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The differences between environmental engineering interns and environmental specialists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 6-12 months to become an environmental engineering internship, becoming an environmental specialist takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, an environmental specialist has an average salary of $54,482, which is higher than the $36,235 average annual salary of an environmental engineering internship.
The top three skills for an environmental engineering internship include GIS, environmental compliance and powerpoint. The most important skills for an environmental specialist are hazardous waste, environmental compliance, and hazardous materials.
| Environmental Engineering Internship | Environmental Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $36,235 | $54,482 |
| Hourly rate | $17.42 | $26.19 |
| Growth rate | 4% | 5% |
| Number of jobs | 112,274 | 18,074 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 78% | Bachelor's Degree, 64% |
| Average age | 43 | 39 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 6 |
An environmental engineering intern is someone who provides environmental compliance. Environmental engineering interns assist environmental program administrators. They conduct surveys or studies for the completion of documents. It is their duty to help in the development and rehabilitation of monitoring wells to ensure productive water samples. They collect and compile data to establish a water-management plan on a state level. Also, they perform evaluations, establish and validate procedures, and improve record keeping.
Environmental specialists are experts in natural science who are responsible for monitoring the environmental impact of a population, identifying environmental problems, and recommending measures to solve these issues. These scientists perform various duties and responsibilities that include overseeing field examinations and reporting hazard materials and locations, evaluating environmental health concerns, and investigating preparing reports related to environmental issues. Environmental specialists are also responsible for consulting with agencies or clients about an issue or situation and working with other companies to reduce pollution and waste.
Environmental engineering interns and environmental specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Environmental Engineering Internship | Environmental Specialist | |
| Average salary | $36,235 | $54,482 |
| Salary range | Between $26,000 And $49,000 | Between $36,000 And $80,000 |
| Highest paying City | Washington, DC | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | California |
| Best paying company | Schneider Electric Industrial Services | Texas Instruments |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Manufacturing |
There are a few differences between an environmental engineering internship and an environmental specialist in terms of educational background:
| Environmental Engineering Internship | Environmental Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 78% | Bachelor's Degree, 64% |
| Most common major | Environmental Science | Environmental Science |
| Most common college | University of California, Berkeley | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill |
Here are the differences between environmental engineering interns' and environmental specialists' demographics:
| Environmental Engineering Internship | Environmental Specialist | |
| Average age | 43 | 39 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 49.1% Female, 50.9% | Male, 62.6% Female, 37.4% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 3.6% Unknown, 3.8% Hispanic or Latino, 10.4% Asian, 13.0% White, 68.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% | Black or African American, 3.1% Unknown, 3.7% Hispanic or Latino, 6.2% Asian, 5.0% White, 81.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 13% | 16% |