SalariesWhat the occupation covers
Identify, remove, pack, transport, or dispose of hazardous materials, including asbestos, lead-based paint, waste oil, fuel, transmission fluid, radioactive materials, or contaminated soil. Specialized training and certification in hazardous materials handling or a confined entry permit are generally required. May operate earth-moving equipment or trucks.
Official definition from the Standard Occupational Classification, code 47-4041.
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 | $38,460 | $3,205 | $740 | $18.49 |
| Lowest 25% earn less than | $44,720 | $3,727 | $860 | $21.50 |
| Median (half earn less, half more) | $49,450 | $4,121 | $951 | $23.78 |
| Top 25% earn more than | $61,530 | $5,128 | $1,183 | $29.58 |
| Top 10% earn more than | $82,410 | $6,868 | $1,585 | $39.62 |
* 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 Hazardous Materials Removal Workers is $49,450, which is 3% lower. Among the 60 occupations of the field Construction and Extraction, it ranks number 45 by median pay. With 51,710 jobs, it makes up about 3.3 of every 10,000 jobs in the country. The average ($56,430) is well above the median, a sign that a smaller group of high earners pulls the average up.
Hazardous Materials Removal Workers pay by state
The highest median pay was in New York ($73,090), Illinois ($61,330) and Alaska ($60,320). The lowest was in Puerto Rico ($28,220), Arkansas ($36,630) and Louisiana ($38,000). The most jobs were in California (7,340), Texas (4,450) and New York (4,090). The occupation is most concentrated in Washington, where its share of all jobs is 2.8 times the national share.
No state matches.
| State | Jobs | Median a year | Average a year | Median an hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York | 4,090 | $73,090 | $71,910 | $35.14 |
| Illinois | 1,980 | $61,330 | $65,490 | $29.49 |
| Alaska | 140 | $60,320 | $67,850 | $29.00 |
| District of Columbia | 50 | $60,240 | $64,090 | $28.96 |
| North Dakota | 170 | $60,160 | $54,970 | $28.92 |
| Washington | 3,250 | $60,160 | $67,890 | $28.92 |
| Tennessee | 570 | $60,090 | $63,480 | $28.89 |
| Colorado | 1,400 | $59,920 | $58,230 | $28.81 |
| Missouri | 370 | $59,120 | $54,990 | $28.42 |
| Minnesota | 730 | $59,100 | $64,410 | $28.41 |
| Hawaii | 340 | $58,440 | $59,120 | $28.10 |
| California | 7,340 | $56,120 | $60,750 | $26.98 |
| New Jersey | 2,250 | $55,900 | $64,790 | $26.87 |
| New Hampshire | 140 | $55,310 | $66,500 | $26.59 |
| Montana | 250 | $54,540 | $54,660 | $26.22 |
| New Mexico | 680 | $53,440 | $55,550 | $25.69 |
| South Dakota | 190 | $51,420 | $52,210 | $24.72 |
| Arizona | 800 | $50,530 | $49,090 | $24.29 |
| Iowa | 270 | $49,870 | $50,630 | $23.98 |
| Oregon | 1,130 | $49,720 | $53,230 | $23.90 |
| Idaho | 600 | $49,710 | $67,320 | $23.90 |
| Massachusetts | 2,770 | $49,620 | $52,820 | $23.86 |
| Utah | 530 | $49,240 | $53,340 | $23.67 |
| South Carolina | 870 | $49,170 | $59,420 | $23.64 |
| Georgia | 460 | $48,960 | $50,130 | $23.54 |
| Maryland | 660 | $48,640 | $53,210 | $23.39 |
| Wyoming | 30 | $48,570 | $51,590 | $23.35 |
| Nebraska | 210 | $48,540 | $49,290 | $23.34 |
| Pennsylvania | 1,590 | $47,860 | $53,140 | $23.01 |
| Wisconsin | 590 | $47,750 | $53,410 | $22.96 |
| Kentucky | 460 | $47,640 | $51,980 | $22.91 |
| Nevada | 400 | $47,520 | $50,120 | $22.85 |
| Maine | 190 | $47,280 | $55,330 | $22.73 |
| Connecticut | 750 | $47,090 | $50,740 | $22.64 |
| Vermont | 70 | $46,780 | $49,460 | $22.49 |
| Indiana | 990 | $46,680 | $50,130 | $22.44 |
| Rhode Island | 330 | $46,670 | $53,300 | $22.44 |
| Ohio | 830 | $46,620 | $50,610 | $22.41 |
| West Virginia | 130 | $46,390 | $50,030 | $22.30 |
| Michigan | 1,610 | $46,380 | $49,390 | $22.30 |
| Kansas | 480 | $45,530 | $45,710 | $21.89 |
| Virginia | 930 | $45,320 | $47,150 | $21.79 |
| Texas | 4,450 | $44,390 | $47,590 | $21.34 |
| Oklahoma | 650 | $44,300 | $44,130 | $21.30 |
| Delaware | not published | $44,250 | $43,720 | $21.28 |
| North Carolina | 1,250 | $43,180 | $45,090 | $20.76 |
| Florida | 1,780 | $42,350 | $45,130 | $20.36 |
| Mississippi | 250 | $39,440 | $41,280 | $18.96 |
| Alabama | 350 | $38,610 | $43,820 | $18.56 |
| Louisiana | 880 | $38,000 | $40,830 | $18.27 |
| Arkansas | 440 | $36,630 | $47,100 | $17.61 |
| Puerto Rico | 180 | $28,220 | $31,960 | $13.57 |
| Guam | 30 | 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
- Highway Maintenance Workers$50,260 a year
- Miscellaneous Construction and Related Workers$49,910 a year
- Septic Tank Servicers and Sewer Pipe Cleaners$49,880 a year
- Painters, Construction and Maintenance$49,400 a year
- Insulation Workers, Floor, Ceiling, and Wall$49,120 a year
- Pipelayers$49,000 a year
Common questions
How much do Hazardous Materials Removal Workers earn in the United States?
The median pay was $49,450 a year in May 2025, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $38,460 and the highest-paid 10% more than $82,410.
How many people work as Hazardous Materials Removal Workers?
About 51,710 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.