Updated September 14, 2023
Average environmental scientist salary
$60,208
$28.95 hourly rate
Entry-level environmental scientist salary
$43,000 yearly salary
How much does an environmental scientist make?
The average environmental scientist salary in the United States is $60,208. Environmental scientist salaries typically range between $43,000 and $84,000 yearly. The average hourly rate for environmental scientists is $28.95 per hour.
Environmental scientist salary is impacted by location, education, and experience. Environmental scientists earn the highest average salary in California, Washington, Oregon, Massachusetts, and West Virginia.
Environmental scientist salary summary.
-
The average salary for an environmental scientist is $60,208 in the US. -
The average environmental scientist salary ranges between $43,000 and $84,000 in the US. -
Environmental scientists' hourly rates in the US typically range between $20 and $40 an hour. -
Environmental scientists earn the highest salaries in California ($77,130), Washington ($74,730), and Oregon ($69,785). -
Environmental scientist salaries at Chevron are the highest of any company. -
Environmental scientists in the technology industry are the highest-paid in the US.
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Average environmental scientist salary by state
The highest-paying states for environmental scientists are California, Washington, and Oregon. The lowest average environmental scientist salary states are Kentucky, Mississippi, and Alabama.
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Average Salary:
Highest paying states for environmental scientists
| Rank | State | Avg. Salary | Hourly Rate | Job Count |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oregon | $69,785 | $33.55 | 347 |
| 2 | West Virginia | $67,851 | $32.62 | 118 |
| 3 | Washington | $74,730 | $35.93 | 495 |
| 4 | Illinois | $66,164 | $31.81 | 1,023 |
| 5 | Maryland | $65,809 | $31.64 | 934 |
| 6 | Delaware | $63,648 | $30.60 | 137 |
| 7 | New York | $64,899 | $31.20 | 1,565 |
| 8 | Virginia | $63,933 | $30.74 | 1,252 |
| 9 | Minnesota | $65,339 | $31.41 | 508 |
| 10 | New Hampshire | $63,198 | $30.38 | 170 |
| 11 | California | $77,130 | $37.08 | 1,605 |
| 12 | Massachusetts | $69,234 | $33.29 | 517 |
| 13 | Nevada | $62,312 | $29.96 | 153 |
| 14 | Ohio | $61,902 | $29.76 | 718 |
| 15 | Rhode Island | $59,195 | $28.46 | 119 |
| 16 | New Jersey | $59,289 | $28.50 | 1,110 |
| 17 | District of Columbia | $74,101 | $35.63 | 86 |
| 18 | New Mexico | $57,512 | $27.65 | 209 |
| 19 | North Carolina | $56,790 | $27.30 | 999 |
| 20 | Montana | $57,382 | $27.59 | 127 |
| 21 | Wyoming | $55,230 | $26.55 | 72 |
| 22 | Alaska | $56,149 | $26.99 | 120 |
| 23 | Colorado | $61,180 | $29.41 | 421 |
| 24 | Connecticut | $56,889 | $27.35 | 393 |
| 25 | Michigan | $57,881 | $27.83 | 463 |
| 26 | Kansas | $55,876 | $26.86 | 231 |
| 27 | Iowa | $55,416 | $26.64 | 246 |
| 28 | Pennsylvania | $53,192 | $25.57 | 1,167 |
| 29 | Idaho | $55,433 | $26.65 | 152 |
| 30 | Oklahoma | $57,110 | $27.46 | 133 |
| 31 | North Dakota | $49,076 | $23.59 | 142 |
| 32 | Utah | $53,481 | $25.71 | 252 |
| 33 | Tennessee | $53,106 | $25.53 | 352 |
| 34 | South Dakota | $47,924 | $23.04 | 123 |
| 35 | Georgia | $55,046 | $26.46 | 596 |
| 36 | Maine | $48,302 | $23.22 | 179 |
| 37 | Wisconsin | $48,692 | $23.41 | 531 |
| 38 | Vermont | $48,539 | $23.34 | 85 |
| 39 | Hawaii | $48,210 | $23.18 | 88 |
| 40 | Louisiana | $51,921 | $24.96 | 165 |
| 41 | Missouri | $48,224 | $23.18 | 486 |
| 42 | Texas | $49,055 | $23.58 | 1,364 |
| 43 | Indiana | $47,506 | $22.84 | 425 |
| 44 | Arkansas | $47,122 | $22.65 | 145 |
| 45 | Nebraska | $44,814 | $21.55 | 172 |
| 46 | Arizona | $47,078 | $22.63 | 355 |
| 47 | Kentucky | $46,439 | $22.33 | 194 |
| 48 | Mississippi | $46,257 | $22.24 | 88 |
| 49 | South Carolina | $43,405 | $20.87 | 296 |
| 50 | Alabama | $44,863 | $21.57 | 199 |
| 51 | Florida | $37,020 | $17.80 | 1,037 |
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Highest paying cities for environmental scientists
The highest-paying cities for environmental scientists are Novato, CA, Seattle, WA, and Washington, DC.
