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Senior environmental technician vs environmental specialist

The differences between senior environmental technicians and environmental specialists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-2 years to become a senior environmental technician, becoming an environmental specialist takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, an environmental specialist has an average salary of $54,482, which is higher than the $53,209 average annual salary of a senior environmental technician.

The top three skills for a senior environmental technician include OSHA, safety training and hazardous materials. The most important skills for an environmental specialist are hazardous waste, environmental compliance, and hazardous materials.

Senior environmental technician vs environmental specialist overview

Senior Environmental TechnicianEnvironmental Specialist
Yearly salary$53,209$54,482
Hourly rate$25.58$26.19
Growth rate9%5%
Number of jobs23,67418,074
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 59%Bachelor's Degree, 64%
Average age3839
Years of experience26

Senior environmental technician vs environmental specialist salary

Senior environmental technicians and environmental specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.

Senior Environmental TechnicianEnvironmental Specialist
Average salary$53,209$54,482
Salary rangeBetween $30,000 And $91,000Between $36,000 And $80,000
Highest paying City-San Francisco, CA
Highest paying state-California
Best paying company-Texas Instruments
Best paying industry-Manufacturing

Differences between senior environmental technician and environmental specialist education

There are a few differences between a senior environmental technician and an environmental specialist in terms of educational background:

Senior Environmental TechnicianEnvironmental Specialist
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 59%Bachelor's Degree, 64%
Most common majorEnvironmental ScienceEnvironmental Science
Most common collegeDuke UniversityUniversity of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Senior environmental technician vs environmental specialist demographics

Here are the differences between senior environmental technicians' and environmental specialists' demographics:

Senior Environmental TechnicianEnvironmental Specialist
Average age3839
Gender ratioMale, 81.6% Female, 18.4%Male, 62.6% Female, 37.4%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 9.5% Unknown, 5.9% Hispanic or Latino, 16.8% Asian, 10.5% White, 56.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1%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 Percentage8%16%

Differences between senior environmental technician and environmental specialist duties and responsibilities

Senior environmental technician example responsibilities.

  • Provide contractor oversight, including monitoring of technical performance of sub-contractors managing remedial cleanup projects involving hazardous waste.
  • Ensure compliance with EPA and OSHA regulations for employee safety and health.
  • Apply chlorine to water extract from the well according to EPA and local government regulations.
  • Supervise test team in the field, maintain all records and documents require for MSHA and OSHA.
  • Experience working with EPA, SJAPCD, DTSC representatives, including annual inspections, permit review and sampling.
  • Perform the inspection of renovation and demolition projects for asbestos containing material prior to removal.
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Environmental specialist example responsibilities.

  • Manage all compliance recordkeeping, sampling, monitoring, auditing, testing and training activities.
  • Lead numerous consultation meetings with USACE, BOEM, USCG, NMFS, USFWS and other state and federal agencies.
  • Conduct environmental and safety due diligence on industrial facilities of clients to evaluate compliance with applicable OSHA safety guidelines and EPA regulations
  • Experience reviewing existing sewer collection, and conveyance plans.
  • Create an air-cleaning approach to eliminate acid use in the groundwater conveyance pipes.
  • Complete SPCC field verification, personnel interviews, and reviews of SPCC operating procedures, documentation, and incident reports.
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Senior environmental technician vs environmental specialist skills

Common senior environmental technician skills
  • OSHA, 28%
  • Safety Training, 16%
  • Hazardous Materials, 6%
  • Environmental Compliance, 5%
  • Water Samples, 4%
  • Extraction, 4%
Common environmental specialist skills
  • Hazardous Waste, 9%
  • Environmental Compliance, 8%
  • Hazardous Materials, 6%
  • EPA, 6%
  • Customer Service, 5%
  • HAZWOPER, 5%

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