Pick the right evidence to collect
Choose a collection method and decide which measurements, records or observations could answer the question.
Career profile
Environmental Scientist
Environmental scientists investigate pollution and similar hazards, weigh evidence, and advise groups on next steps.
The work blends scientific analysis with legal rules and explaining findings in plain words. Time outdoors collecting data may be only one piece of it.
A day in the life
Gather data firsthand or from others
You gather data on emissions, weather, water, air, soil or a project's effects, firsthand or from existing sources.
Find what the numbers show
Check data quality, compare results and look for trends, hazards, pollutants or how human activity changes nature.
Review permits and suggest fixes
Read permits, project plans or standards and recommend ways to prevent, limit or repair harm to the environment.
Report what you found
Write technical reports or brief clients, officials, coworkers or the public on the evidence and possible next steps.
Quick facts
Bachelor's degree
United States
$82,220 median
United States · May 2025
6% growth
United States · 2025–2035
Quick orientation
Preparation, pay & outlook
Preparation
Bachelor's degreeTypical entry preparation is a bachelor's in environmental science or a related natural science.
Pay
$82,220 medianNational median annual wage for the occupation—not a starting salary.
Outlook
6% growthProjected for 2025–35, with about 7,300 openings a year on average, including replacement openings.
Fit, tradeoffs & changing tools
You might like this if…
- You like tracing a messy environmental question back to evidence.
- You can be precise with data and still explain the result in plain language.
- You are comfortable checking scientific work against detailed standards or regulations.
- You can collaborate with technicians, scientists, engineers, clients, and public officials.
Things to weigh
- Field assignments can be physically demanding and continue in heat, cold, rain, or other uncomfortable weather.
- Travel, nights, weekends, or extra hours may come with fieldwork and project deadlines.
- Much of the job is in an office or laboratory, and technicians often handle field sampling; this may not fit someone seeking outdoor work every day.
Where AI may help
GIS, spreadsheets, databases, scientific software, and compliance systems can organize records, map results, run analyses, and prepare documentation.
What people still lead
Scientists still choose suitable methods, judge data quality and compliance, weigh possible responses, and explain consequences to other people.
What we can’t predict yet
Tool use differs by specialty and employer.
Pay in context
Earnings
The national median is the clearest benchmark, but it combines workers across experience levels, specialties, locations, and employers.
National midpoint
The median was $82,220 a year: half of workers in the occupation earned more and half earned less. It is not an entry-level figure. The median hourly wage was $39.53.
The national spread
In May 2025, the 10th-percentile annual wage was $52,520 and the 90th-percentile wage was $140,010. These are wage percentiles, not starting and senior salaries.
Employer setting can matter
Among listed major industries, median annual wages ranged from $79,320 in consulting services to $116,110 in the federal government. These are sector medians, not offers or career stages.
Getting started
Relevant bachelor's degree
- What the route involves
- Study environmental science, natural resources, biology, physical science, or a related field, building grounding in subjects such as chemistry, geology, physics, hydrology, or environmental policy.
- What it can lead to
- Meets the typical entry-education level for environmental scientist and specialist positions.
- What to check
- The degree is typical, not a job guarantee; some employers prefer or require certification tied to the particular work.
USMAP Environmental Analyst apprenticeship
At least 12 months enrolled; the trade's work schedule sets the required hours or competencies.
- What the route involves
- If you are an eligible active-duty enlisted service member working full time in a matching trade, complete supervised Environmental Analyst work, related instruction, and required logs or competencies.
- What it can lead to
- Completion provides a U.S. Department of Labor Certificate of Completion and journeyworker card documenting the skills developed.
- What to check
- This is not an open civilian program: you need at least 12 months left on active duty, a matching military occupation and trade assignment, and supervised work. The credential does not replace a bachelor's requirement where an employer sets one.
A relevant bachelor's degree is the usual route. USMAP offers a narrower apprenticeship option for eligible service members already working in a matching military trade.
After entry
Career paths
This starts where the entry routes leave off: early work, growing capability, and advancement or specialization.
Get established
Learn the employer's sampling, data-quality, safety, recordkeeping, and review procedures, then produce work that others can check.
Build range
Take on more analysis, permit or standards review, response planning, and communication with clients, agencies, or the public.
Lead or specialize
With experience, supervise technical staff or move toward project leader, program manager, or another management role.
- Deepen a specialty such as environmental health, restoration planning, climate analysis, or industrial ecology.
Where you can work
Government agencies
State, local, and federal roles may focus on natural resources, public health, investigations, permits, or compliance. Expect office or laboratory work with field visits depending on the assignment.
- Indoors
- Office
- Lab
- Field work
- Travel
Consulting and engineering firms
Teams help clients follow environmental rules, assess project impacts, reduce pollution, or plan cleanup. Work may move between reports, client meetings, and project sites.
- Indoors
- Office
- Field work
- Travel
Try it
See whether the job clicks before you commit to the path.
Enter this fictional stream pH series in a spreadsheet: 7.1, 7.2, 6.9, 5.4, 7.0. Make a chart, flag the unusual result, and write three questions you would ask before recommending action. Notice whether you enjoy checking the evidence more than jumping to an answer.
Stay safe: Treat the numbers only as a practice set; do not use this exercise to label real water safe or unsafe.
Sources
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Environmental Scientists and Specialists. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- O*NET OnLine. 19-2041.00 — Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Apprenticeship.gov. United Services Military Apprenticeship Program. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- United Services Military Apprenticeship Program. Program Requirements. Accessed 2026-09-16.