Environmental Specialist Salary
Average Environmental Specialist Salary
$52,064 yearlyTo create our salary estimates, Zippia starts with data published in publicly available sources such as the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), Foreign Labor Certification Data Center (FLC) Show More
How much does an Environmental Specialist make?
Environmental specialists make $52,064 per year on average, or $25.03 per hour, in the United States. Environmental specialists on the lower end of that spectrum, the bottom 10% to be exact, make roughly $36,000 a year, while the top 10% makes $75,000.
Location impacts how much an environmental specialist can expect to make. Environmental specialists make the most in California, Nevada, Washington, Colorado, and Ohio.
Highest Paying States For Environmental Specialists
The darker areas on the map show where environmental specialists earn the highest salaries across all 50 states.
- State View
- County View
Environmental Specialist average salary by State
| Rank | State | Avg. Salary | Hourly Rate | Job Count |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nevada | $64,840 | $31.17 | 159 |
| 2 | West Virginia | $57,844 | $27.81 | 124 |
| 3 | New Mexico | $57,715 | $27.75 | 161 |
| 4 | California | $73,126 | $35.16 | 1,922 |
| 5 | Washington | $63,242 | $30.40 | 496 |
| 6 | Ohio | $60,331 | $29.01 | 671 |
| 7 | Wyoming | $51,610 | $24.81 | 70 |
| 8 | North Dakota | $50,924 | $24.48 | 120 |
| 9 | Texas | $59,676 | $28.69 | 1,210 |
| 10 | Alaska | $52,049 | $25.02 | 127 |
| 11 | New York | $54,084 | $26.00 | 1,014 |
| 12 | Colorado | $63,181 | $30.38 | 308 |
| 13 | Oklahoma | $53,434 | $25.69 | 199 |
| 14 | Minnesota | $55,530 | $26.70 | 427 |
| 15 | Louisiana | $53,486 | $25.71 | 216 |
| 16 | Arkansas | $50,897 | $24.47 | 183 |
| 17 | Georgia | $53,291 | $25.62 | 624 |
| 18 | Tennessee | $52,013 | $25.01 | 350 |
| 19 | Kansas | $50,177 | $24.12 | 208 |
| 20 | District of Columbia | $52,825 | $25.40 | 130 |
| 21 | Idaho | $49,581 | $23.84 | 124 |
| 22 | South Dakota | $47,442 | $22.81 | 80 |
| 23 | Delaware | $52,485 | $25.23 | 80 |
| 24 | Maryland | $52,968 | $25.47 | 414 |
| 25 | New Hampshire | $48,406 | $23.27 | 120 |
| 26 | Iowa | $45,728 | $21.98 | 356 |
| 27 | Montana | $46,374 | $22.30 | 93 |
| 28 | New Jersey | $51,500 | $24.76 | 494 |
| 29 | Virginia | $49,918 | $24.00 | 626 |
| 30 | South Carolina | $50,436 | $24.25 | 239 |
| 31 | Rhode Island | $45,949 | $22.09 | 86 |
| 32 | Michigan | $47,974 | $23.06 | 487 |
| 33 | Massachusetts | $47,502 | $22.84 | 617 |
| 34 | Indiana | $46,614 | $22.41 | 416 |
| 35 | Alabama | $48,415 | $23.28 | 245 |
| 36 | Illinois | $49,064 | $23.59 | 660 |
| 37 | Utah | $47,933 | $23.04 | 182 |
| 38 | Hawaii | $40,939 | $19.68 | 70 |
| 39 | Pennsylvania | $43,068 | $20.71 | 814 |
| 40 | Nebraska | $40,332 | $19.39 | 206 |
| 41 | Oregon | $46,662 | $22.43 | 263 |
| 42 | Florida | $39,779 | $19.12 | 1,227 |
| 43 | Maine | $36,467 | $17.53 | 138 |
| 44 | Mississippi | $45,221 | $21.74 | 115 |
| 45 | Connecticut | $41,137 | $19.78 | 253 |
| 46 | North Carolina | $41,176 | $19.80 | 676 |
| 47 | Vermont | $36,855 | $17.72 | 57 |
| 48 | Missouri | $43,054 | $20.70 | 350 |
| 49 | Arizona | $35,842 | $17.23 | 399 |
| 50 | Kentucky | $39,459 | $18.97 | 209 |
| 51 | Wisconsin | $39,744 | $19.11 |
