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Best states for an environmental scientist
Quoted expert
Murray Borrello
- Rank 1 - 10
- 11 - 20
- 21 - 30
- 31 - 40
- 41 - 51
Environmental scientist opportunities vary in different parts of the country. In order to help you determine the best states for environmental scientists, we ranked all fifty states from best to worst for environmental scientists.Our research found that Oregon is the best state for environmental scientists, while California and Washington are ranked highest in terms of median salary. Oregon has a median salary of $69,785 and California has the highest median salary among all 50 states for environmental scientists.
Oregon is the best state for jobs for environmental scientists, and Florida is the worst. The most common pay in Oregon is $69,785, while the median pay in Florida is $37,020.Oregon is the best state, and Eureka is the city with the highest pay for environmental scientists.
10 best states for environmental scientists in 2025
1. Oregon
Total environmental scientist jobs: 347 Average annual salary: $69,785 Lowest 10 percent earn: $46,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $105,000 Location Quotient: 1.05
2. West Virginia
Total environmental scientist jobs: 118 Average annual salary: $67,851 Lowest 10 percent earn: $46,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $98,000 Location Quotient: 0.97
3. Washington
Total environmental scientist jobs: 495 Average annual salary: $74,730 Lowest 10 percent earn: $49,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $113,000 Location Quotient: 0.85
4. Illinois
Total environmental scientist jobs: 1,023 Average annual salary: $66,164 Lowest 10 percent earn: $44,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $97,000 Location Quotient: 1.07
5. Maryland
Total environmental scientist jobs: 934 Average annual salary: $65,809 Lowest 10 percent earn: $45,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $94,000 Location Quotient: 1.84
6. Delaware
Total environmental scientist jobs: 137 Average annual salary: $63,648 Lowest 10 percent earn: $44,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $91,000 Location Quotient: 1.36
7. New York
Total environmental scientist jobs: 1,565 Average annual salary: $64,899 Lowest 10 percent earn: $45,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $92,000 Location Quotient: 1.52
8. Virginia
Total environmental scientist jobs: 1,252 Average annual salary: $63,933 Lowest 10 percent earn: $44,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $92,000 Location Quotient: 1.66
9. Minnesota
Total environmental scientist jobs: 508 Average annual salary: $65,339 Lowest 10 percent earn: $43,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $97,000 Location Quotient: 0.96
10. New Hampshire
Total environmental scientist jobs: 170 Average annual salary: $63,198 Lowest 10 percent earn: $45,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $87,000 Location Quotient: 1.21
Environmental scientist jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be an environmental scientist
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for an environmental scientist
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oregon | $69,785 | $46,000 | 4,142,776 | 347 |
| 2 | West Virginia | $67,851 | $46,000 | 1,815,857 | 118 |
| 3 | Washington | $74,730 | $49,000 | 7,405,743 | 495 |
| 4 | Illinois | $66,164 | $44,000 | 12,802,023 | 1,023 |
| 5 | Maryland | $65,809 | $45,000 | 6,052,177 | 934 |
| 6 | Delaware | $63,648 | $44,000 | 961,939 | 137 |
| 7 | New York | $64,899 | $45,000 | 19,849,399 | 1,565 |
| 8 | Virginia | $63,933 | $44,000 | 8,470,020 | 1,252 |
| 9 | Minnesota | $65,339 | $43,000 | 5,576,606 | 508 |
| 10 | New Hampshire | $63,198 | $45,000 | 1,342,795 | 170 |
| 11 | California | $77,130 | $50,000 | 39,536,653 | 1,605 |
| 12 | Massachusetts | $69,234 | $49,000 | 6,859,819 | 517 |
| 13 | Nevada | $62,312 | $40,000 | 2,998,039 | 153 |
| 14 | Ohio | $61,902 | $42,000 | 11,658,609 | 718 |
| 15 | Rhode Island | $59,195 | $42,000 | 1,059,639 | 119 |
| 16 | New Jersey | $59,289 | $41,000 | 9,005,644 | 1,110 |
| 17 | District of Columbia | $74,101 | $51,000 | 693,972 | 86 |
| 18 | New Mexico | $57,512 | $38,000 | 2,088,070 | 209 |
| 19 | North Carolina | $56,790 | $39,000 | 10,273,419 | 999 |
| 20 | Montana | $57,382 | $38,000 | 1,050,493 | 127 |
| 21 | Wyoming | $55,230 | $37,000 | 579,315 | 72 |
| 22 | Alaska | $56,149 | $43,000 | 739,795 | 120 |
| 23 | Colorado | $61,180 | $41,000 | 5,607,154 | 421 |
| 24 | Connecticut | $56,889 | $40,000 | 3,588,184 | 393 |
| 25 | Michigan | $57,881 | $39,000 | 9,962,311 | 463 |
| 26 | Kansas | $55,876 | $38,000 | 2,913,123 | 231 |
| 27 | Iowa | $55,416 | $37,000 | 3,145,711 | 246 |
| 28 | Pennsylvania | $53,192 | $37,000 | 12,805,537 | 1,167 |
| 29 | Idaho | $55,433 | $36,000 | 1,716,943 | 152 |
