Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The average salary for an Associate Environmental Scientist is approximately $57,206 annually. Salaries can vary significantly based on factors such as location, experience, and the specific industry. Entry-level positions may start lower, while experienced professionals in high-demand regions or specialized sectors can earn considerably more.
In states like California and New York, salaries can exceed the national average. For instance, California often offers higher compensation due to the demand for environmental services. Additionally, states with a strong emphasis on environmental regulations tend to provide more lucrative opportunities.
Industries such as renewable energy, government agencies, and consulting firms tend to offer some of the highest salaries for this role. As environmental concerns grow, there is a rising demand for experts in sustainability, conservation, and environmental policy. This trend suggests that entering this field now could yield significant long-term benefits.
Let Zippia find your next associate environmental scientist job
Let Zippia find your next associate environmental scientist job
The average associate environmental scientist salary in California, Massachusetts, and Illinois are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average associate environmental scientist salary states are Mississippi, Iowa, and Kentucky.
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Connecticut | $66,102 | $31.78 |
| 2 | Delaware | $63,324 | $30.44 |
| 3 | New York | $65,783 | $31.63 |
| 4 | Illinois | $66,363 | $31.91 |
| 5 | Maryland | $63,482 | $30.52 |
| 6 | West Virginia | $62,190 | $29.90 |
| 7 | District of Columbia | $90,678 | $43.60 |
| 8 | California | $79,612 | $38.27 |
| 9 | Virginia | $60,551 | $29.11 |
| 10 | Colorado | $63,875 | $30.71 |
| 11 | New Hampshire | $58,888 | $28.31 |
| 12 | Nevada | $62,291 | $29.95 |
| 13 | Massachusetts | $66,447 | $31.95 |
| 14 | Rhode Island | $57,511 | $27.65 |
| 15 | New Jersey | $55,498 | $26.68 |
| 16 | Oregon | $58,818 | $28.28 |
| 17 | Ohio | $56,379 | $27.11 |
| 18 | Minnesota | $57,759 | $27.77 |
| 19 | Idaho | $54,492 | $26.20 |
| 20 | Montana | $53,981 | $25.95 |
| 21 | Pennsylvania | $52,299 | $25.14 |
| 22 | Michigan | $56,479 | $27.15 |
| 23 | Washington | $57,866 | $27.82 |
| 24 | North Dakota | $46,038 | $22.13 |
| 25 | Alaska | $48,201 | $23.17 |
| 26 | Indiana | $53,137 | $25.55 |
| 27 | North Carolina | $49,261 | $23.68 |
| 28 | Kansas | $51,119 | $24.58 |
| 29 | Wisconsin | $46,715 | $22.46 |
| 30 | Tennessee | $50,773 | $24.41 |
| 31 | South Dakota | $44,530 | $21.41 |
| 32 | New Mexico | $45,989 | $22.11 |
| 33 | Oklahoma | $51,906 | $24.95 |
| 34 | Wyoming | $43,857 | $21.09 |
| 35 | Utah | $46,888 | $22.54 |
| 36 | Georgia | $48,832 | $23.48 |
| 37 | Vermont | $44,226 | $21.26 |
| 38 | Maine | $42,931 | $20.64 |
| 39 | Hawaii | $44,802 | $21.54 |
| 40 | Texas | $46,522 | $22.37 |
| 41 | Louisiana | $47,672 | $22.92 |
| 42 | Missouri | $44,135 | $21.22 |
| 43 | Nebraska | $43,280 | $20.81 |
| 44 | Arizona | $44,858 | $21.57 |
| 45 | Arkansas | $43,012 | $20.68 |
| 46 | Iowa | $41,930 | $20.16 |
| 47 | Kentucky | $41,788 | $20.09 |
| 48 | South Carolina | $38,185 | $18.36 |
| 49 | Mississippi | $42,003 | $20.19 |
| 50 | Florida | $33,242 | $15.98 |
| 51 | Alabama | $40,325 | $19.39 |
The highest-paying cities for associate environmental scientists are Washington, DC, Novato, CA, and Chicago, IL.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington, DC | $90,699 | $43.61 |
| 2 | Novato, CA | $88,399 | $42.50 |
| 3 | Chicago, IL | $66,654 | $32.05 |
| 4 | New York, NY | $66,362 | $31.90 |
| 5 | Meriden, CT | $65,482 | $31.48 |
| 6 | Boulder, CO | $64,019 | $30.78 |
| 7 | Annapolis, MD | $63,727 | $30.64 |
| 8 | Charleston, WV | $60,696 | $29.18 |
| 9 | Richmond, VA | $60,218 | $28.95 |
| 10 | Elkhart, IN | $54,301 | $26.11 |
| 11 | Cincinnati, OH | $54,065 | $25.99 |
| 12 | Philadelphia, PA | $52,961 | $25.46 |
| 13 | Raleigh, NC | $50,638 | $24.35 |
| 14 | Atlanta, GA | $49,026 | $23.57 |
| 15 | Green Bay, WI | $47,152 | $22.67 |
| 16 | Austin, TX | $46,984 | $22.59 |
| 17 | Phoenix, AZ | $45,007 | $21.64 |
| 18 | Auburn, AL | $40,011 | $19.24 |
| 19 | Charleston, SC | $37,277 | $17.92 |
An associate environmental scientist's salary ranges from $39,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $83,000 at the 90th percentile.

| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $83,000 | $6,917 | $40 |
| 75th Percentile | $69,000 | $5,750 | $33 |
| Average | $57,206 | $4,767 | $28 |
| 25th Percentile | $46,000 | $3,833 | $22 |
| 10th Percentile | $39,000 | $3,250 | $19 |
The highest paying types of associate environmental scientists are environmental scientist lead, scientist, and senior environmental scientist.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scientist | $97,344 | $8,112 | $46.80 | 62,467 |
| Field Scientist | $76,601 | $6,383 | $36.83 | 88,454 |
| Environmental Engineering Internship | $36,235 | $3,020 | $17.42 | 112,274 |
| Environmental Service Technician | $30,862 | $2,572 | $14.84 | 83,697 |
| Environmental Engineer | $75,718 | $6,310 | $36.40 | 24,787 |
| Environmental Technician | $39,690 | $3,308 | $19.08 | 43,079 |
Top companies hiring associate environmental scientists now:
Associate environmental scientist salaries at National Grid plc and Mayo Clinic are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average associate environmental scientist salary at companies like Parsons and Liberty Mutual Insurance are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | National Grid plc | $73,902 | $35.53 |
| 2 | Mayo Clinic | $71,520 | $34.38 |
| 3 | Parsons | $67,750 | $32.57 |
| 4 | Liberty Mutual Insurance | $67,573 | $32.49 |
| 5 | Columbia University in the City of New York | $63,371 | $30.47 |
| 6 | Henkel | $62,785 | $30.19 |
| 7 | Beacon Health Options | $62,085 | $29.85 |
| 8 | ERM | $59,286 | $28.50 |
| 9 | Wsp USA Buildings Inc. | $57,442 | $27.62 |
| 10 | Georgia-Pacific | $56,241 | $27.04 |
| 11 | Calvary Hospital | $56,039 | $26.94 |
| 12 | CAMS | $55,305 | $26.59 |
| 13 | Eurofins | $55,258 | $26.57 |
| 14 | City of Austin | $54,929 | $26.41 |
| 15 | Univ Of Colorado-Colorado Spgs | $54,706 | $26.30 |
| 16 | Cogent Communications | $54,587 | $26.24 |
| 17 | University of Colorado Boulder | $54,242 | $26.08 |
| 18 | SLCH President | $54,209 | $26.06 |
| 19 | Matthews International | $53,939 | $25.93 |
| 20 | Catholic Health Initiatives - Colorado | $53,575 | $25.76 |
The average associate environmental scientist salary varies across industries:
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Technology | $66,756 | $32.09 |
| 2 | Finance | $64,000 | $30.77 |
| 3 | Government | $51,209 | $24.62 |
| 4 | Health Care | $50,472 | $24.27 |
| 5 | Professional | $49,994 | $24.04 |
The average associate environmental scientist salary has risen by $8,054 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average associate environmental scientist earned $49,152 annually, but today, they earn $57,206 a year. That works out to a 6% change in pay for associate environmental scientists over the last decade.
Compare associate environmental scientist salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Compare associate environmental scientist salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $57,200 | $27.50 | +2.6% |
| 2025 | $55,700 | $26.80 | +0.3% |
| 2024 | $55,600 | $26.71 | +2.4% |
| 2023 | $54,200 | $26.06 | +0.7% |
| 2022 | $53,800 | $25.88 | +2.1% |
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weston Solutions Holdings, Inc. | Associate Environmental Scientist | Okemos, MI | 06/14/2025 | $44,485 |
| ECC | Associate Environmental Scientist | Jacksonville, NC | 05/28/2025 | $70,000 |
| ECC | Associate Environmental Scientist | Maryland | 05/28/2025 | $70,000 |
| Weston Solutions | Associate Environmental Scientist | Okemos, MI | 05/06/2025 | $44,485 |
| Weston Solutions Holdings, Inc. | Associate Environmental Scientist | Okemos, MI | 04/30/2025 | $44,485 |
| ECC | Associate Environmental Scientist | Edison, NJ | 04/30/2025 | $70,000 |
| ECC | Associate Environmental Scientist | Hudson, MA | 04/30/2025 | $70,000 |
| ECC | Associate Environmental Scientist | San Antonio, TX | 04/28/2025 | $70,000 |
| Parsons Corporation | Associate Environmental Scientist | Perth Amboy, NJ | 04/04/2025 | $45,664 |
| ECC | Associate Environmental Scientist | Hudson, MA | 03/29/2025 | $70,000 |
Search for associate environmental scientist jobs