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Job outlook for environmental health safety managers in the United States
Environmental health safety manager job growth summary. After extensive research, interviews, and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
The projected environmental health safety manager job growth rate is 4% from 2018-2028.
About 800 new jobs for environmental health safety managers are projected over the next decade.
Environmental health safety manager salaries have increased 9% for environmental health safety managers in the last 5 years.
There are over 16,557 environmental health safety managers currently employed in the United States.
There are 76,277 active environmental health safety manager job openings in the US.
The average environmental health safety manager salary is $85,594.
Are environmental health safety manager jobs in demand?
Environmental health safety manager job and salary trends over time
Environmental health safety manager jobs over time
Environmental health safety manager job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 16,557 | 0.00% |
| 2020 | 17,447 | 0.01% |
| 2019 | 18,497 | 0.01% |
| 2018 | 20,579 | 0.01% |
| 2017 | 20,116 | 0.01% |
Average environmental health safety manager salary over time
Environmental health safety manager salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $85,594 | $41.15 | +3.1% |
| 2025 | $83,023 | $39.92 | +2.6% |
| 2024 | $80,953 | $38.92 | +0.7% |
| 2023 | $80,389 | $38.65 | +2.1% |
| 2022 | $78,764 | $37.87 | +2.5% |
Environmental health safety manager jobs by state
Most common states for environmental health safety managers
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 229 | 33% |
| 2 | North Dakota | 755,393 | 172 | 23% |
| 3 | Vermont | 623,657 | 143 | 23% |
| 4 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 1,126 | 20% |
| 5 | Indiana | 6,666,818 | 1,242 | 19% |
| 6 | Iowa | 3,145,711 | 583 | 19% |
| 7 | North Carolina | 10,273,419 | 1,644 | 16% |
| 8 | Idaho | 1,716,943 | 273 | 16% |
| 9 | Ohio | 11,658,609 | 1,718 | 15% |
| 10 | Virginia | 8,470,020 | 1,255 | 15% |
| 11 | Missouri | 6,113,532 | 941 | 15% |
| 12 | Wisconsin | 5,795,483 | 880 | 15% |
| 13 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 195 | 15% |
| 14 | Michigan | 9,962,311 | 1,427 | 14% |
| 15 | Maryland | 6,052,177 | 818 | 14% |
| 16 | Alabama | 4,874,747 | 662 | 14% |
| 17 | Arkansas | 3,004,279 | 429 | 14% |
| 18 | Kansas | 2,913,123 | 398 | 14% |
| 19 | Rhode Island | 1,059,639 | 153 | 14% |
| 20 | Wyoming | 579,315 | 84 | 14% |
Most common cities for environmental health safety managers
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bowling Green | 3 | 5% | $79,410 |
| 2 | Auburn | 1 | 4% | $74,319 |
| 3 | Peoria | 2 | 2% | $75,327 |
| 4 | Council Bluffs | 1 | 2% | $58,045 |
| 5 | Decatur | 1 | 2% | $86,893 |
| 6 | New Orleans | 2 | 1% | $69,623 |
| 7 | Cambridge | 1 | 1% | $100,694 |
| 8 | Clearwater | 1 | 1% | $74,587 |
| 9 | College Station | 1 | 1% | $90,474 |
| 10 | Oakland | 2 | 0% | $126,861 |
| 11 | Philadelphia | 2 | 0% | $69,596 |
| 12 | Baltimore | 1 | 0% | $71,388 |
| 13 | Birmingham | 1 | 0% | $86,582 |
| 14 | Chicago | 1 | 0% | $77,158 |
| 15 | Colorado Springs | 1 | 0% | $78,998 |
Environmental Health Safety Manager job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of environmental health safety manager experts
Lawrence University
University of New Hampshire
Washington State University
New Mexico State University
University of South Carolina - Columbia
University of Central Missouri
Elon University
Kennesaw State University
Brown University
University of Minnesota
North Carolina State University
University of Delaware
Rutgers, The State University
Alma College
Cape Code Community College
What general advice would you give to an Environmental Health Safety Manager?
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 Health Safety Managers 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.
What Environmental Health Safety Manager 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 will help Environmental Health Safety Managers increase their earning potential?
Dr. James Malley Jr: There is general agreement that “Big Data” will continue to be a major emphasis so learning the use of python or similar will be important. No doubt AI/ML will impact the Environmental Engineering field so becoming more familiar with AI/ML, specifically how it is used as well as recognizing when it is being used effectively and when it is being used incorrectly or producing results that are unrealistic and impractical. As your career advances in the next 3-5 years you will also find the soft skills already mentioned as well as developing better management and leadership skills will be important because surely by year 5 others will be working for you and you will be managing them.
What Environmental Health Safety Manager 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.