| Rank | City | Avg. Salary | Hourly Rate | Job Count |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Novato, CA | $85,764 | $41.23 | |
| 2 | Seattle, WA | $75,390 | $36.25 | 1 |
| 3 | Washington, DC | $74,170 | $35.66 | 2 |
| 4 | Portland, OR | $69,351 | $33.34 | 2 |
| 5 | Boston, MA | $69,144 | $33.24 | 1 |
| 6 | Chicago, IL | $66,476 | $31.96 | 11 |
| 7 | Baltimore, MD | $65,901 | $31.68 | |
| 8 | Saint Paul, MN | $65,477 | $31.48 | 1 |
| 9 | New York, NY | $65,298 | $31.39 | 2 |
| 10 | Arlington, VA | $64,553 | $31.04 | 1 |
| 11 | Columbus, OH | $61,802 | $29.71 | 5 |
| 12 | Denver, CO | $61,188 | $29.42 | 7 |
| 13 | Parsippany-Troy Hills, NJ | $58,937 | $28.34 | |
| 14 | Durham, NC | $58,180 | $27.97 | 2 |
| 15 | Albuquerque, NM | $58,003 | $27.89 | 2 |
| 16 | Helena, MT | $57,541 | $27.66 | 2 |
| 17 | Oklahoma City, OK | $57,183 | $27.49 | 1 |
| 18 | Atlanta, GA | $55,018 | $26.45 | 4 |
| 19 | New Orleans, LA | $51,963 | $24.98 | 2 |
| 20 | San Antonio, TX | $49,171 | $23.64 | 2 |
Environmental Scientists are the most in-demand in these five cities:
Environmental Scientist salary details
An environmental scientist's salary ranges from $43,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $84,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is an environmental scientist's salary?
| Percentile | Annual Salary | Monthly Salary | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $84,000 | $7,000 | $40 |
| 75th Percentile | $71,000 | $5,917 | $34 |
| Average | $60,208 | $5,017 | $29 |
| 25th Percentile | $50,000 | $4,167 | $24 |
| 10th Percentile | $43,000 | $3,583 | $21 |
Highest paying environmental scientist jobs
The highest paying types of environmental scientists are scientist, staff scientist, and senior environmental scientist.
| Job Title | Annual Salary | Monthly Salary | Hourly Rate | Job Openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scientist | $97,344 | $8,112 | $46.80 | 62,467 |
| Staff Scientist | $93,941 | $7,828 | $45.16 | 121,054 |
| Environmental Engineering Internship | $36,235 | $3,020 | $17.42 | 112,274 |
| Environmental Service Technician | $30,862 | $2,572 | $14.84 | 83,697 |
| Environmental Consultant | $74,913 | $6,243 | $36.02 | 21,723 |
| Environmental Manager | $67,747 | $5,646 | $32.57 | 18,037 |
How would you rate the starting salaries for Environmental Scientists, as well as the prospects for salary advancement?
A. Alonso Aguirre Ph.D.
Department Chair & Professor, George Mason University
Salaries will be great, depending on skills and area of expertise; they can go for as low as $40k as a zookeeper/tech to $100k wind turbine/solar photovoltaic tech. Specialized training with an MS or Ph.D. degree can get you starting salaries around $70k
Top companies hiring environmental scientists now:
Which companies pay environmental scientists the most?
