Occupation salary profile

Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health

SOC 19-2041 BLS OEWS May 2025 H-1B LCAs, last 12 months

Conduct research or perform investigation for the purpose of identifying, abating, or eliminating sources of pollutants or hazards that affect either the environment or public health. Using knowledge of various scientific disciplines, may collect, synthesize, study, report, and recommend action based on data derived from measurements or observations of air, food, soil, water, and other sources. Excludes “Zoologists and Wildlife Biologists” (19-1023), “Conservation Scientists” (19-1031), “Forest and Conservation Technicians” (19-4071), “Occupational Health and Safety Specialists” (19-5011), “Fish and Game Wardens” (33-3031), and “Forest and Conservation Workers” (45-4011).

National median · BLS
$82,220
▲ +2.7% YoY
H-1B sponsor median
$83,037
▲ +3.77% YoY · 403 LCAs
Average salary · BLS
$91,680
Mean annual wage
U.S. employment
89,250
Jobs (BLS)
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Enter your pay and a location to see where you stand against BLS and H-1B pay, your estimated take-home pay, and your purchasing power.

Pay range for Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health

Annual base pay at each percentile. BLS covers all U.S. workers in this occupation; H-1B covers 403 certified Labor Condition Applications filed by sponsoring employers in the last 12 months.

Percentile All U.S. workers (BLS) H-1B sponsored
10th — entry pay$52,520$60,000
25th$64,490$69,530
Median (50th)$82,220$83,037
75th$107,970$106,354
90th — top pay$140,010$130,000
H-1B sponsors pay a median of $83,037 for Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health — 1% above the BLS national median of $82,220.

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Projections 2025–2035

Job outlook for Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health

BLS projects employment of environmental scientists and specialists, including health to grow 6.1% from 2025 to 2035, faster than the 3.5% average for all occupations. About 7,300 openings are projected each year, on average, from new jobs and from replacing workers who retire or move to other occupations.

Jobs 2025 → 2035
93,400 → 99,200
+5,700 jobs
Projected change
+6.1%
All occupations: +3.5%
Openings per year
7,300
Average, 2025–2035
Typical entry education
Bachelor's degree
No related experience required
Preparation needed (O*NET Job Zone 4)
Considerable Preparation Needed. Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
Fastest-growing jobs → Best-paying jobs that need a bachelor's degree →

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2025–2035 · BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook →

H-1B sponsored pay

Pay by H-1B wage level

Employers assign every H-1B filing a Department of Labor prevailing-wage level, from Level I (entry) to Level IV (fully competent). Pay rises steeply with level.

H-1B median $83,037
Change vs prior year +3.77%
After inflation (CPI-U) +0.62%
Wage level LCAs Share P25 Median P75
Level I 121 30% $60,000 $65,603 $74,516
Level II 133 33% $74,194 $83,037 $98,664
Level III 36 8.9% $87,513 $100,878 $109,306
Level IV 65 16.1% $108,000 $125,000 $145,400
H-1B job titles

Salaries by job title in Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health

The 5 most-filed job titles inside SOC 19-2041, from 403 H-1B filings. Seniority words and level numbers are grouped (“Senior Data Engineer II” counts as Data Engineer). Tap a title for its full range, wage levels and the exact titles employers used.

Job title LCAs Share P25 Median P75 YoY
Environmental Scientist 38 9.43% $65,260 $73,097 $87,906 -4.5%
Environmental Specialist 14 3.47% $56,850 $70,360 $86,250 +11.5%
Air Pollution Specialist 12 2.98% $106,170 $109,896 $111,602 +3%
Research Scientist 11 2.73% $67,500 $82,500 $103,036 +1.85%
Research Associate 11 2.73% $67,899 $70,000 $70,170 -5.3%

Titles are cleaned from the employer's own LCA text (codes and typos removed, nothing invented). Rows need 10+ filings in this SOC.

Skills & tools

Skills needed for Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health

How important each skill and knowledge area is for this job, rated by O*NET on a 1–5 scale from surveys of workers and occupational analysts.