Highest Paying Cities For Environmental Specialists
| Rank | City | Avg. Salary | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sacramento, CA | $76,112 | $36.59 |
| 2 | Fort Collins, CO | $62,033 | $29.82 |
| 3 | Cleveland, OH | $60,901 | $29.28 |
| 4 | San Antonio, TX | $60,183 | $28.93 |
| 5 | Saint Paul, MN | $55,644 | $26.75 |
| 6 | New York, NY | $54,547 | $26.22 |
| 7 | Lake Charles, LA | $54,000 | $25.96 |
| 8 | Atlanta, GA | $53,174 | $25.56 |
| 9 | Washington, DC | $52,869 | $25.42 |
| 10 | East Brunswick, NJ | $51,890 | $24.95 |
| 11 | Fredericksburg, VA | $50,165 | $24.12 |
| 12 | Chicago, IL | $49,288 | $23.70 |
| 13 | Cambridge, MA | $47,307 | $22.74 |
| 14 | Portland, OR | $46,592 | $22.40 |
| 15 | Indianapolis, IN | $46,549 | $22.38 |
Environmental Specialist Salary Details
What is an Environmental Specialist's Salary?
| Percentile | Annual Salary | Monthly Salary | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $75,000 | $6,250 | $36 |
| 75th Percentile | $63,000 | $5,250 | $30 |
| Average | $52,064 | $4,339 | $25 |
| 25th Percentile | $42,000 | $3,500 | $20 |
| 10th Percentile | $36,000 | $3,000 | $17 |
Average Salary By Related Titles
| Job Title | Annual Salary | Monthly Salary | Hourly Rate | Job Openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Field Scientist | $65,891 | $5,491 | $31.68 | 88,454 |
| Environmental Engineering Internship | $42,349 | $3,529 | $20.36 | 112,274 |
| Environmental Engineer | $69,778 | $5,815 | $33.55 | 24,787 |
| Environmental Consultant | $61,309 | $5,109 | $29.48 | 21,723 |
| Environmental Service Technician | $30,301 | $2,525 | $14.57 | 83,697 |
| Environmental Technician | $41,678 | $3,473 | $20.04 | 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
Hard to say because it varies widely between sectors. Working for a state or federal agency, non-profit, NGO, private firm, or other entity means many different things regarding what it takes to be competitive and what salary one might expect. I will say that, increasingly, in most if not all of these sectors, an MS can be an essential criterion for even near-entry level positions.Show more
Here are the five companies hiring the most now:
Which Companies Pay Environmental Specialists The Most?
| Rank | Company | Average Salary | Hourly Rate | Job Openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $90,076 | $43.31 | 16 | |
| 2 | Texas Instruments | $75,277 | $36.19 | 10 |
| 3 | General Electric | $72,530 | $34.87 | 9 |
| 4 | Los Alamos National Laboratory | $69,333 | $33.33 | 6 |
| 5 | Sandia National Labs | $68,992 | $33.17 | 4 |
| 6 | The Williams Companies | $66,034 | $31.75 | 5 |
| 7 | Southwestern Energy | $65,775 | $31.62 | 6 |
| 8 | Baxter International | $64,756 | $31.13 | 4 |
| 9 | Chevron | $64,661 | $31.09 | 3 |
| 10 | City of Dallas Employees | $64,057 | $30.80 | 4 |
| 11 | City of Jacksonville | $63,996 | $30.77 | 8 |
| 12 | RS&H | $63,799 | $30.67 | 2 |
| 13 | Parsons | $63,571 | $30.56 | 28 |
| 14 | Cummins | $62,288 | $29.95 | 7 |
| 15 | Precision Castparts | $62,263 | $29.93 | 9 |
| 16 | Wabtec Corporation | $62,109 | $29.86 | 5 |
| 17 | Amphenol | $61,992 | $29.80 | |
| 18 | Akorn | $60,654 | $29.16 | |
| 19 | Boardwalk Pipeline Partners | $60,333 | $29.01 | 3 |
| 20 | City of Orlando | $60,311 | $29.00 |
How Much Do Environmental Specialists Make In Different Industries?
