1. University of California, Berkeley
Berkeley, CA • Private
In-State Tuition
$14,184
Enrollment
30,845
What is an Environmental Protection Officer?
There is more than meets the eye when it comes to being an environmental protection officer. For example, did you know that they make an average of $18.47 an hour? That's $38,426 a year! Between 2018 and 2028, the career is expected to grow 8% and produce 7,000 job opportunities across the U.S.
What Does an Environmental Protection Officer Do
There are certain skills that many environmental protection officers have in order to accomplish their responsibilities. By taking a look through resumes, we were able to narrow down the most common skills for a person in this position. We discovered that a lot of resumes listed analytical skills, communication skills and problem-solving skills.
How To Become an Environmental Protection Officer
If you're interested in becoming an environmental protection officer, one of the first things to consider is how much education you need. We've determined that 81.3% of environmental protection officers have a bachelor's degree. In terms of higher education levels, we found that 6.3% of environmental protection officers have master's degrees. Even though most environmental protection officers have a college degree, it's impossible to become one with only a high school degree or GED.
Average Salary for an Environmental Protection Officer
Environmental Protection Officers in America make an average salary of $38,426 per year or $18 per hour. The top 10 percent makes over $59,000 per year, while the bottom 10 percent under $24,000 per year.
Average Environmental Protection Officer Salary
$38,426 Yearly$18.47 hourly
What Am I Worth?
Roles and Types of Environmental Protection Officer
There are several types of environmental protection officer, including:
Compliance Analyst
Role:
Compliance analysts are also known as compliance managers. As a compliance analyst, you are to ensure that the operations and procedures of an organization meet the compliance standard of industry and government. Also, you are to research industry compliance regulations and policies. The evaluation of internal operational and procedural compliance is also part of your responsibilities.
In addition, you must be able to communicate compliance guidelines and policies to designated departments and management. The development and execution of new compliance procedures and policies as required is also something you are expected to do. Furthermore, you are expected to train employees on industry compliance requirements.
Usually, compliance analysts study finance, accounting, or business. To be a compliance analyst, you must hold a bachelor's degree or a master's degree in any of these relevant fields. You will make an average salary of $62,437 per year.
In addition, you must be able to communicate compliance guidelines and policies to designated departments and management. The development and execution of new compliance procedures and policies as required is also something you are expected to do. Furthermore, you are expected to train employees on industry compliance requirements.
Usually, compliance analysts study finance, accounting, or business. To be a compliance analyst, you must hold a bachelor's degree or a master's degree in any of these relevant fields. You will make an average salary of $62,437 per year.
- Average Salary: $59,108
- Degree: Bachelor's Degree
Environmental Inspector
Role:
Environmental inspectors, sometimes called environmental compliance inspectors, make sure that companies are following environmental laws and protection standards. They usually work for government agencies and conduct regular audits to make sure that companies are following laws around safe waste disposal and resource use.
During their inspections, environmental inspectors collect and test samples and install machinery that automatically tests facilities such as drainage systems. When they're not in the field, environmental inspectors take care of administrative tasks such as checking company permits and writing reports about their findings. They usually need an extensive background in studying the environment and excellent organizational and communication skills to get to the bottom of potential environmental regulation violations.
Most environmental inspectors have a bachelor's degree in environmental science. However, it is possible to do this job with only a high school diploma and some practical experience. Environmental inspectors earn an average salary of $51,444 a year. However, before they can work as environmental inspectors they usually need some professional experience in manufacturing and compliance, for example as utility inspectors.
During their inspections, environmental inspectors collect and test samples and install machinery that automatically tests facilities such as drainage systems. When they're not in the field, environmental inspectors take care of administrative tasks such as checking company permits and writing reports about their findings. They usually need an extensive background in studying the environment and excellent organizational and communication skills to get to the bottom of potential environmental regulation violations.
Most environmental inspectors have a bachelor's degree in environmental science. However, it is possible to do this job with only a high school diploma and some practical experience. Environmental inspectors earn an average salary of $51,444 a year. However, before they can work as environmental inspectors they usually need some professional experience in manufacturing and compliance, for example as utility inspectors.
