SalariesWhat the occupation covers
Perform laboratory and field tests to monitor the environment and investigate sources of pollution, including those that affect health, under the direction of an environmental scientist, engineer, or other specialist. May collect samples of gases, soil, water, and other materials for testing.
Official definition from the Standard Occupational Classification, code 19-4042.
The pay range
Pay differs a lot inside one occupation, with experience, employer and place. The table shows where the lines fall.
| Share of workers | A year | A month* | A week* | An hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lowest 10% earn less than | $38,170 | $3,181 | $734 | $18.35 |
| Lowest 25% earn less than | $45,820 | $3,818 | $881 | $22.03 |
| Median (half earn less, half more) | $55,090 | $4,591 | $1,059 | $26.49 |
| Top 25% earn more than | $69,910 | $5,826 | $1,344 | $33.61 |
| Top 10% earn more than | $94,160 | $7,847 | $1,811 | $45.27 |
* Month and week are the yearly figure divided by 12 and by 52, worked out here for convenience. BLS publishes the yearly and hourly figures.
How it compares
The median for all occupations in the United States was $50,980 a year. The median for Environmental Science and Protection Technicians, Including Health is $55,090, which is 8% higher. Among the 48 occupations of the field Life, Physical, and Social Science, it ranks number 44 by median pay. With 34,670 jobs, it makes up about 2.2 of every 10,000 jobs in the country. The average ($60,800) is well above the median, a sign that a smaller group of high earners pulls the average up.
Environmental Science and Protection Technicians, Including Health pay by state
The highest median pay was in Washington ($67,160), Nebraska ($66,240) and Connecticut ($66,120). The lowest was in Puerto Rico ($34,370), Mississippi ($35,010) and South Dakota ($44,180). The most jobs were in California (6,010), Texas (3,350) and Florida (2,090). The occupation is most concentrated in Alaska, where its share of all jobs is 6.0 times the national share.
No state matches.
| State | Jobs | Median a year | Average a year | Median an hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | 850 | $67,160 | $77,500 | $32.29 |
| Nebraska | 140 | $66,240 | $66,090 | $31.85 |
| Connecticut | not published | $66,120 | $74,420 | $31.79 |
| Minnesota | 450 | $65,320 | $72,240 | $31.41 |
| Rhode Island | 90 | $64,830 | $70,490 | $31.17 |
| New York | 1,960 | $62,400 | $68,320 | $30.00 |
| New Mexico | 500 | $62,330 | $70,810 | $29.97 |
| North Dakota | 140 | $61,430 | $60,510 | $29.53 |
| California | 6,010 | $61,220 | $67,750 | $29.43 |
| Colorado | 740 | $60,930 | $65,180 | $29.30 |
| Pennsylvania | 1,180 | $60,650 | $65,320 | $29.16 |
| Montana | 70 | $60,550 | $61,570 | $29.11 |
| Nevada | 390 | $60,370 | $63,280 | $29.03 |
| Illinois | 980 | $59,930 | $65,490 | $28.81 |
| Massachusetts | 330 | $59,330 | $60,330 | $28.52 |
| Oregon | 440 | $58,950 | $61,310 | $28.34 |
| Utah | 270 | $58,240 | $60,640 | $28.00 |
| Arizona | 590 | $57,800 | $62,210 | $27.79 |
| Hawaii | 260 | $57,010 | $55,840 | $27.41 |
| Tennessee | 320 | $56,960 | $57,650 | $27.39 |
| Ohio | 770 | $56,070 | $59,200 | $26.96 |
| Idaho | 200 | $55,420 | $64,670 | $26.65 |
| Wisconsin | 380 | $55,290 | $58,470 | $26.58 |
| Alaska | 440 | $55,220 | $65,520 | $26.55 |
| Maryland | 580 | $55,090 | $61,430 | $26.49 |
| Vermont | 50 | $55,090 | $58,670 | $26.49 |
| New Hampshire | 80 | $54,080 | $54,670 | $26.00 |
| West Virginia | 750 | $52,590 | $53,320 | $25.28 |
| New Jersey | 830 | $52,190 | $58,880 | $25.09 |
| Iowa | 470 | $52,020 | $54,280 | $25.01 |
| Maine | 150 | $51,820 | $55,030 | $24.91 |
| North Carolina | 1,100 | $51,630 | $55,580 | $24.82 |
| Michigan | 600 | $51,290 | $56,260 | $24.66 |
| Texas | 3,350 | $50,710 | $56,190 | $24.38 |
| Missouri | 380 | $50,340 | $55,130 | $24.20 |
| Wyoming | 150 | $49,440 | $55,950 | $23.77 |
| Virginia | 1,450 | $49,430 | $55,560 | $23.77 |
| Indiana | 780 | $49,020 | $53,230 | $23.57 |
| Florida | 2,090 | $48,840 | $53,620 | $23.48 |
| South Carolina | 500 | $48,700 | $59,820 | $23.41 |
| Arkansas | 160 | $48,390 | $51,930 | $23.26 |
| Oklahoma | 360 | $48,090 | $53,550 | $23.12 |
| Georgia | 1,110 | $48,050 | $52,770 | $23.10 |
| Kansas | 340 | $47,880 | $51,440 | $23.02 |
| Kentucky | 560 | $46,840 | $53,230 | $22.52 |
| Delaware | 150 | $45,720 | $46,980 | $21.98 |
| Alabama | 410 | $45,000 | $48,630 | $21.64 |
| South Dakota | 60 | $44,180 | $42,530 | $21.24 |
| Mississippi | 250 | $35,010 | $43,170 | $16.83 |
| Puerto Rico | 150 | $34,370 | $36,510 | $16.52 |
| Louisiana | 300 | not published | not published | not published |
Sorted by median pay, highest first. "Not published" means BLS did not release that figure for the state, usually because too few employers were surveyed. "$239,200 or more" is the highest value BLS reports in the state tables.
Similar occupations by pay
- Occupational Health and Safety Technicians$61,560 a year
- Chemical Technicians$60,390 a year
- Biological Technicians$57,510 a year
- Forest and Conservation Technicians$54,560 a year
- Geological Technicians, Except Hydrologic Technicians$53,350 a year
- Food Science Technicians$52,130 a year
Common questions
How much do Environmental Science and Protection Technicians, Including Health earn in the United States?
The median pay was $55,090 a year in May 2025, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $38,170 and the highest-paid 10% more than $94,160.
How many people work as Environmental Science and Protection Technicians, Including Health?
About 34,670 jobs in the United States in May 2025, not counting the self-employed.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Checked in November 2026. Figures are for employees, before tax, and leave out overtime pay and benefits. They are official statistics, not advice or a pay offer; see bls.gov/oes for the original tables.