Explore national salary, projected growth, education requirements, and career opportunities across the United States.
A concise view of this occupation’s national scale, compensation, and projected demand.
National median annual wage for this occupation.
Estimated jobs currently supported nationwide.
Projected employment change through 2034.
Estimated openings created each year.
The typical education, prior experience, and on-the-job training associated with entry into this career.
Bachelor's degree
None
None
These are the highest-rated capabilities associated with success in this occupation. Scores are derived from occupational skill analysis and are measured on a 100-point scale.
Based on skills, knowledge, and work activities, these occupations are the closest match to your current career.
Explore the states and metropolitan areas offering the strongest combination of salary, employment, demand, and long-term opportunity.
Discover metro markets where compensation, hiring demand, and long-term momentum align.
Understand the salary, outlook, education, and geographic opportunities shaping this career.
Environmental scientists and specialists, including health, focus on understanding and addressing environmental issues that can affect people and ecosystems. This career offers a solid national employment base of 90,000 positions and a national median salary of $80,060, indicating that many professionals are already established in this field. With projected employment growth of 4.4% and about 8,000 annual openings, there are ongoing opportunities for both new graduates and experienced workers. A bachelor’s degree is the typical education level, making the field accessible to those completing a four-year program. The role draws on scientific knowledge, analytical thinking, and communication skills, and often involves using computers, mathematics, and project management. For people who want to combine science with real-world problem-solving and are comfortable adapting to changing conditions and working with others, this occupation presents a balanced mix of stability, opportunity, and intellectual challenge across different regions and work settings.
Environmental scientists and specialists, including health, earn a national median annual salary of $80,060. This provides a benchmark for evaluating offers across different locations. Salaries vary meaningfully by state and metro area. Among the top states by opportunity score, median pay ranges from $82,160 in New York up to $106,510 in California. Some metro areas show even higher earnings, such as San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA, with a median salary of $127,210, and Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV, at $108,160. These figures indicate that location can significantly influence earning potential within the same occupation. Job seekers comparing offers can weigh the higher salaries in selected metros and states against their own preferences for cost of living, lifestyle, and career stage, using the national median as a reference point.
Environmental scientists and specialists, including health, have a national employment level of 90,000, showing that this is a well-established profession. Projected employment growth of 4.4% points to continued demand rather than a shrinking market. The estimate of 8,000 annual openings suggests a steady flow of opportunities, including new positions and roles opened by turnover or career movement. This combination of an existing workforce and ongoing openings can be favorable for students planning ahead as well as career changers entering the field. Because the same 4.4% growth rate appears in the top states and metro areas listed, people interested in this occupation can expect broadly consistent projected growth across a range of key regions. Overall, the employment and growth figures support viewing this as a career with continuing prospects rather than a short-term or highly volatile option.
Location can significantly shape the experience of environmental scientists and specialists, including health. Among states, California and Massachusetts stand out with median salaries above $100,000 ($106,510 and $100,640, respectively) and strong CareerGPS opportunity scores of 67.38 and 65.87. New York, Colorado, and Washington also show notable opportunity scores, from 56.29 to 65.78, with median salaries between $82,160 and $98,300. Employment levels differ, with California showing 12,490 jobs and Washington 4,470, while Massachusetts and Colorado have smaller but meaningful employment bases. At the metro level, the highest opportunity scores appear in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA (77.42) and New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ (77.27), both with 4.4% growth. San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA pairs a high opportunity score (68.75) with the highest listed median salary of $127,210. Washington, DC’s metro and Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH also provide strong combinations of salary, employment, and opportunity score, offering multiple attractive regional choices.
The typical education level for environmental scientists and specialists, including health, is a bachelor’s degree. This means most people enter the field after completing a four-year college program rather than advanced graduate study. Success in this occupation draws on a broad mix of skills. Core scientific knowledge is important, supported by critical and analytical thinking to interpret data and make sound judgments. Writing and reading skills help with documenting findings and understanding complex information, while speaking and listening support communication with colleagues and stakeholders. Competence with computers and information technology, along with mathematics, underpins much of the technical work. Project management skills can be valuable for organizing tasks and timelines, and adaptability helps professionals respond to evolving situations. Customer service and leadership abilities further strengthen effectiveness when working with teams, clients, or the public, making this a career that blends technical and interpersonal strengths built on a bachelor’s-level education foundation.
Use CareerGPS Pro to compare markets, understand the tradeoffs, and focus on the places with the strongest potential.