| 30 | Oklahoma | $57,110 | $39,000 | 3,930,864 | 133 |
| 31 | North Dakota | $49,076 | $32,000 | 755,393 | 142 |
| 32 | Utah | $53,481 | $35,000 | 3,101,833 | 252 |
| 33 | Tennessee | $53,106 | $36,000 | 6,715,984 | 352 |
| 34 | South Dakota | $47,924 | $32,000 | 869,666 | 123 |
| 35 | Georgia | $55,046 | $37,000 | 10,429,379 | 596 |
| 36 | Maine | $48,302 | $35,000 | 1,335,907 | 179 |
| 37 | Wisconsin | $48,692 | $33,000 | 5,795,483 | 531 |
| 38 | Vermont | $48,539 | $35,000 | 623,657 | 85 |
| 39 | Hawaii | $48,210 | $37,000 | 1,427,538 | 88 |
| 40 | Louisiana | $51,921 | $35,000 | 4,684,333 | 165 |
| 41 | Missouri | $48,224 | $33,000 | 6,113,532 | 486 |
| 42 | Texas | $49,055 | $33,000 | 28,304,596 | 1,364 |
| 43 | Indiana | $47,506 | $32,000 | 6,666,818 | 425 |
| 44 | Arkansas | $47,122 | $32,000 | 3,004,279 | 145 |
| 45 | Nebraska | $44,814 | $30,000 | 1,920,076 | 172 |
| 46 | Arizona | $47,078 | $31,000 | 7,016,270 | 355 |
| 47 | Kentucky | $46,439 | $31,000 | 4,454,189 | 194 |
| 48 | Mississippi | $46,257 | $31,000 | 2,984,100 | 88 |
| 49 | South Carolina | $43,405 | $29,000 | 5,024,369 | 296 |
| 50 | Alabama | $44,863 | $30,000 | 4,874,747 | 199 |
| 51 | Florida | $37,020 | $25,000 | 20,984,400 | 1,037 |
Highest paying states for environmental scientists
| Rank | State | Avg. Environmental Scientist Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oregon | $69,785 |
| 2 | West Virginia | $67,851 |
| 3 | Washington | $74,730 |
| 4 | Illinois | $66,164 |
| 5 | Maryland | $65,809 |
| 6 | Delaware | $63,648 |
| 7 | New York | $64,899 |
| 8 | Virginia | $63,933 |
| 9 | Minnesota | $65,339 |
| 10 | New Hampshire | $63,198 |
| 11 | California | $77,130 |
| 12 | Massachusetts | $69,234 |
| 13 | Nevada | $62,312 |
| 14 | Ohio | $61,902 |
| 15 | Rhode Island | $59,195 |
| 16 | New Jersey | $59,289 |
| 17 | District of Columbia | $74,101 |
| 18 | New Mexico | $57,512 |
| 19 | North Carolina | $56,790 |
| 20 | Montana | $57,382 |
| 21 | Wyoming | $55,230 |
| 22 | Alaska | $56,149 |
| 23 | Colorado | $61,180 |
| 24 | Connecticut | $56,889 |
| 25 | Michigan | $57,881 |
| 26 | Kansas | $55,876 |
| 27 | Iowa | $55,416 |
| 28 | Pennsylvania | $53,192 |
| 29 | Idaho | $55,433 |
| 30 | Oklahoma | $57,110 |
| 31 | North Dakota | $49,076 |
| 32 | Utah | $53,481 |
| 33 | Tennessee | $53,106 |
| 34 | South Dakota | $47,924 |
| 35 | Georgia | $55,046 |
| 36 | Maine | $48,302 |
| 37 | Wisconsin | $48,692 |
| 38 | Vermont | $48,539 |
| 39 | Hawaii | $48,210 |
| 40 | Louisiana | $51,921 |
| 41 | Missouri | $48,224 |
| 42 | Texas | $49,055 |
| 43 | Indiana | $47,506 |
| 44 | Arkansas | $47,122 |
| 45 | Nebraska | $44,814 |
| 46 | Arizona | $47,078 |
| 47 | Kentucky | $46,439 |
| 48 | Mississippi | $46,257 |
| 49 | South Carolina | $43,405 |
| 50 | Alabama | $44,863 |
| 51 | Florida | $37,020 |
Expert opinions on the best states for environmental scientists
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for environmental scientists to find work opportunities?
Murray Borrello
Director and Chair, Alma College
I would say that this question may be asked, "are there any good places in the U.S. or good areas in the job market..." First, let's look at places...I am finding that students who are looking in areas that are "high-quality living" regions, like in the Rocky Mountains (Boulder, Denver, Colorado Springs) or coastal areas such as Portland, OR, Seattle, WA, San Francisco - there are jobs, but there is also a lot of competition for those jobs. Where openings occur changes quite a bit, depending on population migration and the area that the work entails. For example, if you are interested in water resources (finding water, water quality issues), the Plains States and Southwest U.S. is where you are likely to find work. Actually, larger communities anywhere along the Colorado or Rio Grande River systems are pretty good bets. But in general, the kind of work will determine where you find employment. My advice to students ready to graduate is this:
Make a list of areas you want to work in. The list should be divided into three tiers - where you absolutely would love to live, where you wouldn't mind living, and an area or region where the job dictates where you live. Remember, most "first" jobs are not long-term commitments. Employees move around a lot now.
But, for those graduates who are looking for work in 2021 - 2023, I would say that environmental health is going to be the area with the most positions. Anything that can be tied with the Coronavirus, tracking infections, general statistics, and epidemiology - these skill sets and knowledge will be hugely beneficial in getting employment. Even those students who are finishing up their senior year, it might be wise to explore environmental health classes or public health classes.
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Updated January 8, 2025