Geno Picchioni
ProfessorNew Mexico State University
Applied Horticulture And Horticultural Business Services
What general advice would you give to an Environmental Health Safety Manager?
Geno Picchioni: BE TRAINABLE, OPEN-MINDED, AND APPROACHABLE. REMEMBER WHAT GOT YOU HERE: HARD WORK, PERSEVERANCE, DEDICATION, COLLEGIALITY. HONOR YOUR SUPPORT FAMILY.
What will help Environmental Health Safety Managers increase their earning potential?
Geno Picchioni: ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE. CONSERVATION AND SUSTAINABILITY PRACTICES. COMMUNITY BUILDING.
Bryan Gentry
Director of CommunicationsUniversity of South Carolina - Columbia
Natural Resources Conservation And Research
What general advice would you give to an Environmental Health Safety Manager?
Bryan Gentry: We've found we get better responses over email than the phone because it gives you some time to think about it.
What Environmental Health Safety Manager skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Carol Boggs PhD: Human impacts on the environment are continuing to increase. The demand for professionals to mitigate the effects of climate change and land use impacts will continue to increase in response.
Reza Khanbilvardi Ph.D.
NOAA Chair Professor pf Civil and Environmental Engineering, Director of Earth System and Environmental Engineering at CUNY City CollegeWhat will help Environmental Health Safety Managers increase their earning potential?
Reza Khanbilvardi Ph.D.: To be in a position to maximize salary potential (at the beginning and during the work), one has to demonstrate and perform his/her job responsibilities by Being well organized, work on proper time-management skills Achieve tasks on time (and even before the deadline, if possible), Show the willingness to be involved in additional tasks/responsibility, Be collegian with all co-workers, Do not procrastinate .
Wesley Tinker
Assistant Professor of SafetyUniversity of Central Missouri
Safety Sciences
What Environmental Health Safety Manager skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Wesley Tinker: - In today's marketplace, the need for Safety Professionals is at an all-time high. With the ever-evolving methods and equipment across all industries, safety-related positions are being instituted to keep up with the introduction of the risks associated with the evolvement. Safety professionals impact the four quadrants of risk management involving finances, strategy, operations, and of course hazards. In previous years, the persona of duties associated with the Safety professional only impacted the hazards element but nowadays we can see how impactful they are on all four of those quadrants. With this level of involvement in the organization, the justification for a higher salary is made. Safety Professionals typically enter the field because they want to prevent people from becoming injured and/or ill but also the volume of positions along with the higher payscale than most 'fresh out of college' professions, allows for more opportunities.
Will Pluer Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of EngineeringElon University
Physics & Engineering Department
What soft skills should all Environmental Health Safety Managers possess?
Will Pluer Ph.D.: Within the job, time management is probably the most important. An employer will be impressed if you're finishing work before your deadlines. To get the job in the first place, professionalism is very important. Submit a clean and attractive resume with your application and then show up to an interview dressed for the job.
Dr. Dan Ferreira Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Environmental ScienceKennesaw State University
Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology
What soft skills should all Environmental Health Safety Managers possess?
Dr. Dan Ferreira Ph.D.: When it comes to job opportunities, the ability to successfully work in groups is really important. Students should talk about group projects that they've worked on, how they contributed to the overall project, and how they managed that group dynamic. If there was some sort of conflict in the group, such as a member who wasn't pulling their weight or someone who wasn't communicating effectively, being able to describe how they dealt with that problem and overcame it would really demonstrate to a potential employer that they are ready to be an effective part of a team. Writing is also really important. Students should be ready to submit a writing sample that demonstrates their ability to write well. And being able to use proper grammar and spelling is just the beginning. Preferably they should submit something long enough to show that they can put together a cohesive narrative that makes a persuasive argument like a term paper.
What skills will help Environmental Health Safety Managers earn the most?
Dr. Dan Ferreira Ph.D.: Ultimately, if they want to move up the ladder to the higher rungs with better salaries, students need to demonstrate leadership skills. They need to prove to an employer that they have what it takes to move on to those next steps where they may be giving orders instead of following them. Students should be on the lookout for opportunities to demonstrate that kind of talent, like taking on leadership roles within a student organization at their university or maybe working as a tutor or student instructor for a course they excelled in. Participation in learning activities beyond the regular curriculum can also help here, such as pursuing a minor that might make them stand out from their peers or doing a study abroad program that gave them some insight or perspective that others may not have.
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Environmental Health Safety Managers?
Dawn King Ph.D.: Students studying the environment should see an increase in the number of job opportunities (from public positions to private corporations and non-profit work). This was already in motion before our current federal focus on reducing greenhouse gases and social responsibility.
What technical skills for an Environmental Health Safety Manager stand out to employers?
