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Environmental scientist salary
Average environmental scientist salary
$60,208
Understanding the Environmental Scientist Salary
The average salary for an Environmental Scientist is approximately $60,208 annually. This figure can vary significantly based on factors such as geographic location, years of experience, and the specific industry. For instance, states like California and Texas tend to offer higher salaries due to a greater demand for environmental professionals.
Salary by Experience Level
Entry-level positions may start at around $45,000, while experienced professionals can earn upwards of $80,000 per year. The highest-paying industries for environmental scientists include government, renewable energy, and consulting. Additionally, roles in urban areas often command higher salaries compared to rural positions.
Maximizing Your Earning Potential
To enhance your salary prospects, consider pursuing advanced degrees or certifications in environmental science. Networking within industry circles and gaining relevant experience can also provide better job opportunities. Utilize resources like Zippia to find job openings that align with your career goals.
Let Zippia find your next environmental scientist job
Let Zippia find your next environmental scientist job
Where can an Environmental Scientist earn more?
Environmental scientist salary estimates from across the web
Average environmental scientist salary by state
The average environmental scientist salary in California, Washington, and Oregon are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average environmental scientist salary states are Kentucky, Mississippi, and Alabama.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for environmental scientists
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oregon | $69,785 | $33.55 |
| 2 | West Virginia | $67,851 | $32.62 |
| 3 | Washington | $74,730 | $35.93 |
| 4 | Illinois | $66,164 | $31.81 |
| 5 | Maryland | $65,809 | $31.64 |
| 6 | Delaware | $63,648 | $30.60 |
| 7 | New York | $64,899 | $31.20 |
| 8 | Virginia | $63,933 | $30.74 |
| 9 | Minnesota | $65,339 | $31.41 |
| 10 | New Hampshire | $63,198 | $30.38 |
| 11 | California | $77,130 | $37.08 |
| 12 | Massachusetts | $69,234 | $33.29 |
| 13 | Nevada | $62,312 | $29.96 |
| 14 | Ohio | $61,902 | $29.76 |
| 15 | Rhode Island | $59,195 | $28.46 |
| 16 | New Jersey | $59,289 | $28.50 |
| 17 | District of Columbia | $74,101 | $35.63 |
| 18 | New Mexico | $57,512 | $27.65 |
| 19 | North Carolina | $56,790 | $27.30 |
| 20 | Montana | $57,382 | $27.59 |
| 21 | Wyoming | $55,230 | $26.55 |
| 22 | Alaska | $56,149 | $26.99 |
| 23 | Colorado | $61,180 | $29.41 |
| 24 | Connecticut | $56,889 | $27.35 |
| 25 | Michigan | $57,881 | $27.83 |
| 26 | Kansas | $55,876 | $26.86 |
| 27 | Iowa | $55,416 | $26.64 |
| 28 | Pennsylvania | $53,192 | $25.57 |
| 29 | Idaho | $55,433 | $26.65 |
| 30 | Oklahoma | $57,110 | $27.46 |
| 31 | North Dakota | $49,076 | $23.59 |
| 32 | Utah | $53,481 | $25.71 |
| 33 | Tennessee | $53,106 | $25.53 |
| 34 | South Dakota | $47,924 | $23.04 |
| 35 | Georgia | $55,046 | $26.46 |
| 36 | Maine | $48,302 | $23.22 |
| 37 | Wisconsin | $48,692 | $23.41 |
| 38 | Vermont | $48,539 | $23.34 |
| 39 | Hawaii | $48,210 | $23.18 |
| 40 | Louisiana | $51,921 | $24.96 |
| 41 | Missouri | $48,224 | $23.18 |
| 42 | Texas | $49,055 | $23.58 |
| 43 | Indiana | $47,506 | $22.84 |
| 44 | Arkansas | $47,122 | $22.65 |
| 45 | Nebraska | $44,814 | $21.55 |
| 46 | Arizona | $47,078 | $22.63 |
| 47 | Kentucky | $46,439 | $22.33 |
| 48 | Mississippi | $46,257 | $22.24 |
| 49 | South Carolina | $43,405 | $20.87 |
| 50 | Alabama | $44,863 | $21.57 |
| 51 | Florida | $37,020 | $17.80 |
Highest paying cities for environmental scientists
The highest-paying cities for environmental scientists are Novato, CA, Seattle, WA, and Washington, DC.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Novato, CA | $85,764 | $41.23 |
| 2 | Seattle, WA | $75,390 | $36.25 |
| 3 | Washington, DC | $74,170 | $35.66 |
| 4 | Portland, OR | $69,351 | $33.34 |
| 5 | Boston, MA | $69,144 | $33.24 |
| 6 | Chicago, IL | $66,476 | $31.96 |
| 7 | Baltimore, MD | $65,901 | $31.68 |
| 8 | Saint Paul, MN | $65,477 | $31.48 |
| 9 | New York, NY | $65,298 | $31.39 |
| 10 | Arlington, VA | $64,553 | $31.04 |
| 11 | Columbus, OH | $61,802 | $29.71 |
| 12 | Denver, CO | $61,188 | $29.42 |
| 13 | Parsippany-Troy Hills, NJ | $58,937 | $28.34 |
| 14 | Durham, NC | $58,180 | $27.97 |
| 15 | Albuquerque, NM | $58,003 | $27.89 |
| 16 | Helena, MT | $57,541 | $27.66 |
| 17 | Oklahoma City, OK | $57,183 | $27.49 |
| 18 | Atlanta, GA | $55,018 | $26.45 |
| 19 | New Orleans, LA | $51,963 | $24.98 |
| 20 | San Antonio, TX | $49,171 | $23.64 |
Environmental Scientists are the most in-demand in these five cities:
Environmental scientist salary details
An environmental scientist's salary ranges from $43,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $84,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is an environmental scientist's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $84,000 | $7,000 | $40 |
| 75th Percentile | $71,000 | $5,917 | $34 |
| Average | $60,208 | $5,017 | $29 |
| 25th Percentile | $50,000 | $4,167 | $24 |
| 10th Percentile | $43,000 | $3,583 | $21 |
Highest paying environmental scientist jobs
The highest paying types of environmental scientists are scientist, staff scientist, and senior environmental scientist.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scientist | $97,344 | $8,112 | $46.80 | 62,467 |
| Staff Scientist | $93,941 | $7,828 | $45.16 | 121,054 |
| Environmental Engineering Internship | $36,235 | $3,020 | $17.42 | 112,274 |
| Environmental Service Technician | $30,862 | $2,572 | $14.84 | 83,697 |
| Environmental Consultant | $74,913 | $6,243 | $36.02 | 21,723 |
| Environmental Manager | $67,747 | $5,646 | $32.57 | 18,037 |
How would you rate the starting salaries for environmental scientists, as well as the prospects for salary advancement?
