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Environmental specialist salary
Average environmental specialist salary
$54,482
Average Environmental Specialist Salary
The average salary for an Environmental Specialist stands at $54,482 per year, translating to about $26 per hour. This figure reflects compensation across various states and industries, highlighting the diversity of earning potential in this field.
Factors Influencing Salary
Several elements affect salary levels for Environmental Specialists. Experience plays a crucial role; entry-level positions may start lower, while those with several years in the field often earn significantly more. Additionally, the industry sector can lead to variation in pay. For instance, specialists in the private sector might earn higher wages compared to their counterparts in public service.
Highest Paying States
States like California and New York typically offer the highest salaries for Environmental Specialists, often due to higher living costs and demand for environmental services. Other states with competitive salaries include Texas and Florida, which also have growing job markets in environmental protection and sustainability.
Career Opportunities
With increasing awareness of environmental issues, job opportunities for Environmental Specialists are expected to grow. Exploring job boards like Zippia can help you find the latest openings tailored to your expertise and career aspirations.
Let Zippia find your next environmental specialist job
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Where can an Environmental Specialist earn more?
Environmental specialist salary estimates from across the web
Average environmental specialist salary by state
The average environmental specialist salary in California, Nevada, and Colorado are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average environmental specialist salary states are Oregon, Alaska, and Arizona.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for environmental specialists
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nevada | $66,416 | $31.93 |
| 2 | West Virginia | $59,851 | $28.77 |
| 3 | New Mexico | $58,455 | $28.10 |
| 4 | California | $72,998 | $35.10 |
| 5 | North Dakota | $55,626 | $26.74 |
| 6 | Ohio | $61,103 | $29.38 |
| 7 | Texas | $62,545 | $30.07 |
| 8 | Oklahoma | $56,617 | $27.22 |
| 9 | Louisiana | $57,427 | $27.61 |
| 10 | Colorado | $65,339 | $31.41 |
| 11 | New York | $54,695 | $26.30 |
| 12 | Georgia | $57,560 | $27.67 |
| 13 | District of Columbia | $57,468 | $27.63 |
| 14 | Minnesota | $55,959 | $26.90 |
| 15 | Washington | $54,951 | $26.42 |
| 16 | Delaware | $56,070 | $26.96 |
| 17 | Virginia | $56,588 | $27.21 |
| 18 | Kansas | $51,767 | $24.89 |
| 19 | Montana | $51,039 | $24.54 |
| 20 | Tennessee | $52,959 | $25.46 |
| 21 | Wyoming | $47,489 | $22.83 |
| 22 | South Carolina | $55,781 | $26.82 |
| 23 | Iowa | $47,138 | $22.66 |
| 24 | Arkansas | $47,671 | $22.92 |
| 25 | South Dakota | $47,189 | $22.69 |
| 26 | Indiana | $50,198 | $24.13 |
| 27 | Nebraska | $45,102 | $21.68 |
| 28 | New Jersey | $52,708 | $25.34 |
| 29 | Michigan | $48,317 | $23.23 |
| 30 | New Hampshire | $47,053 | $22.62 |
| 31 | Maryland | $51,194 | $24.61 |
| 32 | Illinois | $50,238 | $24.15 |
| 33 | Mississippi | $49,215 | $23.66 |
| 34 | Idaho | $45,279 | $21.77 |
| 35 | Rhode Island | $45,751 | $22.00 |
| 36 | North Carolina | $44,636 | $21.46 |
| 37 | Massachusetts | $47,526 | $22.85 |
| 38 | Pennsylvania | $43,915 | $21.11 |
| 39 | Alaska | $37,987 | $18.26 |
| 40 | Alabama | $47,414 | $22.80 |
| 41 | Missouri | $47,145 | $22.67 |
| 42 | Florida | $42,179 | $20.28 |
| 43 | Connecticut | $42,670 | $20.51 |
| 44 | Maine | $35,666 | $17.15 |
| 45 | Vermont | $36,213 | $17.41 |
| 46 | Hawaii | $27,825 | $13.38 |
| 47 | Utah | $44,050 | $21.18 |
| 48 | Arizona | $37,816 | $18.18 |
| 49 | Kentucky | $42,247 | $20.31 |
| 50 | Oregon | $39,606 | $19.04 |
| 51 | Wisconsin | $40,183 | $19.32 |
Highest paying cities for environmental specialists
The highest-paying cities for environmental specialists are San Francisco, CA, Houston, TX, and Columbus, OH.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco, CA | $76,419 | $36.74 |
| 2 | Houston, TX | $63,609 | $30.58 |
| 3 | Columbus, OH | $61,531 | $29.58 |
| 4 | Baton Rouge, LA | $57,685 | $27.73 |
| 5 | Washington, DC | $57,483 | $27.64 |
| 6 | Atlanta, GA | $57,352 | $27.57 |
| 7 | Richmond, VA | $56,488 | $27.16 |
| 8 | Saint Paul, MN | $56,010 | $26.93 |
| 9 | New York, NY | $55,326 | $26.60 |
| 10 | Indianapolis, IN | $50,344 | $24.20 |
| 11 | Chicago, IL | $50,338 | $24.20 |
| 12 | Marlborough, MA | $47,672 | $22.92 |
| 13 | Des Moines, IA | $46,989 | $22.59 |
| 14 | Raleigh, NC | $45,212 | $21.74 |
| 15 | Philadelphia, PA | $44,203 | $21.25 |
| 16 | Tampa, FL | $42,621 | $20.49 |
| 17 | Menomonee Falls, WI | $40,385 | $19.42 |
| 18 | Portland, OR | $39,170 | $18.83 |
| 19 | Phoenix, AZ | $37,874 | $18.21 |
| 20 | Portland, ME | $35,935 | $17.28 |
Environmental specialist salary details
An environmental specialist's salary ranges from $36,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $80,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is an environmental specialist's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $80,000 | $6,667 | $38 |
| 75th Percentile | $67,000 | $5,583 | $32 |
| Average | $54,482 | $4,540 | $26 |
| 25th Percentile | $44,000 | $3,667 | $21 |
| 10th Percentile | $36,000 | $3,000 | $17 |
Highest paying environmental specialist jobs
The highest paying types of environmental specialists are senior environmental scientist, field scientist, and environmental engineer.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Field Scientist | $76,601 | $6,383 | $36.83 | 88,454 |
| Environmental Engineering Internship | $36,235 | $3,020 | $17.42 | 112,274 |
| Environmental Engineer | $75,718 | $6,310 | $36.40 | 24,787 |
| Environmental Consultant | $74,913 | $6,243 | $36.02 | 21,723 |
| Environmental Service Technician | $30,862 | $2,572 | $14.84 | 83,697 |
| Environmental Technician | $39,690 | $3,308 | $19.08 | 43,079 |
How would you rate the starting salaries for environmental specialists, 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 specialists now:
Which companies pay environmental specialists the most?
