Environmental Scientist Salary
Environmental Scientist Salary Estimate
$60,208
How much does an Environmental Scientist make?
The average salary for an environmental scientist in the United States is $60,208. Environmental scientist salaries typically range between $43,000 and $84,000 a year. The average hourly rate for environmental scientists is $28.95 per hour.
Location, education, and experience impacts how much an environmental scientist can expect to make. Environmental scientists make the most in California, Washington, Oregon, Massachusetts, and West Virginia.
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The average salary for an environmental scientist is $60,208 in the US. -
The average environmental scientist salary ranges between $43,000 and $84,000 in the US. -
Hourly rates for environmental scientists in the US typically range between $20 and $40 an hour. -
The average environmental scientist salary is $77,130 in California, $74,730 in Washington, and $69,785 in Oregon. These are the three highest-paying states for environmental scientists in the US. -
Chevron has the highest average salary for environmental scientists. -
Technology is the highest-paying industry for environmental scientists in the US.
Highest Paying States For Environmental Scientists
- State View
- County View
Environmental Scientist average salary by State
| Rank | State | Avg. Salary | Hourly Rate | Job Count |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oregon | $69,785 | $33.55 | 347 |
| 2 | West Virginia | $67,851 | $32.62 | 118 |
| 3 | Washington | $74,730 | $35.93 | 495 |
| 4 | Illinois | $66,164 | $31.81 | 1,023 |
| 5 | Maryland | $65,809 | $31.64 | 934 |
| 6 | Delaware | $63,648 | $30.60 | 137 |
| 7 | New York | $64,899 | $31.20 | 1,565 |
| 8 | Virginia | $63,933 | $30.74 | 1,252 |
| 9 | Minnesota | $65,339 | $31.41 | 508 |
| 10 | New Hampshire | $63,198 | $30.38 | 170 |
| 11 | California | $77,130 | $37.08 | 1,605 |
| 12 | Massachusetts | $69,234 | $33.29 | 517 |
| 13 | Nevada | $62,312 | $29.96 | 153 |
| 14 | Ohio | $61,902 | $29.76 | 718 |
| 15 | Rhode Island | $59,195 | $28.46 | 119 |
| 16 | New Jersey | $59,289 | $28.50 | 1,110 |
| 17 | District of Columbia | $74,101 | $35.63 | 86 |
| 18 | New Mexico | $57,512 | $27.65 | 209 |
| 19 | North Carolina | $56,790 | $27.30 | 999 |
| 20 | Montana | $57,382 | $27.59 | 127 |
| 21 | Wyoming | $55,230 | $26.55 | 72 |
| 22 | Alaska | $56,149 | $26.99 | 120 |
| 23 | Colorado | $61,180 | $29.41 | 421 |
| 24 | Connecticut | $56,889 | $27.35 | 393 |
| 25 | Michigan | $57,881 | $27.83 | 463 |
| 26 | Kansas | $55,876 | $26.86 | 231 |
| 27 | Iowa | $55,416 | $26.64 | 246 |
| 28 | Pennsylvania | $53,192 | $25.57 | 1,167 |
| 29 | Idaho | $55,433 | $26.65 | 152 |
| 30 | Oklahoma | $57,110 | $27.46 | 133 |
| 31 | North Dakota | $49,076 | $23.59 | 142 |
| 32 | Utah | $53,481 | $25.71 | 252 |
| 33 | Tennessee | $53,106 | $25.53 | 352 |
| 34 | South Dakota | $47,924 | $23.04 | 123 |
| 35 | Georgia | $55,046 | $26.46 | 596 |
| 36 | Maine | $48,302 | $23.22 | 179 |
| 37 | Wisconsin | $48,692 | $23.41 | 531 |
| 38 | Vermont | $48,539 | $23.34 | 85 |
| 39 | Hawaii | $48,210 | $23.18 | 88 |
| 40 | Louisiana | $51,921 | $24.96 | 165 |
| 41 | Missouri | $48,224 | $23.18 | 486 |
| 42 | Texas | $49,055 | $23.58 | 1,364 |
| 43 | Indiana | $47,506 | $22.84 | 425 |
| 44 | Arkansas | $47,122 | $22.65 | 145 |
| 45 | Nebraska | $44,814 | $21.55 | 172 |
| 46 | Arizona | $47,078 | $22.63 | 355 |
| 47 | Kentucky | $46,439 | $22.33 | 194 |
| 48 | Mississippi | $46,257 | $22.24 | 88 |
| 49 | South Carolina | $43,405 | $20.87 | 296 |
| 50 | Alabama | $44,863 | $21.57 | 199 |
| 51 | Florida | $37,020 | $17.80 | 1,037 |
Highest Paying Cities For Environmental Scientists
| Rank | City | Avg. Salary | Hourly Rate | Job Count |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Novato, CA | $85,764 | $41.23 | |
| 2 | Seattle, WA | $75,390 | $36.25 | 4 |
| 3 | Washington, DC | $74,170 | $35.66 | 3 |
| 4 | Portland, OR | $69,351 | $33.34 | 14 |
| 5 | Boston, MA | $69,144 | $33.24 | 6 |
| 6 | Chicago, IL | $66,476 | $31.96 | 4 |
| 7 | Baltimore, MD | $65,901 | $31.68 | 1 |
| 8 | Saint Paul, MN | $65,477 | $31.48 | 4 |
| 9 | New York, NY | $65,298 | $31.39 | 5 |
| 10 | Arlington, VA | $64,553 | $31.04 | 2 |
| 11 | Columbus, OH | $61,802 | $29.71 | 2 |
| 12 | Denver, CO | $61,188 | $29.42 | 3 |
| 13 | Parsippany-Troy Hills, NJ | $58,937 | $28.34 | 1 |
| 14 | Durham, NC | $58,180 | $27.97 | 3 |
| 15 | Albuquerque, NM | $58,003 | $27.89 | 2 |
Here Are The Five Most In Demand Cities Right Now:
Environmental Scientists Salary Details
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 Types of Environmental Scientists
| 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?
