Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health salary in the U.S.
Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health in the U.S. earn a median of $82,220 a year ($39.53 an hour), based on BLS data for 89,250 workers.
Pay ranges from $52,520 for the lowest-paid 10% to $140,010 for the top 10%. The average (mean) salary is $91,680, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for environmental scientists and specialists, including health in the U.S.
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $52,520 | $25.25 |
| 25th percentile | $64,490 | $31.01 |
| Median | $82,220 | $39.53 |
| 75th percentile | $107,970 | $51.91 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $140,010 | $67.31 |
| Average (mean) | $91,680 | $44.08 |
Half of environmental scientists and specialists, including health earn more than the median and half earn less. Percentiles show the spread: 10% earn less than the 10th percentile, and 10% earn more than the 90th.
Median paycheck, before taxes
| Pay period | Amount |
|---|---|
| Monthly | $6,851.67 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $3,425.83 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $3,162.31 |
| Weekly | $1,581.15 |
| Hourly | $39.53 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Buying a home? On a $82,220 salary, see how much house you can afford at today's mortgage rates, or work out a payment with the mortgage calculator.
Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health salary by state
| State | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $132,620 | 1,270 |
| California | $106,510 | 12,490 |
| Rhode Island | $100,730 | 330 |
| Massachusetts | $100,640 | 2,930 |
| Washington | $98,300 | 4,470 |
| Oregon | $97,440 | 1,370 |
| Texas | $92,000 | 5,630 |
| Alaska | $91,960 | 860 |
| Utah | $90,710 | 1,020 |
| Minnesota | $88,000 | 2,260 |
| New Mexico | $86,630 | 940 |
| Colorado | $85,990 | 2,580 |
| Georgia | $85,710 | 1,750 |
| North Dakota | $84,570 | 240 |
| Maryland | $84,190 | 1,760 |
| Nevada | $83,050 | 490 |
| Virginia | $82,230 | 2,850 |
| New York | $82,160 | 3,700 |
| West Virginia | $82,100 | 250 |
| Connecticut | $82,070 | 620 |
| Illinois | $81,590 | 1,550 |
| New Hampshire | $80,810 | 480 |
| Arizona | $80,600 | 1,970 |
| Montana | $80,260 | 570 |
| Hawaii | $79,510 | 670 |
| New Jersey | $79,210 | 3,150 |
| Iowa | $78,780 | 690 |
| Ohio | $78,540 | 2,460 |
| Kansas | $78,210 | 590 |
| Vermont | $77,460 | 490 |
| Tennessee | $76,840 | 1,230 |
| Pennsylvania | $76,110 | 3,020 |
| Michigan | $76,080 | 3,100 |
| Oklahoma | $75,910 | 520 |
| South Carolina | $74,910 | 490 |
| North Carolina | $74,130 | 4,150 |
| Wyoming | $74,050 | 410 |
| Wisconsin | $72,820 | 920 |
| Alabama | $72,490 | 870 |
| Kentucky | $71,040 | 1,000 |
| Idaho | $70,350 | 670 |
| Louisiana | $69,820 | 1,600 |
| Guam | $68,640 | 80 |
| South Dakota | $68,230 | 240 |
| Maine | $66,480 | 530 |
| Indiana | $64,700 | 1,290 |
| Delaware | $64,690 | 290 |
| Nebraska | $64,040 | 510 |
| Missouri | $61,050 | 1,380 |
| Florida | $60,830 | 5,950 |
| Mississippi | $57,780 | 390 |
| Arkansas | $57,220 | 270 |
| Virgin Islands | $53,830 | 40 |
| Puerto Rico | $53,030 | 390 |
Best-paying metro areas for environmental scientists and specialists, including health
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Kennewick-Richland, WA | $129,110 | 300 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $127,210 | 1,320 |
| Monroe, MI | $114,160 | 80 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $110,260 | 170 |
| Napa, CA | $109,710 | 40 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $109,710 | 190 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $108,430 | 3,520 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $108,160 | 2,710 |
| Redding, CA | $106,510 | 130 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $106,510 | 340 |
| Yuba City, CA | $106,510 | 60 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $106,100 | 1,140 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | $105,810 | 210 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $105,340 | 2,520 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $105,230 | 130 |
Metro areas with the most environmental scientists and specialists, including health
| Metro area | Workers | Median salary |
|---|---|---|
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | 3,520 | $108,430 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 3,350 | $85,510 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 2,710 | $108,160 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 2,520 | $105,340 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | 2,490 | $102,980 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | 2,270 | $100,360 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | 1,840 | $95,170 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 1,500 | $77,710 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | 1,430 | $80,600 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | 1,370 | $97,860 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | 1,320 | $127,210 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | 1,280 | $95,780 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 1,270 | $85,210 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | 1,160 | $87,820 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | 1,140 | $106,100 |
Related jobs in the U.S.
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Chemist | $91,240 | $43.87 |
| Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers | $101,920 | $49.00 |
| Physical Scientists, All Other | $122,570 | $58.93 |
| Physicist | $172,250 | $82.81 |
| Atmospheric and Space Scientists | $99,070 | $47.63 |
| Materials Scientist | $117,790 | $56.63 |
| Hydrologist | $96,600 | $46.44 |
| Astronomer | $128,820 | $61.94 |
| Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists | $103,410 | $49.72 |
| Occupational Health and Safety Specialists | $90,150 | $43.34 |
| Clinical and Counseling Psychologists | $100,580 | $48.36 |
| Life, Physical, and Social Science Technicians, All Other | $62,280 | $29.94 |
| Biological Technician | $57,510 | $27.65 |
| School Psychologist | $95,990 | $46.15 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates, occupation code 19-2041. Wages include base pay, tips, commissions and shift pay, but not overtime, bonuses or benefits, and exclude the self-employed.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a environmental scientists and specialists, including health make in the U.S.?
The median salary for environmental scientists and specialists, including health in the U.S. is $82,220 a year, or $39.53 an hour. Pay ranges from $52,520 for the lowest-paid 10% to $140,010 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid environmental scientists and specialists, including health make in the U.S.?
The top 10% of environmental scientists and specialists, including health in the U.S. earn at least $140,010 a year. The top 25% earn $107,970 or more.
What is the starting pay for environmental scientists and specialists, including health in the U.S.?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $52,520 a year, and a quarter of environmental scientists and specialists, including health earn $64,490 or less.
How many environmental scientists and specialists, including health work in the U.S.?
About 89,250 environmental scientists and specialists, including health are employed in the U.S., not counting the self-employed.