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Job outlook for environmental protection specialists in the United States
Environmental protection specialist job growth summary. After extensive research, interviews, and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
The projected environmental protection specialist job growth rate is 5% from 2018-2028.
About 3,800 new jobs for environmental protection specialists are projected over the next decade.
Environmental protection specialist salaries have increased 6% for environmental protection specialists in the last 5 years.
There are over 29,037 environmental protection specialists currently employed in the United States.
There are 26,135 active environmental protection specialist job openings in the US.
The average environmental protection specialist salary is $59,771.
Are environmental protection specialist jobs in demand?
Environmental protection specialist job and salary trends over time
Environmental protection specialist jobs over time
Environmental protection specialist job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 29,037 | 0.01% |
| 2020 | 31,696 | 0.01% |
| 2019 | 31,522 | 0.01% |
| 2018 | 30,082 | 0.01% |
| 2017 | 30,499 | 0.01% |
Average environmental protection specialist salary over time
Environmental protection specialist salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $59,771 | $28.74 | +2.6% |
| 2024 | $58,245 | $28.00 | +0.3% |
| 2023 | $58,057 | $27.91 | +2.5% |
| 2022 | $56,645 | $27.23 | +0.7% |
| 2021 | $56,245 | $27.04 | +2.1% |
Environmental protection specialist jobs by state
Most common states for environmental protection specialists
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 160 | 23% |
| 2 | Alaska | 739,795 | 139 | 19% |
| 3 | North Dakota | 755,393 | 136 | 18% |
| 4 | Wyoming | 579,315 | 89 | 15% |
| 5 | Montana | 1,050,493 | 148 | 14% |
| 6 | Iowa | 3,145,711 | 393 | 12% |
| 7 | Nebraska | 1,920,076 | 229 | 12% |
| 8 | Maine | 1,335,907 | 162 | 12% |
| 9 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 158 | 12% |
| 10 | Delaware | 961,939 | 112 | 12% |
| 11 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 748 | 11% |
| 12 | New Mexico | 2,088,070 | 222 | 11% |
| 13 | Vermont | 623,657 | 71 | 11% |
| 14 | Virginia | 8,470,020 | 843 | 10% |
| 15 | Washington | 7,405,743 | 718 | 10% |
| 16 | Maryland | 6,052,177 | 594 | 10% |
| 17 | Oregon | 4,142,776 | 401 | 10% |
| 18 | Idaho | 1,716,943 | 178 | 10% |
| 19 | Hawaii | 1,427,538 | 148 | 10% |
| 20 | Rhode Island | 1,059,639 | 103 | 10% |
Most common cities for environmental protection specialists
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suisun City | 1 | 3% | $85,349 |
| 2 | Huntsville | 3 | 2% | $42,031 |
| 3 | Washington | 5 | 1% | $88,338 |
| 4 | Atlanta | 1 | 0% | $59,188 |
| 5 | Chicago | 1 | 0% | $57,331 |
| 6 | Los Angeles | 1 | 0% | $79,963 |
Environmental Protection Specialist job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of environmental protection specialist experts
Northwestern University
Bellarmine University
Lawrence University
Washington State University
Kent State University
Gonzaga University
American Institute of Professional Geologists
Elon University
Kennesaw State University
University of Minnesota
Barnard College
Bard College
Washington State University
Baylor University
Pace University, NYC
Michigan State University
Louisiana State University
George Mason University
Dr. Paul Caradonna PhD
Conservation Scientist (Associate Professor)Northwestern University
Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, And Population Biology
What general advice would you give to an Environmental Protection Specialist?
Dr. Paul Caradonna PhD: Experience goes a long way. I am speaking from the perspective of ecology, evolution, and conservation. Having demonstrated experience in the field actually doing hands-on ecology and conservation is important. It is also good to demonstrate that you have a range of skills, such as: working in the field, data analysis, science writing, creative and clever problem solving. Work in this area is dynamic and challenging—those that can demonstrate that this is what gets them excited and that they have the skills to succeed in such an environment is essential.
What Environmental Protection Specialist skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Dr. Paul Caradonna PhD: I think this comes down to preference. If you want to maximize salary, then working in industry is where you should look. But there is much less freedom in what you are doing with an industry job. In contrast, working for a non-profit may not bring as high of a salary, but the work is likely to be more rewarding and more flexible.
What will help Environmental Protection Specialists increase their earning potential?
Dr. Paul Caradonna PhD: Several skills come to mind: creative problem solving, ability to translate science into action/practice, quantitive/data analysis skills, and general science communication. Which skills are most important really depends on the specific job, but these are the types of skills we need. Ecologists are increasingly called upon to help with all sorts of environmental issues and that means we need creative and dynamic people!
What general advice would you give to an Environmental Protection Specialist?
