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The differences between environmental specialists and field scientists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both an environmental specialist and a field scientist. Additionally, a field scientist has an average salary of $76,601, 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 a field scientist are field testing, data collection, and geotechnical.
| Environmental Specialist | Field Scientist | |
| Yearly salary | $54,482 | $76,601 |
| Hourly rate | $26.19 | $36.83 |
| Growth rate | 5% | 5% |
| Number of jobs | 18,074 | 88,454 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 64% | Bachelor's Degree, 82% |
| Average age | 39 | 39 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
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.
The duties of a field scientist depend on one's line of work or industry of employment. In general, their responsibilities typically include conducting studies and scientific research, visiting various sites to observe and gather samples, performing laboratory analyses and experiments, maintaining records of all operations, and coming up with conclusions from the research findings. When it comes to employment opportunities, a field scientist may work for learning institutions, government agencies, and private companies, where they usually work together with other scientists and experts.
Environmental specialists and field scientists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Environmental Specialist | Field Scientist | |
| Average salary | $54,482 | $76,601 |
| Salary range | Between $36,000 And $80,000 | Between $52,000 And $111,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Texas Instruments | Syngenta |
| Best paying industry | Manufacturing | Internet |
There are a few differences between an environmental specialist and a field scientist in terms of educational background:
| Environmental Specialist | Field Scientist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 64% | Bachelor's Degree, 82% |
| Most common major | Environmental Science | Environmental Science |
| Most common college | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between environmental specialists' and field scientists' demographics:
| Environmental Specialist | Field Scientist | |
| Average age | 39 | 39 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 62.6% Female, 37.4% | Male, 72.5% Female, 27.5% |
| 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, 3.1% Unknown, 3.7% Hispanic or Latino, 6.2% Asian, 5.0% White, 81.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 16% | 16% |