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The differences between environmental planners and waste management specialists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 6-12 months to become both an environmental planner and a waste management specialist. Additionally, an environmental planner has an average salary of $71,174, which is higher than the $58,616 average annual salary of a waste management specialist.
The top three skills for an environmental planner include federal regulations, water quality and wetland delineations. The most important skills for a waste management specialist are EPA, RCRA, and OSHA.
| Environmental Planner | Waste Management Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $71,174 | $58,616 |
| Hourly rate | $34.22 | $28.18 |
| Growth rate | 4% | 4% |
| Number of jobs | 30,227 | 86,676 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 61% |
| Average age | 43 | 43 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 12 |
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.
A waste management specialist designs and manages waste reduction and reclamation projects. They work with government officials to ensure that waste management goes smoothly. They ensure the implementation of waste management and evaluate a waste management program's success. This position requires a university degree or a recognized training certificate.
Environmental planners and waste management specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Environmental Planner | Waste Management Specialist | |
| Average salary | $71,174 | $58,616 |
| Salary range | Between $52,000 And $95,000 | Between $36,000 And $93,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Philadelphia, PA |
| Highest paying state | West Virginia | Pennsylvania |
| Best paying company | Santa Clara Valley Water District | McKinsey & Company Inc |
| Best paying industry | Retail | Energy |
There are a few differences between an environmental planner and a waste management specialist in terms of educational background:
| Environmental Planner | Waste Management Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 61% |
| Most common major | Environmental Science | Environmental Science |
| Most common college | University of California, Berkeley | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between environmental planners' and waste management specialists' demographics:
| Environmental Planner | Waste Management Specialist | |
| Average age | 43 | 43 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 52.7% Female, 47.3% | Male, 75.9% Female, 24.1% |
| 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, 4.1% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 11.1% Asian, 10.2% White, 70.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 13% | 13% |