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Environmental specialist vs environmental consultant

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 vs environmental consultant overview

Environmental SpecialistEnvironmental Consultant
Yearly salary$54,482$74,913
Hourly rate$26.19$36.02
Growth rate5%4%
Number of jobs18,07421,723
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 64%Bachelor's Degree, 74%
Average age3943
Years of experience612

What does an environmental specialist do?

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.

What does an environmental consultant do?

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 specialist vs environmental consultant salary

Environmental specialists and environmental consultants have different pay scales, as shown below.

Environmental SpecialistEnvironmental Consultant
Average salary$54,482$74,913
Salary rangeBetween $36,000 And $80,000Between $56,000 And $98,000
Highest paying CitySan Francisco, CASan Francisco, CA
Highest paying stateCaliforniaCalifornia
Best paying companyTexas InstrumentsConocoPhillips
Best paying industryManufacturingTechnology

Differences between environmental specialist and environmental consultant education

There are a few differences between an environmental specialist and an environmental consultant in terms of educational background:

Environmental SpecialistEnvironmental Consultant
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 64%Bachelor's Degree, 74%
Most common majorEnvironmental ScienceEnvironmental Science
Most common collegeUniversity of North Carolina at Chapel HillStanford University

Environmental specialist vs environmental consultant demographics

Here are the differences between environmental specialists' and environmental consultants' demographics:

Environmental SpecialistEnvironmental Consultant
Average age3943
Gender ratioMale, 62.6% Female, 37.4%Male, 69.0% Female, 31.0%
Race ratioBlack 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 Percentage16%13%

Differences between environmental specialist and environmental consultant duties and responsibilities

Environmental specialist example responsibilities.

  • Manage all compliance recordkeeping, sampling, monitoring, auditing, testing and training activities.
  • Lead numerous consultation meetings with USACE, BOEM, USCG, NMFS, USFWS and other state and federal agencies.
  • Conduct environmental and safety due diligence on industrial facilities of clients to evaluate compliance with applicable OSHA safety guidelines and EPA regulations
  • Experience reviewing existing sewer collection, and conveyance plans.
  • Create an air-cleaning approach to eliminate acid use in the groundwater conveyance pipes.
  • Complete SPCC field verification, personnel interviews, and reviews of SPCC operating procedures, documentation, and incident reports.
  • Show more

Environmental consultant example responsibilities.

  • Develop and implement SPCC regulations, and manage and coordinate routine policy audits for oil and gas industry operators.
  • Manage a project for the U.S.EPA Superfund program that evaluate flexible methods to distribute Superfund monies to state and tribal governments.
  • Manage environmental restoration waste site characterization activities in support of CERCLA cleanup.
  • Audit EHS programs for deficiencies, prepare reports with recommend corrective actions.
  • Prepare SPCC plans and other documentation associate with storage of large volumes of fuel oil.
  • Collect GPS points in the field to produce GIS maps of trees inventory and upload marks to database.
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Environmental specialist vs environmental consultant skills

Common environmental specialist skills
  • Hazardous Waste, 9%
  • Environmental Compliance, 8%
  • Hazardous Materials, 6%
  • EPA, 6%
  • Customer Service, 5%
  • HAZWOPER, 5%
Common environmental consultant skills
  • Environmental Compliance, 9%
  • OSHA, 6%
  • Technical Reports, 5%
  • Project Management, 5%
  • EPA, 4%
  • Due Diligence, 4%

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