Martha Carlson Mazur PhD: Be a contributing member of the communities you occupy. Forming authentic relationships builds the network that will lead to opportunities for advancement.
What Environmental Protection Specialist skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Martha Carlson Mazur PhD: The art of paying attention is the top emerging skill that students need to acquire before entering the workforce in Environmental Science. We have so many distractions vying for our attention in today’s high-tech world that we need to be mindful of where we choose to direct our thoughts to optimize our productivity. Likewise, paying attention to changes in the environment is of utmost importance in the work that we do, and paying attention to our own needs will keep us going in the hard but rewarding work of changing the world.
What will help Environmental Protection Specialists increase their earning potential?
Martha Carlson Mazur PhD: Be clear to yourself on what you value and how you want to use your unique skills and knowledge to change your piece of the world. Then, connect with people to find shared values and build relationships to enact your vision while being open to opportunities you might not have considered.
What general advice would you give to an Environmental Protection Specialist?
Marcia Bjornerud: Be open to taking short-term jobs for a few years to get a sense of the range of career opportunities in environmental sciences and which match your skills and temperament best. Think creatively about how your interdisciplinary training in environmental sciences can be applied even in fields that are not obviously 'environmental' - e.g. city/regional government, transportation, healthcare, etc. All human activities are embedded within and dependent on the natural environment. Also, the habit of 'systems thinking' that is central to environmental science can be applied to complex human systems.
What Environmental Protection Specialist skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Holly Henning: My advice to students is keep a beginners' mind as they learn their particular job. I always encourage students to seek out a mentor in their position and to ask questions and say yes when they are asked to volunteer for temporary roles that might help them learn more about their employer and the career paths available to them. I also encourage them to connect to other WSU graduates as Cougs love to help other Cougs.
What general advice would you give to an Environmental Protection Specialist?
Dr. Christopher Post PhD: Start local and get an internship while an undergraduate. Any position with the federal lands agencies (parks, forests, BLM, etc.) are tough to get and you have to work your way in to that federal system. Start local with regional/county/city parks and forests and work up to the federal level. Also keep that balance between the science (the biology and earth science) and the more social science/humanities (ethics, economics, communications) material you’ve learned as undergraduate. These jobs are all about communicating complex scientific/environmental issues with the general public so that context is very important. You have to be nimble and know both areas (the science and the social science) and their overlap.
What Environmental Protection Specialist skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Dr. Christopher Post PhD: Geographic Information Science—the ability to take field data and make it visual with maps so that you and others can witness and analyze spatial relations is the most important skill set in environmental careers right now and will continue as such. Everything in nature moves—albeit sometimes slowly—and understanding those interactions is key to unfolding humanity’s impacts on the environment, and vice versa.
Dr. Greg Gordon Professor/Chair
Professor/ChairGonzaga University
Natural Resources Conservation And Research
What will help Environmental Protection Specialists increase their earning potential?
Dr. Greg Gordon Professor/Chair: We find that graphical information systems (GIS) skills are in high demand. Soft skills such as ability to work as a team, develop work plans, collaborate and communicate with diverse stakeholders, communicate technical and scientific information, are, and will be very important in the near and long term future.
What will help Environmental Protection Specialists increase their earning potential?
Aaron Haines Ph.D., Certified Wildlife Biologist ®: Learn to be a team player and be reliable enough to complete tasks by yourself. Make sure your online presence is one of a professional in your field. Potential employers will search you out online. Have these searches lead to the professional you. The ecology and environmental biology fields are competitive. As a growing professional in these fields, you will begin with lower salaries compared to biology majors in other fields such as the medical, pharmaceutical, and research lab professions. Most government organizations that deal with ecology-based issues, such as natural resources or environmental monitoring, have lower budgets compared to other government departments. Also, non-government organizations that work in these fields are mainly non-profit. The best way to get into these competitive fields is via internships and temporary positions. Experience is key. Temporary positions are low pay, but they provide the building blocks of experience to get you more permanent and better pay positions or entry into graduate school with an assistantship. Graduate assistantships provide opportunities for graduate students to get paid, have benefits, and have tuition covered. That is a good deal. Look for jobs in places you would never think to look. Examples of unique employers in these fields include private consulting organizations, research labs doing environmental work, and Department of Defense.
What general advice would you give to an Environmental Protection Specialist?
Aaron Haines Ph.D., Certified Wildlife Biologist ®: Having more technical skill sets can help you get entry level positions that can lead to higher pay positions. These include the ability to extract DNA from biological samples and understand the process of DNA sequencing, be familiar with geographical information systems (GIS) software such as ArcPro, ArcGIS, QGIS, be familiar with programming language such as Phyton and R statical programming, and government policies that impact your field of study.
Be a member of a professional organization and attend their conferences. This will allow you the opportunity to learn from others, network, and meet potential future employers.
