paying Industry | Energy | Energy |
There are a few differences between an environmental engineer and a waste management specialist in terms of educational background:
| Environmental Engineer | Waste Management Specialist | |
| Most Common Degree | Bachelor's Degree, 75% | Bachelor's Degree, 61% |
| Most Common Major | Civil Engineering | Environmental Science |
| Most Common College | University of California, Berkeley | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between environmental engineers' and waste management specialists' demographics:
| Environmental Engineer | Waste Management Specialist | |
| Average Age | 43 | 43 |
| Gender Ratio | Male, 70.5% Female, 29.5% | Male, 75.9% Female, 24.1% |
| Race Ratio | Black or African American, 3.5% Unknown, 3.8% Hispanic or Latino, 10.2% Asian, 12.9% White, 69.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% | Black or African American, 4.1% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 11.1% Asian, 10.2% White, 70.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 13% | 13% |