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The differences between environmental scientists and environmental consultants can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 4-6 years to become an environmental scientist, becoming an environmental consultant takes usually requires 6-12 months. Additionally, an environmental consultant has an average salary of $74,913, which is higher than the $60,208 average annual salary of an environmental scientist.
The top three skills for an environmental scientist include environmental compliance, data collection and GIS. The most important skills for an environmental consultant are environmental compliance, OSHA, and technical reports.
| Environmental Scientist | Environmental Consultant | |
| Yearly salary | $60,208 | $74,913 |
| Hourly rate | $28.95 | $36.02 |
| Growth rate | 5% | 4% |
| Number of jobs | 56,425 | 21,723 |
| Job satisfaction | 5 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 81% | Bachelor's Degree, 74% |
| Average age | 39 | 43 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 12 |
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.
An Environmental Consultant provides assessment and advisory services for their clients on matters regarding the management of environmental issues. They are generally hired by consultancy firms, which are hired by the public sector or commercial organizations.
Environmental scientists and environmental consultants have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Environmental Scientist | Environmental Consultant | |
| Average salary | $60,208 | $74,913 |
| Salary range | Between $43,000 And $84,000 | Between $56,000 And $98,000 |
| Highest paying City | Novato, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Chevron | ConocoPhillips |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Technology |
There are a few differences between an environmental scientist and an environmental consultant in terms of educational background:
| Environmental Scientist | Environmental Consultant | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 81% | Bachelor's Degree, 74% |
| Most common major | Environmental Science | Environmental Science |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between environmental scientists' and environmental consultants' demographics:
| Environmental Scientist | Environmental Consultant | |
| Average age | 39 | 43 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 61.7% Female, 38.3% | Male, 69.0% Female, 31.0% |
| Race ratio | 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% | Black or African American, 3.5% Unknown, 3.8% Hispanic or Latino, 10.1% Asian, 12.8% White, 69.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 16% | 13% |