What will help Environmental Protection Specialists increase their earning potential?
Carol Boggs PhD: I actually don't know! But I would guess: People like being able to make a difference and to be able to see the impact of their work on improving ecosystems. People dislike paperwork, which is associated with nearly any job.
What Environmental Protection Specialist skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Carol Boggs PhD: Human impacts on the environment are continuing to increase. The demand for professionals to mitigate the effects of climate change and land use impacts will continue to increase in response.
Christine Lilek
Vice President National AIPGAmerican Institute of Professional Geologists
What skills stand out on Environmental Protection Specialist resumes?
Christine Lilek: -BS in Environmental Engineering, Geology, Hydrogeology; MS is a plus or equivalent experience.
-G.I.T. (Geologist In Training) or Early Career Professional (from AIPG) is desirable; CPG (from AIPG) or -State PG, or ability to obtain such credential is a plus.
-Excellent computer skills with MS Office, MS Project, PowerPoint, and other computer applications, GIS, and AutoCAD experience are a plus.
-OSHA 40-hour HAZWOPER certification is desirable
-Documentation of environmental sustainability projects
-Documentation of diversity and inclusion policy implementation
Will Pluer Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of EngineeringElon University
Physics & Engineering Department
What skills stand out on Environmental Protection Specialist resumes?
Will Pluer Ph.D.: Sampling, modeling, and/or designing skills indicate that you know how to apply what you've learned in the classroom to real work situations. Technical writing skills are also broadly applicable.
What soft skills should all Environmental Protection Specialists possess?
Will Pluer Ph.D.: Within the job, time management is probably the most important. An employer will be impressed if you're finishing work before your deadlines. To get the job in the first place, professionalism is very important. Submit a clean and attractive resume with your application and then show up to an interview dressed for the job.
Dr. Dan Ferreira Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Environmental ScienceKennesaw State University
Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology
What Environmental Protection Specialist skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Dr. Dan Ferreira Ph.D.: I think the best advice I can offer recent graduates is to be as flexible as possible. Being willing to relocate, for example, vastly expands the number of potential jobs they can apply to. Applying for positions that might not be exactly where they want to go, but might give them the experience or skills they need to get to their desired career after a year or two also will help open more doors. So if you can't find your ideal job right away, consider that internship or volunteer opportunity that will make you more marketable in the future.
Erin Surdo Ph.D.
Teaching Assistant Professor and Director of Undergraduate Studies, Environmental EngineeringUniversity of Minnesota
Department of Civil, Environmental, and Geo- Engineering
What skills stand out on Environmental Protection Specialist resumes?
Erin Surdo Ph.D.: Students with strong oral communication and project management skills and technical background in material balances and fluid mechanics often succeed in environmental engineering careers.
Logan Brenner Ph.D.
Assistant Professor in Environmental ScienceBarnard College
Environmental Science Department
What skills stand out on Environmental Protection Specialist resumes?
Logan Brenner Ph.D.: It is really impressive to see some type of research experience outlined on a resume and related output, such as a presentation or poster at a conference or some other public venue or an article. It is important that you clearly explain the research project on the resume or CV to highlight its relevance to whatever job you are applying for. Maybe the content is relevant, or instead, it is the skills that you learned. Honestly, it is becoming much more commonplace to see a research project on a resume, so I would almost say that it is a critical component. Conducting research indicates that you can work independently and/or in a team, solve problems, and think creatively and critically. Summarizing your findings in a conference presentation or a write-up shows that you can distill and communicate your most important and compelling conclusions and that you can finish a project.
What soft skills should all Environmental Protection Specialists possess?
Logan Brenner Ph.D.: It is rare that someone will solve a problem, answer a research question, or make a discovery on their own. As is the case in many science fields, collaboration is key, so working in a team is critical. To do this effectively, you must collaborate with people who may have different work styles than you, be comfortable with delegation and self-assigning responsibilities, communicate and resolve conflict, know when to be a leader, and follow someone else's lead, and manage your time. From an environmental science perspective, our world is becoming ever more complex, and the best way to address complex problems is with a group of diverse minds. We need to have an open mind, start approaching problems creatively, and consider the value of having varied educational and professional training and multiple perspectives.
Your science will mean little and have minimal impact if you can't explain it to anyone who asks. As an environmental scientist, you will undoubtedly have to communicate your work to varied audiences ranging from professionals in your field to the general public. Therefore, you need to recognize your audiences and meet them at their level to get your ideas across. What is most impressive is not a lecture full of unnecessary jargon that obscures your point but instead a few succinct and eloquent sentences using universally understood language.
What hard/technical skills are most important for Environmental Protection Specialists?
