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The differences between environmental program managers 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 program manager, becoming an environmental scientist takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, an environmental program manager has an average salary of $78,534, which is higher than the $60,208 average annual salary of an environmental scientist.
The top three skills for an environmental program manager include environmental health, environmental compliance and EHS. The most important skills for an environmental scientist are environmental compliance, data collection, and GIS.
| Environmental Program Manager | Environmental Scientist | |
| Yearly salary | $78,534 | $60,208 |
| Hourly rate | $37.76 | $28.95 |
| Growth rate | 4% | 5% |
| Number of jobs | 101,160 | 56,425 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 69% | Bachelor's Degree, 81% |
| Average age | 43 | 39 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 6 |
An environmental program manager monitors the procedures facilities and organizations perform and advises them on how to minimize their impact on the environment. They are responsible for implementing environmental strategies to decrease damage to the environment. They also check on reports and evaluate them for issues and concerns that might need immediate attention. They monitor every facility's compliance and supervise revocation of permits of facilities that cannot follow environmental safety standards.
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 program managers and environmental scientists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Environmental Program Manager | Environmental Scientist | |
| Average salary | $78,534 | $60,208 |
| Salary range | Between $58,000 And $105,000 | Between $43,000 And $84,000 |
| Highest paying City | Santa Rosa, CA | Novato, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Meta | Chevron |
| Best paying industry | Manufacturing | Technology |
There are a few differences between an environmental program manager and an environmental scientist in terms of educational background:
| Environmental Program Manager | Environmental Scientist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 69% | Bachelor's Degree, 81% |
| Most common major | Biology | Environmental Science |
| Most common college | University of California, Berkeley | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between environmental program managers' and environmental scientists' demographics:
| Environmental Program Manager | Environmental Scientist | |
| Average age | 43 | 39 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 70.1% Female, 29.9% | Male, 61.7% Female, 38.3% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 3.7% Unknown, 3.8% Hispanic or Latino, 10.4% Asian, 12.9% White, 68.7% 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% |