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.
High school diploma or equivalent
None
Moderate-term on-the-job training
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.
Hazardous materials removal workers focus on handling and removing potentially dangerous materials in a variety of settings. This career combines physical work with attention to safety, procedure, and detail. Nationally, about 51,000 people work in this occupation, with a national median salary of $48,490. Employment is projected to grow by 1.0%, with about 5,000 job openings each year, suggesting a steady flow of opportunities from both new positions and turnover. The field draws on a broad mix of abilities, from physical strength and stamina to mechanical, scientific, and analytical skills, as well as interpersonal and leadership strengths. People who enjoy hands-on work, following structured processes, and solving practical problems may find this role appealing. For those exploring similar paths, related options include commercial divers, helpers–electricians, miscellaneous construction and related workers, heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers, and other installation, maintenance, and repair workers.
The national median annual salary for hazardous materials removal workers is $48,490, but pay varies significantly by location. Several states exceed the national median, including California at $56,120, Colorado at $59,920, Washington at $60,160, and New York at $73,090. Among metro areas, the New York–Newark–Jersey City region stands out with a median salary of $74,060, while San Jose–Sunnyvale–Santa Clara offers $60,390 and San Francisco–Oakland–Fremont offers $59,580. Boston–Cambridge–Newton and Washington–Arlington–Alexandria have salaries close to the national level, at $49,930 and $48,390 respectively. These differences mean that earning potential can shift notably depending on where you work, with some states and metros offering substantially higher median pay than the national figure. Job seekers can use this information to weigh tradeoffs between location, pay level, and other personal or professional priorities.
Hazardous materials removal workers have national employment of about 51,000, with projected growth of 1.0%. In practical terms, this translates into approximately 5,000 job openings per year across the country. Those openings reflect both new positions and the need to replace workers who change jobs or leave the workforce. The consistent 1.0% growth figure appears across leading states such as California, Massachusetts, New York, Colorado, and Washington, as well as in top metro areas like San Jose–Sunnyvale–Santa Clara, New York–Newark–Jersey City, San Francisco–Oakland–Fremont, Washington–Arlington–Alexandria, and Boston–Cambridge–Newton. This alignment suggests a broadly similar growth expectation in many areas rather than large regional differences in projected expansion. For career planners, the combination of existing employment levels, recurring annual openings, and stable projected growth points to an occupation with ongoing hiring activity that can support both new entrants and experienced workers considering a move.
Location plays a major role in both opportunity and pay for hazardous materials removal workers. At the state level, California has the highest employment among the top states, with 7,340 workers and a median salary of $56,120, paired with an opportunity score of 67.38. New York combines a smaller workforce of 4,090 with the highest listed state median salary of $73,090 and a strong opportunity score of 65.78. Massachusetts, Colorado, and Washington also show notable opportunity scores between roughly 56 and 66, with median salaries ranging from $49,620 to $60,160. At the metro level, the New York–Newark–Jersey City region and San Jose–Sunnyvale–Santa Clara stand out, with opportunity scores above 77 and median salaries of $74,060 and $60,390 respectively. San Francisco–Oakland–Fremont, Washington–Arlington–Alexandria, and Boston–Cambridge–Newton also offer solid opportunity scores between about 63 and 69. Together, these patterns highlight that certain metros and states may offer stronger combinations of pay, employment levels, and overall opportunity.
Hazardous materials removal workers typically enter the field with a high school diploma or equivalent. This educational requirement can make the occupation accessible to people who want to begin working without completing a longer postsecondary program. Success in this career, however, depends on a wide mix of skills and abilities. Physical strength and stamina are important, reflecting the hands-on nature of the work. Mechanical skills and fine motor abilities support working with equipment and tools. Science skills, along with critical and analytical thinking, help workers understand and respond to technical information and make sound judgments. Interpersonal and leadership skills can be valuable when coordinating with others or guiding a team, while project management and adaptability support working through changing tasks and conditions. Creativity and innovation also appear in the skill profile, suggesting room for improving processes and problem-solving within established safety and operational guidelines.
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