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The differences between environmental specialists 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 specialist, 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 $54,482 average annual salary of an environmental specialist.
The top three skills for an environmental specialist include hazardous waste, environmental compliance and hazardous materials. The most important skills for an environmental consultant are environmental compliance, OSHA, and technical reports.
| Environmental Specialist | Environmental Consultant | |
| Yearly salary | $54,482 | $74,913 |
| Hourly rate | $26.19 | $36.02 |
| Growth rate | 5% | 4% |
| Number of jobs | 18,074 | 21,723 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 64% | Bachelor's Degree, 74% |
| Average age | 39 | 43 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 12 |
Environmental specialists are experts in natural science who are responsible for monitoring the environmental impact of a population, identifying environmental problems, and recommending measures to solve these issues. These scientists perform various duties and responsibilities that include overseeing field examinations and reporting hazard materials and locations, evaluating environmental health concerns, and investigating preparing reports related to environmental issues. Environmental specialists are also responsible for consulting with agencies or clients about an issue or situation and working with other companies to reduce pollution and waste.
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 specialists and environmental consultants have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Environmental Specialist | Environmental Consultant | |
| Average salary | $54,482 | $74,913 |
| Salary range | Between $36,000 And $80,000 | Between $56,000 And $98,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Texas Instruments | ConocoPhillips |
| Best paying industry | Manufacturing | Technology |
There are a few differences between an environmental specialist and an environmental consultant in terms of educational background:
| Environmental Specialist | Environmental Consultant | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 64% | Bachelor's Degree, 74% |
| Most common major | Environmental Science | Environmental Science |
| Most common college | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between environmental specialists' and environmental consultants' demographics:
| Environmental Specialist | Environmental Consultant | |
| Average age | 39 | 43 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 62.6% Female, 37.4% | 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% |