A. Alonso Aguirre Ph.D.
Department Chair & Professor, George Mason University
Salaries will be great, depending on skills and area of expertise; they can go for as low as $40k as a zookeeper/tech to $100k wind turbine/solar photovoltaic tech. Specialized training with an MS or Ph.D. degree can get you starting salaries around $70k
Here are the five companies hiring the most now:
Which Companies Pay Environmental Scientists The Most?
| Rank | Company | Average Salary | Hourly Rate | Job Openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chevron | $98,596 | $47.40 | 3 |
| 2 | Exxon Mobil | $95,658 | $45.99 | 1 |
| 3 | Pacifi | $89,327 | $42.95 | 4 |
| 4 | Woods Services | $86,778 | $41.72 | 1 |
| 5 | Parsons | $85,775 | $41.24 | 46 |
| 6 | Booz Allen Hamilton | $85,109 | $40.92 | 73 |
| 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 | 14 |
| 11 | Delaware County | $81,321 | $39.10 | |
| 12 | CDM Smith | $80,204 | $38.56 | 948 |
| 13 | Battelle | $80,030 | $38.48 | 13 |
| 14 | King County | $78,882 | $37.92 | |
| 15 | Gillette | $78,717 | $37.84 | 23 |
| 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 |
How Much Do Environmental Scientists Make In Different Industries?
Here are some examples of how much an environmental scientist salaries can based on different industries:
The technology industry pays environmental scientists an average salary of $72,955
The construction industry pay $72,268
The lowest paying industry for environmental scientists is the government industry. Environmental scientists in this industry earn an average salary of $62,086
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 Pay Trends
Average Environmental Scientist Salary Over Time
Compare salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Environmental Scientist Salary By Year
| Year | Avg. Salary | Hourly Rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | $60,200 | $28.95 | +2.6% |
| 2022 | $58,700 | $28.21 | +0.3% |
| 2021 | $58,500 | $28.12 | +2.4% |
| 2020 | $57,100 | $27.43 | +0.7% |
| 2019 | $56,700 | $27.24 | +2.1% |
Recently Added Environmental Scientist Salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date Added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TRC Companies, Inc. | Environmental Scientist/Industrial Hygienist | Los Angeles, CA | 05/01/2023 | $62,000 |
| Gradient | Regulatory Toxicologist/Environmental Scientist | Boston, MA | 05/01/2023 | $65,000 |
| St. John's River Water Management District-Sa | Environmental Scientist IV | Palatka, FL | 05/01/2023 | $61,194 |
| Keres Consulting Inc. | Environmental Scientist/Assessor | Albuquerque, NM | 04/30/2023 | $58,000 |
| ASC Group, Inc. | Environmental Scientist | Indianapolis, IN | 04/29/2023 | $55,000 |
| Weston Solutions | Environmental Scientist | Anchorage, AK | 04/29/2023 | $59,000 |
| Arcadis Global | Environmental Scientist, Ecologist, or Biologist | Albuquerque, NM | 04/29/2023 | $70,800 |
| Apex Companies, LLC | Environmental Scientist 2 (Industrial Hygiene) | Colorado Springs, CO | 04/28/2023 | $43,500 |
| Gannett Fleming | Environmental Scientist | Jacksonville, FL | 04/27/2023 | $70,000 |
| Kansas Department of Health and Environment | Environmental Scientist: Technical Writer | Lane, KS | 04/27/2023 | $48,648 |
Environmental Scientist Salaries FAQs
What State Pays Environmental Scientists The Most?
California pays Environmental Scientists the most in the United States, with an average salary of $77,130 per year, or $37.08 per hour.
How Do I Know If I'm Being Paid Fairly As An Environmental Scientist?
You know if you are being paid fairly as an Environmental Scientist if your pay is close to the average pay for the state you live in. For example, if you live in Washington you should be paid close to $74,730 per year.
Do Environmental Scientists Get Paid Well?
Yes, environmental scientists get paid well. On average, an environmental scientist can make $58,000 yearly (about $4,836 per month or $28 per hour.) As most jobs go, factors like location, industry, and experience can determine your exact pay.
How Much Does An Environmental Scientist Make?
An environmental scientist makes about $58,000 yearly or $27.90 hourly. As most jobs go, factors like location, industry, and experience can determine your exact pay.
On the lower end of the salary range, environmental scientists make about $43,000 yearly, typically for entry-level positions or for low-paying states like Florida and Wisconsin. On the higher end, they can earn around $76,000, typically for senior-level positions.
Where Do Environmental Scientists Get Paid The Most?
Environmental scientists get paid the most in construction, with an average salary of $66,950. The technology and professional industries follow after, offering $62,267 and $57,521, respectively.
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