Top skills
  • Active Listening4.0
  • Complex Problem Solving4.0
  • Reading Comprehension4.0
  • Science4.0
  • Speaking4.0
  • Writing4.0
  • Critical Thinking3.9
  • Active Learning3.8
  • Coordination3.6
  • Monitoring3.6
Top knowledge areas
  • English Language4.5
  • Biology3.9
  • Customer and Personal Service3.7
  • Law and Government3.5
  • Computers and Electronics3.4
  • Public Safety and Security3.3
  • Chemistry3.2
  • Administrative3.1
Software and technology used
ESRI ArcGIS softwareMicrosoft ExcelMicrosoft Office softwareMicrosoft OutlookMicrosoft PowerPointMicrosoft WordGeographic information system GIS systemsAdobe AcrobatAdobe IllustratorAutodesk AutoCADBentley MicroStationC++IBM SPSS StatisticsMicrosoft AccessMicrosoft ProjectMicrosoft Visual BasicSAP softwareStructured query language SQL

Highlighted = in demand: frequently listed in employer job postings for this occupation (O*NET).

Source: O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.

About the job

What environmental scientists and specialists, including health do

  • Communicate scientific or technical information to the public, organizations, or internal audiences through oral briefings, written documents, workshops, conferences, training sessions, or public hearings.
  • Monitor effects of pollution or land degradation and recommend means of prevention or control.
  • Collect, synthesize, analyze, manage, and report environmental data, such as pollution emission measurements, atmospheric monitoring measurements, meteorological or mineralogical information, or soil or water samples.
  • Review and implement environmental technical standards, guidelines, policies, and formal regulations that meet all appropriate requirements.
  • Provide scientific or technical guidance, support, coordination, or oversight to governmental agencies, environmental programs, industry, or the public.
  • Process and review environmental permits, licenses, or related materials.
  • Conduct environmental audits or inspections or investigations of violations.
  • Provide advice on proper standards and regulations or the development of policies, strategies, or codes of practice for environmental management.
Also called
Environmental Programs SpecialistEnvironmental Protection SpecialistEnvironmental ScientistEnvironmental SpecialistEnvironmental AnalystEnvironmental Health and Safety Specialist (EHS Specialist)Environmental Health SpecialistHazardous Substances ScientistNatural Resources SpecialistRegistered Environmental Health Specialist (REHS)
Specialties within this occupation
  • Climate Change Policy Analysts
  • Environmental Restoration Planners
  • Industrial Ecologists
More job titles for this occupation (71)
Air AnalystAquatic EcologistClean Energy Policy AnalystClimate AdvisorClimate AnalystClimate and Energy Program AssociateClimate Change AnalystClimate Change Risk AssessorClimate Change SpecialistClimate EconomistCoastal and Estuary SpecialistConservation PlannerCumulative Effects AnalystEco-Industrial Development ConsultantEcological ModelerEcological ProfessionalEcological Risk AssessorEcologistEnvironmental Business Development AssociateEnvironmental Change AnalystEnvironmental ConsultantEnvironmental DesignerEnvironmental Permitting SpecialistEnvironmental PlannerEnvironmental Planning EngineerEnvironmental Policy AnalystEnvironmental Project SpecialistEnvironmental Protection ActivistEnvironmental Protection Agency CounselorEnvironmental Resources SpecialistEnvironmental Restoration PlannerEnvironmental Risk AssessorEnvironmental Safety SpecialistEnvironmental Services SpecialistEnvironmental Systems CoordinatorEnvironmentalistFisheries Habitat Restoration SpecialistForest EcologistGlobal Climate Change AnalystGlobal Climate Change ResearcherGreenhouse Gas Climate Change SpecialistHabitat Conservation PlannerHabitat Restoration SpecialistHealth EnvironmentalistIndustrial EcologistIndustrial Green Systems DesignerIndustrial Retrofit DesignerLife Cycle Assessment AnalystMarine Habitat Resources SpecialistNatural Resources Energy SpecialistNatural Resources EngineerPolicy AnalystPolicy AssociatePolicy Research AssociatePollution Control ChemistProduct Development EcologistProduct Life Cycle PlannerProject Environmental ScientistRegional Climate Change AnalystRegional Science AdvisorResearch Environmental ScientistResearch ScientistResearcherRestoration EcologistRestoration SpecialistSubstance Flow Analysis Compliance Specialist (SFA Compliance Specialist)Sustainable Systems AnalystWater Pollution ScientistWater Pollution SpecialistWatershed CoordinatorWildlife Biostation Research Ecologist

Source: O*NET 31.0 (USDOL/ETA, CC BY 4.0). These are general job titles, not H-1B filings; for titles employers actually filed, see “Job titles” above.