How To Become An Environmental Management Specialist: What It Is and Career Path

What is an environmental management specialist and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

3 min read

Quoted experts

Deborah Aruguete Ph.D.,

Dr. Chelsea Ward

There is more than meets the eye when it comes to being an environmental management specialist. For example, did you know that they make an average of $23.36 an hour? That's $48,594 a year! Between 2018 and 2028, the career is expected to grow 4% and produce 1,800 job opportunities across the U.S.

What general advice would you give to an environmental management specialist?

Deborah Aruguete Ph.D.

Assistant Professor of Environmental Science, Penn State Behrend

Particularly in this time of COVID-19, it is critical to be proactive. More than ever before, a graduate's boss (or prospective employers) are coping with the increased stresses of more home duties, changes in work operations, etc. These senior authority figures will appreciate people who take the initiative. If you have an idea or see an issue at work, before you go to your boss, take the time to look up the information you need. Once you have some information, it is then time to communicate. I cannot emphasize enough, more than ever, the need to communicate regularly and clearly.

The second piece of advice might seem pretty obvious, but here it is: Follow the Instructions, whether it is for a task at work or when applying for a job. Environmental science is interdisciplinary by its very nature, so it is likely in a position that you'll have to learn about new techniques or unfamiliar areas of science. Instructions are there for a reason. It amazes me how so many students do not bother to read instructions. One suggestion I have for people who tend to read too fast and miss steps is to say the instructions aloud. There's something about actually speaking every word that forces people to slow down.

ScoreEnvironmental Management SpecialistUS Average

Salary

3.8

Avg. Salary $48,594

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

6.5

Growth rate 4%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

10.0

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.44%

Asian 11.89%

Black or African American 3.86%

Hispanic or Latino 10.73%

Unknown 3.85%

White 69.22%

Gender

female 30.59%

male 69.41%

Age - 42

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 42

Stress level

6.5

Stress level is high

7.1 - high

Complexity level

8.3

Complexity level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work life balance

4.6

Work life balance is fair

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become an environmental management specialist

Explore environmental management specialist education requirements

Most common environmental management specialist degrees

Bachelor's

67.1 %

Master's

14.0 %

Associate

8.5 %

Start to develop specific environmental management specialist skills

Skills	Percentages
Environmental Management	14.89%
EMS	9.72%
Regulatory Agencies	9.44%
ISO	7.09%
Pollution Prevention	6.40%

Complete relevant environmental management specialist training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 1-3 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New environmental management specialists learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as an environmental management specialist based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real environmental management specialist resumes.

Research environmental management specialist duties and responsibilities

Manage & implement rules and regulations per EPA, DHEQ, and OSHA guidelines.
Manage and conduct various environmental engineering projects at DOD facilities.
Provide project oversight for U.S.
Ensure compliance with EPA / FDEP water programs.

Apply for environmental management specialist jobs

Now it's time to start searching for an environmental management specialist job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

Browse job boards for relevant postings
Consult your professional network
Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
Watch out for job scams

How do environmental management specialists rate their job?

-/5

5 stars

4 stars

3 stars

2 stars

1 star

Environmental management specialist reviews

A zippia user wrote a review on Oct 2020

Pros

Both indoor and outdoor work environment. Great job satisfaction meeting regulatory requirements.

Cons

Can be stressful at times