Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between environmental field technicians and environmental scientists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-2 years to become an environmental field technician, becoming an environmental scientist takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, an environmental scientist has an average salary of $60,208, which is higher than the $38,450 average annual salary of an environmental field technician.
The top three skills for an environmental field technician include OSHA, data collection and HAZWOPER. The most important skills for an environmental scientist are environmental compliance, data collection, and GIS.
| Environmental Field Technician | Environmental Scientist | |
| Yearly salary | $38,450 | $60,208 |
| Hourly rate | $18.49 | $28.95 |
| Growth rate | 9% | 5% |
| Number of jobs | 76,665 | 56,425 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 65% | Bachelor's Degree, 81% |
| Average age | 38 | 39 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 6 |
An environmental field technician, often known as an environmental science and protection technician, is an individual who conducts tests on the environment and determines the impact of a potential source of pollutants. Environmental field technicians investigate pollution sources by performing testing of groundwater samples in the field. They must ensure that proper safety procedures and equipment are utilized as well as implement on-site safety procedures to individual company specifications. Environmental field technicians must also coordinate with construction management to ensure that they are following the comprehensive environmental compliance throughout the phases of construction.
Environmental scientists are responsible for analyzing environmental issues and creating their solutions. They protect the environment together with human health by using their understanding of natural science. It is their job to advise policy-makers, work with industry professionals to reduce waste, and clean up polluted areas. Also, they assess environmental risks and research to guide businesses, government administrators, as well as the general public on probable environmental threats and health risks. Additionally, they ensure that these entities follow the environmental regulations and policies to help minimize their environmental impact on the ecosystem.
Environmental field technicians and environmental scientists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Environmental Field Technician | Environmental Scientist | |
| Average salary | $38,450 | $60,208 |
| Salary range | Between $30,000 And $48,000 | Between $43,000 And $84,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | Novato, CA |
| Highest paying state | - | California |
| Best paying company | - | Chevron |
| Best paying industry | - | Technology |
There are a few differences between an environmental field technician and an environmental scientist in terms of educational background:
| Environmental Field Technician | Environmental Scientist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 65% | Bachelor's Degree, 81% |
| Most common major | Environmental Science | Environmental Science |
| Most common college | Duke University | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between environmental field technicians' and environmental scientists' demographics:
| Environmental Field Technician | Environmental Scientist | |
| Average age | 38 | 39 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 85.5% Female, 14.5% | Male, 61.7% Female, 38.3% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 9.4% Unknown, 5.7% Hispanic or Latino, 16.6% Asian, 10.5% White, 56.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0% | 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 | 8% | 16% |