Logan Brenner Ph.D.: Keep in mind the field of environmental science is quite broad, and so the hard or technical skills that are necessary for one specialty may be less important in another. Being able to code and work with big data are two skills that are becoming more important each day. Try to become semi-proficient in at least one coding language, but you will likely have to learn another in the not-so-distant future. While math was never my favorite subject, I admit that many of my classes became relevant in my work. It is hard to know when in your career applying what you learned about partial derivatives will become necessary, but it will, and you will wish you paid better attention in Calculus Class (speaking from experience). Being able to model, often a combination of coding and math, is a complex but valuable skill. When applied, this could mean using or understanding climate models, groundwater flow, population growth, viral spread, or predictions of any kind. Being able to model is a powerful tool.
What skills will help Environmental Protection Specialists earn the most?
Logan Brenner Ph.D.: Suppose by earn we are referring to earning money. In that case, you want to hone skills applicable to a wide variety of careers and fields. Many people call these transferrable skills. Being able to code and work with large amounts of data are critical skills to any STEM field and are becoming more relevant in nearly every sector. If you can get experience coding or working with data in a classroom setting, that is great. If you can also get some hands-on experience applying those skills to a research project, independent study, or during an internship, even better. Being comfortable working with numbers, i.e., proficient in math, is also valuable. Numerous soft skills will also help you excel in the workplace, such as being flexible and ready to pivot when your work takes you in a new direction, ease with public speaking and communication, and self-confidence. Believing in yourself will make it easier for others to believe in you. This is much easier said than done, and many successful people struggle with imposter syndrome and managing their own self-confidence. It is totally normal but something that you should prioritize throughout your professional career.
What skills stand out on Environmental Protection Specialist resumes?
Dr. Eban Goodstein: For our MS Policy graduates, the ability to write an interdisciplinary literature review is the foundation for policy formulation and grant writing.
What soft skills should all Environmental Protection Specialists possess?
Dr. Eban Goodstein: Networking.
What hard/technical skills are most important for Environmental Protection Specialists?
Dr. Eban Goodstein: Solid natural science background, esp ecology, and biogeochemical cycles.
What skills will help Environmental Protection Specialists earn the most?
Dr. Eban Goodstein: Data analysis skills.
Richard Zack Ph.D.
Associate Dean for Academic ProgramsWashington State University
Department of Entomology
How have salaries changed over time for Environmental Protection Specialists?
Richard Zack Ph.D.: Salaries at all levels of employment continue to rise. Starting salaries in most of our disciplines are very competitive with other non-agricultural disciplines. It is a very competitive market for our best students and many of them will receive 4-5 position offers before graduation.
What will help Environmental Protection Specialists increase their earning potential?
Dr. Stacy Atchley Ph.D.: Graduate degrees (M.S. and/or PhD); geospatial numerical modeling skills and associated expertise in data analytics (geostatistics, including machine learning and related artificial intelligence).
Anne Toomey Ph.D.
Assistant ProfessorPace University, NYC
Department of Environmental Studies and Science
What's a good job out of college for Environmental Protection Specialists?
Anne Toomey Ph.D.: This is purely a guess, but I suspect that ways that people have adapted to the pandemic this year will continue. I think there will be a lot more flexibility in terms of where people can work, and thus revised expectations in terms of amount of time in the office vs. working from home.
On the other hand, because of the social direction the environmental field is going in, I suspect there will be a lot of jobs that require a lot of time connecting with people and communicating. So while new graduates may spend less time than previous generations in the office, they may find themselves engaging with the public more.
What will help Environmental Protection Specialists increase their earning potential?
Richard Kobe Ph.D.: Educate yourself broadly. Forestry is an interdisciplinary field. Just learning about how to grow trees could limit career growth. Learn how to collaborate and work in teams and communicate effectively. Learn the ecological, economic and social dimensions of forests for all the great benefits they provide - clean water, recreation, wood products and fighting climate change.
What's a good job out of college for Environmental Protection Specialists?
Peter Clift: Over the coming years I could see that engineering geology including coastal engineering and river management may become more important to geoscience graduates with an increasing interest in carbon capture rather than in the traditional oil industry. Environmental geology is likely to remain strong and increasing field as well.
A. Alonso Aguirre Ph.D.
Department Chair & ProfessorGeorge Mason University
Environmental Science and Policy
What technology do you think will become more important and prevalent for Environmental Protection Specialists in the next 3-5 years?
A. Alonso Aguirre Ph.D.: The fastest jobs in the next 3-5 years are green jobs with great salaries! They will be highly technical and will require specialized skills, including photovoltaic installers, wind turbine technicians, hazardous materials removal techs, so technologies in those areas linked to environmental engineering, climate change modeling, and prediction; all will be an asset. However, we will see a great need for environmental scientists, protected area managers, and conservation scientists working with endangered species and ecosystems. Basic biological, ecological field, and lab skills will be an asset.