Environmental specialist salaries at Texas Instruments and Google are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average environmental specialist salary at companies like Phillips 66 and Marathon Petroleum are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Texas Instruments | $113,956 | $54.79 |
| 2 | $113,855 | $54.74 | |
| 3 | Phillips 66 | $108,145 | $51.99 |
| 4 | Marathon Petroleum | $102,181 | $49.13 |
| 5 | Mouser Electronics | $100,749 | $48.44 |
| 6 | Stepan | $100,351 | $48.25 |
| 7 | Kraton | $99,224 | $47.70 |
| 8 | Tesla | $92,766 | $44.60 |
| 9 | Praxair | $91,506 | $43.99 |
| 10 | Calumet Specialty Products Partners | $91,290 | $43.89 |
| 11 | Halliburton | $85,712 | $41.21 |
| 12 | Corteva | $83,605 | $40.19 |
| 13 | Los Alamos National Laboratory | $83,272 | $40.03 |
| 14 | BWX Technologies | $81,836 | $39.34 |
| 15 | Constellation Energy Partners | $79,787 | $38.36 |
| 16 | Target Engineering | $78,312 | $37.65 |
| 17 | GasTechnology | $78,210 | $37.60 |
| 18 | Barr Engineering Co. | $77,940 | $37.47 |
| 19 | DOWL | $77,403 | $37.21 |
| 20 | GEI Consultants | $77,196 | $37.11 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Environmental Specialist salary by industry
The average environmental specialist salary varies across industries:
- The average environmental specialist salary in the manufacturing industry is $63,858, the highest of any industry.
- The average environmental specialist salary in the finance industry is $57,041.
- Environmental specialists in the government industry earn an average salary of $43,425, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for environmental specialists
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Manufacturing | $63,858 | $30.70 |
| 2 | Energy | $57,041 | $27.42 |
| 3 | Utilities | $50,417 | $24.24 |
| 4 | Government | $43,425 | $20.88 |
High paying environmental specialist jobs
Environmental specialist salary trends
The average environmental specialist salary has risen by $7,670 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average environmental specialist earned $46,812 annually, but today, they earn $54,482 a year. That works out to a 6% change in pay for environmental specialists over the last decade.
Compare environmental specialist salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average environmental specialist salary over time
Compare environmental specialist salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Environmental specialist salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $54,500 | $26.19 | +2.6% |
| 2024 | $53,100 | $25.52 | +0.3% |
| 2023 | $52,900 | $25.44 | +2.4% |
| 2022 | $51,600 | $24.82 | +0.7% |
| 2021 | $51,300 | $24.65 | +2.1% |
Recently added environmental specialist salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| State of Florida | Environmental Specialist I | Jacksonville, FL | 06/30/2025 | $42,230 |
| American Regent | Environmental Specialist | New Albany, OH | 06/30/2025 | $72,000 |
| American Electric Power | Environmental Specialist (Pr-Consulting) | Columbus, OH | 06/29/2025 | $112,869 |
| Corewell Health | Environmental Specialist I | Dearborn, MI | 06/29/2025 | $31,305 |
| Pierce Manufacturing | Environmental Specialist | Spartanburg, SC | 06/28/2025 | $63,500 |
| City of Dallas, Tx | Environmental Specialist II (Office of Environmental Quality & Sustainability-Non-Civil Service) | Marilla, NY | 06/27/2025 | $47,980 |
| Enviri Corporation | Environmental Specialist CDL A | Washougal, WA | 06/27/2025 | $60,523 |
| Cemex USA | Specialist Environmental | Longmont, CO | 06/26/2025 | $66,600 |
| State of Minnesota | Air Quality Data Tracking-Environmental Specialist 3 | Saint Paul, MN | 06/26/2025 | $64,310 |
| Triumvirate Environmental | Environmental Specialist | Wheeling, IL | 06/26/2025 | $50,088 |
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