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The differences between environmental planners and environmental scientists 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 planner, becoming an environmental scientist takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, an environmental planner has an average salary of $71,174, which is higher than the $60,208 average annual salary of an environmental scientist.
The top three skills for an environmental planner include federal regulations, water quality and wetland delineations. The most important skills for an environmental scientist are environmental compliance, data collection, and GIS.
| Environmental Planner | Environmental Scientist | |
| Yearly salary | $71,174 | $60,208 |
| Hourly rate | $34.22 | $28.95 |
| Growth rate | 4% | 5% |
| Number of jobs | 30,227 | 56,425 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 81% |
| Average age | 43 | 39 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 6 |
Environmental planners are in charge of performing research and analysis to reduce the environmental impact of a company's business procedures and operations. Their responsibilities revolve around devising strategies to attain environmentally friendly operations, optimizing processes for sustainability, liaising with clients to gain perspective, and coordinating with different departments to ensure that all processes adhere to the company's environmental policies and regulations. Furthermore, as an environmental planner, it is essential to produce progress reports and presentations, all while addressing and resolving any issues or concerns with the subject.
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 planners and environmental scientists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Environmental Planner | Environmental Scientist | |
| Average salary | $71,174 | $60,208 |
| Salary range | Between $52,000 And $95,000 | Between $43,000 And $84,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Novato, CA |
| Highest paying state | West Virginia | California |
| Best paying company | Santa Clara Valley Water District | Chevron |
| Best paying industry | Retail | Technology |
There are a few differences between an environmental planner and an environmental scientist in terms of educational background:
| Environmental Planner | Environmental Scientist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 81% |
| Most common major | Environmental Science | Environmental Science |
| Most common college | University of California, Berkeley | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between environmental planners' and environmental scientists' demographics:
| Environmental Planner | Environmental Scientist | |
| Average age | 43 | 39 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 52.7% Female, 47.3% | Male, 61.7% Female, 38.3% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 3.7% Unknown, 3.8% Hispanic or Latino, 10.5% Asian, 13.1% White, 68.5% 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% |