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Waste management specialist salary
Average waste management specialist salary
$58,616
Average Waste Management Specialist Salary
The average salary for a waste management specialist in the United States is approximately $58,616 annually. This figure can vary based on factors such as geographic location, experience level, and the specific industry within waste management.
How Much Does a Waste Management Specialist Make?
Entry-level positions typically start around $40,000 per year, while specialists with several years of experience can earn upwards of $75,000. Those in supervisory roles may see even higher salaries, reflecting the increasing responsibility and expertise required.
Where Can a Waste Management Specialist Earn More?
States like California, Texas, and New York offer some of the highest salaries for waste management specialists, with varying demand based on local regulations and waste policies. Urban areas often provide more opportunities, leading to competitive compensation packages.
Waste Management Specialist Salary Estimates
- Entry-Level: $40,000
- Mid-Level: $58,616
- Experienced: $75,000+
Understanding these salary dynamics can help candidates make informed career decisions and guide job seekers in negotiating their compensation effectively.
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Where can a Waste Management Specialist earn more?
Waste management specialist salaries by experience level
Waste management specialist salary estimates from across the web
Average waste management specialist salary by state
The average waste management specialist salary in Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Massachusetts are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average waste management specialist salary states are Hawaii, Arkansas, and Georgia.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for waste management specialists
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Virginia | $77,072 | $37.05 |
| 2 | West Virginia | $81,380 | $39.13 |
| 3 | Massachusetts | $80,169 | $38.54 |
| 4 | New York | $74,356 | $35.75 |
| 5 | Connecticut | $79,381 | $38.16 |
| 6 | Pennsylvania | $82,469 | $39.65 |
| 7 | Oregon | $69,780 | $33.55 |
| 8 | North Carolina | $66,822 | $32.13 |
| 9 | Michigan | $70,133 | $33.72 |
| 10 | Delaware | $66,745 | $32.09 |
| 11 | New Hampshire | $76,364 | $36.71 |
| 12 | Illinois | $66,471 | $31.96 |
| 13 | Maryland | $73,144 | $35.17 |
| 14 | District of Columbia | $82,093 | $39.47 |
| 15 | Vermont | $66,151 | $31.80 |
| 16 | Louisiana | $64,861 | $31.18 |
| 17 | Maine | $69,600 | $33.46 |
| 18 | New Jersey | $68,744 | $33.05 |
| 19 | California | $69,084 | $33.21 |
| 20 | Texas | $63,155 | $30.36 |
| 21 | Idaho | $65,669 | $31.57 |
| 22 | Rhode Island | $67,022 | $32.22 |
| 23 | Arizona | $61,705 | $29.67 |
| 24 | Washington | $64,198 | $30.86 |
| 25 | Nevada | $61,714 | $29.67 |
| 26 | Minnesota | $64,065 | $30.80 |
| 27 | Iowa | $59,254 | $28.49 |
| 28 | Indiana | $60,604 | $29.14 |
| 29 | Wyoming | $61,057 | $29.35 |
| 30 | Oklahoma | $61,992 | $29.80 |
| 31 | Mississippi | $62,050 | $29.83 |
| 32 | Alaska | $57,259 | $27.53 |
| 33 | New Mexico | $60,565 | $29.12 |
| 34 | Hawaii | $50,714 | $24.38 |
| 35 | North Dakota | $54,107 | $26.01 |
| 36 | Wisconsin | $58,724 | $28.23 |
| 37 | Kentucky | $57,717 | $27.75 |
| 38 | Utah | $51,521 | $24.77 |
| 39 | Kansas | $57,056 | $27.43 |
| 40 | Colorado | $57,802 | $27.79 |
| 41 | Ohio | $56,813 | $27.31 |
| 42 | Nebraska | $54,746 | $26.32 |
| 43 | Alabama | $56,732 | $27.27 |
| 44 | Montana | $57,632 | $27.71 |
| 45 | South Dakota | $55,758 | $26.81 |
| 46 | Arkansas | $50,648 | $24.35 |
| 47 | Tennessee | $55,497 | $26.68 |
| 48 | Florida | $43,548 | $20.94 |
| 49 | Missouri | $45,847 | $22.04 |
| 50 | Georgia | $49,489 | $23.79 |
| 51 | South Carolina | $47,812 | $22.99 |
Highest paying cities for waste management specialists
The highest-paying cities for waste management specialists are Philadelphia, PA, Washington, DC, and Charleston, WV.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Philadelphia, PA | $83,200 | $40.00 |
| 2 | Washington, DC | $82,062 | $39.45 |
| 3 | Charleston, WV | $80,193 | $38.55 |
| 4 | Chelmsford, MA | $79,550 | $38.25 |
| 5 | Chesapeake, VA | $76,716 | $36.88 |
| 6 | New York, NY | $74,653 | $35.89 |
| 7 | Berkeley, CA | $71,495 | $34.37 |
| 8 | Detroit, MI | $70,546 | $33.92 |
| 9 | Greenville, NC | $69,401 | $33.37 |
| 10 | Portland, OR | $69,104 | $33.22 |
| 11 | Lewiston, ME | $69,002 | $33.17 |
| 12 | Jersey City, NJ | $68,832 | $33.09 |
| 13 | Wilmington, DE | $66,849 | $32.14 |
| 14 | Olympia, WA | $64,680 | $31.10 |
| 15 | Pocatello, ID | $64,404 | $30.96 |
| 16 | Minneapolis, MN | $64,099 | $30.82 |
| 17 | Austin, TX | $63,118 | $30.35 |
| 18 | Phoenix, AZ | $61,859 | $29.74 |
| 19 | Milwaukee, WI | $59,017 | $28.37 |
| 20 | Akron, OH | $58,099 | $27.93 |
Waste management specialist salary details
A waste management specialist's salary ranges from $36,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $93,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a waste management specialist's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $93,000 | $7,750 | $45 |
| 75th Percentile | $75,000 | $6,250 | $36 |
| Average | $58,616 | $4,885 | $28 |
| 25th Percentile | $45,000 | $3,750 | $22 |
| 10th Percentile | $36,000 | $3,000 | $17 |
Highest paying waste management specialist jobs
The highest paying types of waste management specialists are senior environmental engineer, environmental engineering manager, and environmental program manager.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engineering Project Coordinator | $73,371 | $6,114 | $35.27 | 112,985 |
| Engineering Coordinator | $57,153 | $4,763 | $27.48 | 68,514 |
| Environmental Engineering Internship | $36,235 | $3,020 | $17.42 | 112,274 |
| Environmental Program Manager | $78,534 | $6,544 | $37.76 | 101,160 |
| Environmental Planner | $71,174 | $5,931 | $34.22 | 30,227 |
| Environmental Project Manager | $78,417 | $6,535 | $37.70 | 112,963 |
Top companies hiring waste management specialists now:
Which companies pay waste management specialists the most?