Dawn King Ph.D.: I find that many technical skills can be taught, so employers often look for candidates with drive and those who can demonstrate they have good time management skills. Further, employers often ask me to speak to the candidate's ability to work well independently and as part of a team.
What's a good job out of college for Environmental Health Safety Managers?
Dawn King Ph.D.: In my opinion, a good job out of college helps the graduate build skill sets and networks toward their long-term goals. It need not be a permanent position or in the graduate's "area of expertise" to be beneficial. This could be as complex as learning new computer models or as mundane as learning what you don't want to do.
What's a good job out of college for Environmental Health Safety Managers?
Carl Rosen: Environmental consulting, non-profits/NGOs, Federal and state agency jobs e.g. NRCS (mapping & conservation), SWCD & BWSR (soil conservation); MPCA, DNR, MDA (regulation); Extension (education based programming for non traditional audiences in agriculture and natural resources), farming (if they can afford it), ag industries/fertilizer companies (sales and research), graduate school (MS and Ph.D.). All of these are good jobs because they are passionate about using the skills they learned in their undergraduate degree and for the most part they can earn a living wage with benefits.
What technology do you think will become more important and prevalent for Environmental Health Safety Managers in the next 3-5 years?
Frederik Laleicke Ph.D.: Natural and sustainable materials play an essential role in creating modern, human-centered environments and will be of increasing importance in the future. Over the past decades, industrial processes have been improved to produce high performing and reliable products from natural resources. The challenges lie in preserving the natural variability that makes biomaterials, such as wood, appealing, and staying within standards, safety margins, and product specifications. The advanced technology employed will require fewer, but more knowledgeable, workers and managers that understand the capabilities and limitations of the produced technical processes and products.
An excellent example of where these challenges have been solved using modern technologies is mass timber. Large wooden panels are premanufactured in semi-automated processes, and CNC technology cuts each of them to an exact fit. Relatively new in the U.S., mass timber engineering, manufacturing, and use are currently being fine-tuned to meet the requirements of growing markets. In future years, the design-for-disassembly will move into focus when end-of-life considerations for wood-based construction draw more attention.
These developments offer numerous opportunities for employees with diverse skillsets, such as engineers, technologists, analysts, and marketing/business experts. However, they all have in common an in-depth understanding of sustainability concepts and a sense of environmental responsibility. Whatever the specialty of our graduates, they will match one of many different roles in the economy of sustainable materials.
Jack Puleo Ph.D.
Professor and ChairUniversity of Delaware
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Will there be an increase or decrease in demand for Environmental Health Safety Managers in the next 5 years?
Jack Puleo Ph.D.: I believe there will be an increase.
Frank Gallagher Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Professional Practice Director, Environmental Planning ProgramRutgers, The State University
Department of Landscape Architecture
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Environmental Health Safety Managers?
Frank Gallagher Ph.D.: Like most things, there will be positive and negative effects. On the negative side, the pandemic is deepening the inequity in wealth distribution, exasperating both the financial divide and adding to social equity issues. On the positive side, it appears that working remotely will be accepted more, reducing the amount of daily travel, and hence fuel used, decreasing green-house gas loading rates.
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Environmental Health Safety Managers to find work opportunities?
Murray Borrello: I would say that this question may be asked, "are there any good places in the U.S. or good areas in the job market..." First, let's look at places...I am finding that students who are looking in areas that are "high-quality living" regions, like in the Rocky Mountains (Boulder, Denver, Colorado Springs) or coastal areas such as Portland, OR, Seattle, WA, San Francisco - there are jobs, but there is also a lot of competition for those jobs. Where openings occur changes quite a bit, depending on population migration and the area that the work entails. For example, if you are interested in water resources (finding water, water quality issues), the Plains States and Southwest U.S. is where you are likely to find work. Actually, larger communities anywhere along the Colorado or Rio Grande River systems are pretty good bets. But in general, the kind of work will determine where you find employment. My advice to students ready to graduate is this:
Make a list of areas you want to work in. The list should be divided into three tiers - where you absolutely would love to live, where you wouldn't mind living, and an area or region where the job dictates where you live. Remember, most "first" jobs are not long-term commitments. Employees move around a lot now.
But, for those graduates who are looking for work in 2021 - 2023, I would say that environmental health is going to be the area with the most positions. Anything that can be tied with the Coronavirus, tracking infections, general statistics, and epidemiology - these skill sets and knowledge will be hugely beneficial in getting employment. Even those students who are finishing up their senior year, it might be wise to explore environmental health classes or public health classes.
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Environmental Health Safety Managers?
Catherine Etter Ph.D.: Sure, I am already hearing from students who want to go into healthcare professions. Also, students have to use the remote learning options, and that has shifted their educational experience.