- Average Salary: $43,952
- Degree: Bachelor's Degree
Environmental Compliance Inspector
Role:
Is protecting the environment important to you? If so, then you may find a job as an environmental compliance inspector to be extremely rewarding. In this role, you will play a critical role in preventing the contamination and pollution of the water we drink and the air we breathe. You'll get a chance to investigate complaints of suspected violations of pollution control laws, such as illegal dumping and excessive emissions. You will investigate complaints of suspected violations of pollution control laws, such as illegal dumping and excessive emissions.
In addition to investigating suspected violations, you'll review licenses and permits and verify that the permit holders are abiding by the requirements and regulations. You'll also inspect waste disposal and treatment facilities to ensure compliance with health and safety regulations. Some other duties you may perform are collecting waste, water, and soil samples, investigating specific complaints of suspected violations, educating businesses on environmental laws, and documenting findings of potential violations. If a violation is uncovered, the inspector also determines what corrective action should be taken, which may include issuing citations or other legal action.
If a job in this field sounds appealing, you'll need to earn a Bachelor's degree in environmental science, natural resource management, environmental law, biology, chemistry, or in a related field. You'll also need good time management skills to conduct investigations and sample analysis within a given time frame as well as a passionate interest in preserving the environment.
In addition to investigating suspected violations, you'll review licenses and permits and verify that the permit holders are abiding by the requirements and regulations. You'll also inspect waste disposal and treatment facilities to ensure compliance with health and safety regulations. Some other duties you may perform are collecting waste, water, and soil samples, investigating specific complaints of suspected violations, educating businesses on environmental laws, and documenting findings of potential violations. If a violation is uncovered, the inspector also determines what corrective action should be taken, which may include issuing citations or other legal action.
If a job in this field sounds appealing, you'll need to earn a Bachelor's degree in environmental science, natural resource management, environmental law, biology, chemistry, or in a related field. You'll also need good time management skills to conduct investigations and sample analysis within a given time frame as well as a passionate interest in preserving the environment.
- Average Salary: $51,859
- Degree: Bachelor's Degree
States With The Most Environmental Protection Officer Jobs
Number Of Environmental Protection Officer Jobs By State
| Rank | State | Number of Jobs | Average Salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Texas | 2,855 | $39,590 |
| 2 | New York | 2,412 | $39,686 |
| 3 | Pennsylvania | 1,858 | $39,034 |
| 4 | Illinois | 1,851 | $40,098 |
| 5 | California | 1,752 | $50,221 |
| 6 | Georgia | 1,649 | $28,246 |
| 7 | Massachusetts | 1,557 | $39,862 |
| 8 | North Carolina | 1,446 | $33,571 |
| 9 | New Jersey | 1,436 | $44,305 |
| 10 | Ohio | 1,386 | $33,316 |
| 11 | Minnesota | 1,249 | $39,003 |
| 12 | Washington | 1,121 | $34,318 |
| 13 | Maryland | 1,043 | $42,549 |
| 14 | Michigan | 1,031 | $36,184 |
| 15 | Arizona | 1,009 | $35,933 |
| 16 | Colorado | 942 | $35,983 |
| 17 | Tennessee | 917 | $32,689 |
| 18 | Florida | 916 | $32,933 |
| 19 | Indiana | 893 | $36,935 |
| 20 | Wisconsin | 837 | $34,719 |
| 21 | Missouri | 823 | $35,269 |
| 22 | Alabama | 623 | $34,059 |
| 23 | South Carolina | 611 | $28,692 |
| 24 | Oregon | 569 | $37,512 |
| 25 | Iowa | 549 | $32,240 |
| 26 | Connecticut | 516 | $38,667 |
| 27 | Louisiana | 456 | $34,006 |
| 28 | Oklahoma | 454 | $28,946 |
| 29 | Nevada | 437 | $39,668 |
| 30 | Kentucky | 422 | $32,006 |
| 31 | Virginia | 410 | $39,225 |
| 32 | Idaho | 393 | $34,146 |
| 33 | Kansas | 380 | $32,122 |
| 34 | Mississippi | 374 | $33,783 |
| 35 | Arkansas | 358 | $26,852 |
| 36 | Nebraska | 345 | $32,791 |
| 37 | New Mexico | 343 | $31,169 |
| 38 | New Hampshire | 264 | $35,486 |
| 39 | Maine | 251 | $33,209 |
| 40 | Rhode Island | 227 | $37,618 |
| 41 | West Virginia | 205 | $36,383 |
| 42 | North Dakota | 202 | $38,052 |
| 43 | South Dakota | 135 | $33,419 |