Waste management specialist salaries at McKinsey & Company Inc and Nabors Industries are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average waste management specialist salary at companies like Altice USA and UGI are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | McKinsey & Company Inc | $118,001 | $56.73 |
| 2 | Nabors Industries | $107,921 | $51.89 |
| 3 | Altice USA | $103,322 | $49.67 |
| 4 | UGI | $99,062 | $47.63 |
| 5 | Asure Software | $87,930 | $42.27 |
| 6 | Encore Capital Group | $83,942 | $40.36 |
| 7 | CDM Smith | $83,427 | $40.11 |
| 8 | Jacobs Engineering Group | $83,178 | $39.99 |
| 9 | Matrix Absence Management, Inc. | $82,323 | $39.58 |
| 10 | BWX Technologies | $82,273 | $39.55 |
| 11 | Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center | $80,350 | $38.63 |
| 12 | Corteva | $80,315 | $38.61 |
| 13 | Sierra Nevada | $77,955 | $37.48 |
| 14 | Mount Sinai Health System | $76,990 | $37.01 |
| 15 | Spartanburg Regional Healthcare System | $76,666 | $36.86 |
| 16 | Bank of America | $75,707 | $36.40 |
| 17 | Idaho National Lab | $75,250 | $36.18 |
| 18 | Thermo Fisher Scientific | $74,841 | $35.98 |
| 19 | First Western Trust | $73,844 | $35.50 |
| 20 | Deloitte | $72,430 | $34.82 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Waste Management Specialist salary by industry
The average waste management specialist salary varies across industries:
- The average waste management specialist salary in the energy industry is $79,835, the highest of any industry.
- The average waste management specialist salary in the finance industry is $70,996.
- Waste management specialists in the utilities industry earn an average salary of $55,086, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for waste management specialists
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Energy | $79,835 | $38.38 |
| 2 | Construction | $70,996 | $34.13 |
| 3 | Finance | $65,080 | $31.29 |
| 4 | Government | $60,863 | $29.26 |
| 5 | Manufacturing | $58,168 | $27.97 |
| 6 | Utilities | $55,086 | $26.48 |
High paying waste management specialist jobs
Waste management specialist salary trends
The average waste management specialist salary has risen by $8,316 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average waste management specialist earned $50,300 annually, but today, they earn $58,616 a year. That works out to a 9% change in pay for waste management specialists over the last decade.
Compare waste management specialist salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average waste management specialist salary over time
Compare waste management specialist salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Waste management specialist salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $58,600 | $28.18 | +3.5% |
| 2024 | $56,500 | $27.18 | +1.4% |
| 2023 | $55,800 | $26.80 | +0.9% |
| 2022 | $55,200 | $26.55 | +2.2% |
| 2021 | $54,000 | $25.97 | +0.4% |
Recently added waste management specialist salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| State of Pennsylvania | Solid Waste Specialist Trainee (Environmental Trainee) | Norristown, PA | 06/27/2025 | $45,907 |
| Marathon County Social Services | Waste Management Specialist | Wausau, WI | 06/25/2025 | $51,445 |
| Enviri Corporation | Waste Tracking Specialist | Fernley, NV | 06/24/2025 | $41,740 |
| Triumvirate Environmental | Radioactive Waste Specialist | Indianapolis, IN | 06/21/2025 | $52,175 |
| Ch2M Hill Bwxt West Valley, LLC | Waste Management Specialist II (E | West Valley, NY | 06/19/2025 | $96,090 |
| Insight Global | Waste Analysis Specialist | Middle River, MD | 06/13/2025 | $45,914 |
| Republic Services, Inc. | Household Hazardous Waste Specialist | Bloomington, MN | 06/07/2025 | $77,365 |
| Ch2M Hill Bwxt West Valley, LLC | Waste Management Specialist II (E | West Valley, NY | 05/26/2025 | $96,090 |
| City of Seattle | Large Waste Generator Specialist (P&D Spec II) | Seattle, WA | 05/16/2025 | $99,216 |
| Republic Services | Household Hazardous Waste Specialist | Bloomington, MN | 05/13/2025 | $53,636 |
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