Environmental scientist salaries at Chevron and Exxon Mobil are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average environmental scientist salary at companies like Pacifi and Woods Services are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average Salary | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chevron | $98,596 | $47.40 |
| 2 | Exxon Mobil | $95,658 | $45.99 |
| 3 | Pacifi | $89,327 | $42.95 |
| 4 | Woods Services | $86,778 | $41.72 |
| 5 | Parsons | $85,775 | $41.24 |
| 6 | Booz Allen Hamilton | $85,109 | $40.92 |
| 7 | Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory | $83,914 | $40.34 |
| 8 | World Wildlife Fund | $83,210 | $40.00 |
| 9 | Energy Northwest | $82,147 | $39.49 |
| 10 | Brookhaven National Laboratory | $81,712 | $39.28 |
| 11 | Delaware County | $81,321 | $39.10 |
| 12 | CDM Smith | $80,204 | $38.56 |
| 13 | Battelle | $80,030 | $38.48 |
| 14 | King County | $78,882 | $37.92 |
| 15 | Gillette | $78,717 | $37.84 |
| 16 | CyberCoders | $78,427 | $37.71 |
| 17 | Jacobs Engineering Group | $78,344 | $37.67 |
| 18 | CDW | $77,451 | $37.24 |
| 19 | Abt Associates | $77,029 | $37.03 |
| 20 | Daltile | $76,415 | $36.74 |
Environmental Scientist salary by industry
The average environmental scientist salary varies across industries:
- The average environmental scientist salary in the technology industry is $72,955, the highest of any industry.
- The average environmental scientist salary in the finance industry is $72,268.
- Environmental scientists in the government industry earn an average salary of $62,086, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for environmental scientists
| Rank | Industry | Average Salary | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Technology | $72,955 | $35.07 |
| 2 | Construction | $72,268 | $34.74 |
| 3 | Professional | $66,320 | $31.88 |
| 4 | Government | $62,086 | $29.85 |
High Paying Environmental Scientist Jobs
Environmental Scientist salary trends
The average environmental scientist salary has risen by $8,476 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average environmental scientist earned $51,732 annually, but today, they earn $60,208 a year. That works out to a 6% change in pay for environmental scientists over the last decade.
Compare environmental scientist salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average environmental scientist salary over time
Compare environmental scientist salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Environmental Scientist salary by year
| Year | Avg. Salary | Hourly Rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $60,200 | $28.95 | +2.6% |
| 2023 | $58,700 | $28.21 | +0.3% |
| 2022 | $58,500 | $28.12 | +2.4% |
| 2021 | $57,100 | $27.43 | +0.7% |
| 2020 | $56,700 | $27.24 | +2.1% |
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Recently added environmental scientist salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date Added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weston Solutions | Environmental Scientist-Air Testing Specialist | West Chester, PA | 07/01/2023 | $30,100 |
| Woodard & Curran, Inc. | Environmental Scientist | Great Falls, MT | 07/01/2023 | $49,448 |
| St. John's River Water Management District-Sa | Environmental Scientist III | Palatka, FL | 07/01/2023 | $53,456 |
| Gradient | Regulatory Toxicologist/Environmental Scientist | Boston, MA | 06/30/2023 | $65,000 |
| Ageiss Inc. | Environmental Scientist | Tacoma, WA | 06/30/2023 | $65,000 |
| Weston Solutions | Environmental Scientist or Geoscientist | Saint Paul, MN | 06/29/2023 | $48,000 |
| Weston Solutions | Environmental Scientist for Disaster and Emergency Response | Long Beach, CA | 06/29/2023 | $48,000 |
| Weston Solutions | Environmental Scientist for Emergency Response Contract | Portland, OR | 06/29/2023 | $62,700 |
| Weston Solutions | Environmental Scientist or Geoscientist | San Antonio, TX | 06/29/2023 | $40,400 |
| Weston Solutions | Environmental Scientist/Task Manager | Glastonbury, CT | 06/29/2023 | $48,000 |
Show more
Environmental Scientist salary FAQs
What state pays Environmental Scientists the most?
How do I know if I'm being paid fairly as an Environmental Scientist?
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See all answers to common life, physical, and social science questions.Search for environmental scientist jobs
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Updated September 14, 2023