| 44 | Utah | 120 | $32,018 |
| 45 | Vermont | 106 | $38,153 |
| 46 | Hawaii | 73 | $39,961 |
| 47 | Alaska | 65 | $43,237 |
| 48 | Montana | 57 | $34,152 |
| 49 | Delaware | 43 | $40,511 |
| 50 | Wyoming | 29 | $36,638 |
Top Colleges for Environmental Protection Officers
2. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
In-State Tuition
$51,354
Enrollment
7,083
3. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor, MI • Private
In-State Tuition
$15,262
Enrollment
30,079
4. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-State Tuition
$6,381
Enrollment
34,564
5. Cornell University
Ithaca, NY • Private
In-State Tuition
$55,188
Enrollment
15,105
6. University of Minnesota - Twin Cities
Minneapolis, MN • Private
In-State Tuition
$14,760
Enrollment
31,451
7. Pennsylvania State University
University Park, PA • Private
In-State Tuition
$18,454
Enrollment
40,108
8. Duke University
Durham, NC • Private
In-State Tuition
$55,695
Enrollment
6,596
9. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
In-State Tuition
$55,584
Enrollment
10,764
10. Yale University
New Haven, CT • Private
In-State Tuition
$53,430
Enrollment
5,963
Environmental Protection Officer Demographics
Environmental Protection Officer Gender Distribution
Male
81%
Female
19%
After extensive research and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
- Among environmental protection officers, 19.2% of them are women, while 80.8% are men.
- The most common race/ethnicity among environmental protection officers is White, which makes up 68.2% of all environmental protection officers.
- The most common foreign language among environmental protection officers is Korean at 100.0%.
Online Courses For Environmental Protection Officer That You May Like
Advertising Disclosure
1. Environmental Hazards and Global Public Health
The second course of the Impacts of the Environment on Global Public Health specialization will explore a number of different environmental hazards. These are: air pollution, water pollution, solid and hazardous waste, and two physical hazards (radon and noise). These hazards each have the potential to harm human health, and we will explore how you may come into contact with these hazards and how they may harm you, as well as what we can do to minimize these exposures and health impacts. We...
See More on Coursera2. Global Environmental Management
Learn about the best environmental technologies for a sustainable development and how they are managed in various settings around the world. This course gives you an opportunity to learn about global trends that influence our environment and the living conditions and how different management systems and approaches that are used around the world to manage the environment. This includes current environmental technologies built for the environment and technologies for sustainable soil management,...
See More on Coursera3. Introduction to Environmental Law and Policy
Environmental law may be the one institution standing between us and planetary exhaustion. It is also an institution that needs to be reconciled with human liberty and economic aspirations. This course considers these issues and provides a tour though existing legal regimes governing pollution, water law, endangered species, toxic substances, environmental impact analyses, and environmental risk. Note: The Environmental Law & Policy Course will close for new learner enrollment on February 22,...
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How Do Environmental Protection Officer Rate Their Jobs?
Top Environmental Protection Officer Employers
Most Common Employers For Environmental Protection Officer
| Rank | Company | Average Salary | Hourly Rate | Job Openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | City of San Antonio | $70,050 | $33.68 | 3 |
| 2 | State of Connecticut | $53,658 | $25.80 | 3 |
| 3 | National Planning Holdings | $43,726 | $21.02 | 1 |
| 4 | West Coast Choppers | $39,504 | $18.99 | 2 |
| 5 | United States Army Corps of Engineers | $37,149 | $17.86 | 3 |
| 6 | Law Enforcement Labor Services | $33,757 | $16.23 | 1 |
| 7 | Us Navy | $33,406 | $16.06 | 1 |
| 8 | U.s. Coast Guard | $33,394 | $16.05 | 3 |
| 9 | Sheehan Pipe Line Construction Co. | $33,324 | $16.02 | 1 |
| 10 | NYC & Company | $30,564 | $14.69 | 1 |
Environmental Protection Officer Videos
Andrea Abat: Special Agent for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
A Career as a Health Protection Officer (JTJS52010)
Bridging U.S. Environmental and Foreign Policy