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The differences between senior environmental engineers and environmental scientists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 6-12 months to become a senior environmental engineer, becoming an environmental scientist takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a senior environmental engineer has an average salary of $84,515, which is higher than the $60,208 average annual salary of an environmental scientist.
The top three skills for a senior environmental engineer include environmental engineering, environmental compliance and OSHA. The most important skills for an environmental scientist are environmental compliance, data collection, and GIS.
| Senior Environmental Engineer | Environmental Scientist | |
| Yearly salary | $84,515 | $60,208 |
| Hourly rate | $40.63 | $28.95 |
| Growth rate | 4% | 5% |
| Number of jobs | 30,813 | 56,425 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 72% | Bachelor's Degree, 81% |
| Average age | 43 | 39 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 6 |
Senior Environmental Engineers are responsible for the supervision and implementation of processes that protect the environment intending to reduce contamination, control pollution, and optimize resource usage. They are responsible for identifying contaminant sources, managing sites assessments, carrying out technical audits, making waste-management recommendations, creating environmental impacts forecast using computer modeling and mathematical techniques as well as design technical solution to reduce an organization's negative environmental impact. They also ensure the site achieves environmental regulation compliance, keeps updated with environmental law changes, and assist in managing permits.
Environmental scientists are responsible for analyzing environmental issues and creating their solutions. They protect the environment together with human health by using their understanding of natural science. It is their job to advise policy-makers, work with industry professionals to reduce waste, and clean up polluted areas. Also, they assess environmental risks and research to guide businesses, government administrators, as well as the general public on probable environmental threats and health risks. Additionally, they ensure that these entities follow the environmental regulations and policies to help minimize their environmental impact on the ecosystem.
Senior environmental engineers and environmental scientists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Senior Environmental Engineer | Environmental Scientist | |
| Average salary | $84,515 | $60,208 |
| Salary range | Between $65,000 And $109,000 | Between $43,000 And $84,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Novato, CA |
| Highest paying state | West Virginia | California |
| Best paying company | Microsoft | Chevron |
| Best paying industry | Energy | Technology |
There are a few differences between a senior environmental engineer and an environmental scientist in terms of educational background:
| Senior Environmental Engineer | Environmental Scientist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 72% | Bachelor's Degree, 81% |
| Most common major | Chemical Engineering | Environmental Science |
| Most common college | University of California, Berkeley | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between senior environmental engineers' and environmental scientists' demographics:
| Senior Environmental Engineer | Environmental Scientist | |
| Average age | 43 | 39 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 74.9% Female, 25.1% | Male, 61.7% Female, 38.3% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 3.6% Unknown, 3.8% Hispanic or Latino, 10.4% Asian, 13.0% White, 68.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% | 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 | 13% | 16% |