Shannon Farrell Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry
Top companies hiring environmental scientists now:
Which companies pay environmental scientists the most?
Environmental scientist salaries at Chevron and Exxon Mobil are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average environmental scientist salary at companies like Pacifi and Woods Services are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chevron | $98,596 | $47.40 |
| 2 | Exxon Mobil | $95,658 | $45.99 |
| 3 | Pacifi | $89,327 | $42.95 |
| 4 | Woods Services | $86,778 | $41.72 |
| 5 | Parsons | $85,775 | $41.24 |
| 6 | Booz Allen Hamilton | $85,109 | $40.92 |
| 7 | Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory | $83,914 | $40.34 |
| 8 | World Wildlife Fund | $83,210 | $40.00 |
| 9 | Energy Northwest | $82,147 | $39.49 |
| 10 | Brookhaven National Laboratory | $81,712 | $39.28 |
| 11 | Delaware County | $81,321 | $39.10 |
| 12 | CDM Smith | $80,204 | $38.56 |
| 13 | Battelle | $80,030 | $38.48 |
| 14 | King County | $78,882 | $37.92 |
| 15 | Gillette | $78,717 | $37.84 |
| 16 | CyberCoders | $78,427 | $37.71 |
| 17 | Jacobs Engineering Group | $78,344 | $37.67 |
| 18 | CDW | $77,451 | $37.24 |
| 19 | Abt Associates | $77,029 | $37.03 |
| 20 | Daltile | $76,415 | $36.74 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Environmental Scientist salary by industry
The average environmental scientist salary varies across industries:
- The average environmental scientist salary in the technology industry is $72,955, the highest of any industry.
- The average environmental scientist salary in the finance industry is $72,268.
- Environmental scientists in the government industry earn an average salary of $62,086, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for environmental scientists
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Technology | $72,955 | $35.07 |
| 2 | Construction | $72,268 | $34.74 |
| 3 | Professional | $66,320 | $31.88 |
| 4 | Government | $62,086 | $29.85 |
High paying environmental scientist jobs
Environmental scientist salary trends
The average environmental scientist salary has risen by $8,476 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average environmental scientist earned $51,732 annually, but today, they earn $60,208 a year. That works out to a 6% change in pay for environmental scientists over the last decade.
Compare environmental scientist salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average environmental scientist salary over time
Compare environmental scientist salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Environmental scientist salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $60,200 | $28.95 | +2.6% |
| 2024 | $58,700 | $28.21 | +0.3% |
| 2023 | $58,500 | $28.12 | +2.4% |
| 2022 | $57,100 | $27.43 | +0.7% |
| 2021 | $56,700 | $27.24 | +2.1% |
Recently added environmental scientist salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barr Systems | Environmental Scientist-Mid Level (Hybrid) | Bismarck, ND | 06/30/2025 | $70,000 |
| Barr Systems | Environmental Scientist-Mid Level (Hybrid) | Ann Arbor, MI | 06/30/2025 | $75,000 |
| Environmental Works Inc. | Environmental Scientist | Poplar Bluff, MO | 06/29/2025 | $40,000 |
| Axius Technologies Inc. | Environmental Scientist/Arcgis | Phoenix, AZ | 06/29/2025 | $52,175 |
| State of Kentucky | Environmental Scientist I | Frankfort, KY | 06/29/2025 | $38,140 |
| Apex Companies | Environmental Scientist | Iselin, NJ | 06/28/2025 | $65,000 |
| Erm | Consultant, Scientist Environmental-Due Diligence/Compliance | Irvine, CA | 06/28/2025 | $73,920 |
| St. John's River Water Management District-Sa | Environmental Scientist I | Palatka, FL | 06/28/2025 | $45,864 |
| Leidos | Environmental Scientist | Reston, VA | 06/26/2025 | $50,050 |
| Clough, Harbour & Associates, LLP | Environmental Scientist II | Atlanta, GA | 06/26/2025 | $62,000 |
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