Environmental specialist salaries can vary depending on the industry. In fact, our data shows that the energy, professional, and technology industries tend to offer much higher salaries for environmental specialists. For example, environmental specialists make a whopping average salary of $53,005 while working in the energy industry. Meanwhile, other people in this field are making $52,419 in the professional industry and $51,901 in the technology industry.
Environmental specialists may want to avoid working in the utilities industry as it offers the lowest average salary of $50,274.
Highest Paying Industries For Environmental Specialists
| Rank | Industry | Average Salary | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Energy | $53,005 | $25.48 |
| 2 | Professional | $52,419 | $25.20 |
| 3 | Technology | $51,901 | $24.95 |
| 4 | Manufacturing | $51,424 | $24.72 |
| 5 | Government | $51,131 | $24.58 |
| 6 | Utilities | $50,274 | $24.17 |
High Paying Environmental Specialist Jobs
Environmental Specialist Salary Trends
Environmental Specialist Salary By Experience Level
| Experience Level | Avg. Salary | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Entry Level | $51,400 | $24.72 |
| Mid Level | $58,500 | $28.14 |
| Senior Level | $65,700 | $31.57 |
Average Environmental Specialist Salary Over Time
Compare salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Environmental Specialist Salary By Year
| Year | Avg. Salary | Hourly Rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | $52,100 | $25.03 | +2.6% |
| 2021 | $50,700 | $24.39 | +0.3% |
| 2020 | $50,600 | $24.31 | +2.4% |
| 2019 | $49,300 | $23.72 | +0.7% |
| 2018 | $49,000 | $23.55 | +2.1% |
Recently Added Environmental Specialist Salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date Added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zachary Piper LLC | Environmental Monitoring Specialist | Durham, NC | 06/01/2022 | $62,610 |
| Virginia Department of Environmental Quality | Environmental Specialist | Virginia Beach, VA | 06/01/2022 | $48,391 |
| Tlingit Haida Tribal Business Corporation/Kira | Environmental Specialist | Air Force Academy, CO | 06/01/2022 | $68,000 |
| Colorado Springs Utilities | Environmental Specialist-Colorado Discharge System Permitting & Water Quality Regulations | Colorado Springs, CO | 05/27/2022 | $83,500 |
| Florida Department of Transportation | Environmental Specialist II | Mayo, MD | 05/26/2022 | $36,468 |
| Florida Department of Transportation | Environmental Specialist II | Jacksonville, FL | 05/26/2022 | $36,000 |
| Florida Department of Transportation | Environmental Specialist III | Madison, WI | 05/26/2022 | $40,948 |
| State of Louisiana | Environmental Impact Specialist DCL Biologist | Baton Rouge, LA | 05/26/2022 | $128,832 |
| State of North Carolina | Environmental Specialist II | Raleigh, NC | 05/25/2022 | $47,959 |
| Actalent | Environmental Specialist | Somerville, MA | 05/24/2022 | $43,827 |
Environmental Specialist Salaries FAQs
What state pays Environmental Specialists the most?
California pays Environmental Specialists the most in the United States, with an average salary of $73,126 per year, or $35.16 per hour.
How do I know if I'm being paid fairly as an Environmental Specialist?
You know if you are being paid fairly as an Environmental Specialist if your pay is close to the average pay for the state you live in. For example, if you live in Nevada you should be paid close to $64,840 per year.
What type of Environmental Specialist gets paid the most?
Technical Fellow gets paid the most. Technical Fellow made a median salary of $77,094. The best-paid 10 percent make $103,000, while the lowest-paid 10 percent make $57,000.
How much do environmental specialists make in Florida?
Environmental specialists in Florida make $57,500 per year, on average. Some environmental specialists in Florida may earn a higher salary, hovering around $74,300 per year. These individuals tend to have more training and experience under their belts. They may also hold more certifications.
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