How much does an Environmental Scientist make?

Updated Nov 30, 2023

Experience

Industry

Total Pay Range
$61K - $96K/yr
Base Pay
$54K - $83K/yr
Additional Pay
$7K - $13K/yr

$76K

/yr
$61K$96K
Most Likely Range

The estimated total pay for a Environmental Scientist is $76,065 per year in the United States area, with an average salary of $66,926 per year. These numbers represent the median, which is the midpoint of the ranges from our proprietary Total Pay Estimate model and based on salaries collected from our users. The estimated additional pay is $9,139 per year. Additional pay could include cash bonus, commission, tips, and profit sharing. The "Most Likely Range" represents values that exist within the 25th and 75th percentile of all pay data available for this role.

How accurate is this most likely Total Pay range (base + additional) of $61K-$96K/yr?

Total Pay Trajectory

For Environmental Scientist

$76,065 /yr
Environmental Scientist
$112,285 /yr
Senior Environmental Scientist
$92,994 /yr
Lead Environmental Scientist
See Full Career Path

Download as data table

What is the total pay trajectory for Environmental Scientist?

Job TitleSalary
Environmental Scientist$76,065 /yr
Senior Environmental Scientist$112,285 /yr
Lead Environmental Scientist$92,994 /yr

Top Paying Companies

For an Environmental Scientist in United States

Below is the total pay for the top 10 highest paying companies for an Environmental Scientist in United States. Employers include Chevron, WSSI and California Dtsc.

1
Chevron
Chevron
$144,968/yr
221 open jobs
2
WSSI
$109,565/yr
5
Wood
$99,636/yr
See pay for all companies for an Environmental Scientist in United StatesView data as table

Top Paying Companies

For Environmental Scientist in United States

1Chevron$144,968
2WSSI$109,565
3California Dtsc$108,609
4Energy Northwest$107,994
5Wood$99,636
6Colorado Springs Utilities$98,694
7Amec Foster Wheeler$92,340
8NewFields$91,396
9State of California$87,756
10Burns & McDonnell$87,120
Total Pay Trajectory

For Environmental Scientist

$76,065 /yr
Environmental Scientist
$112,285 /yr
Senior Environmental Scientist
$92,994 /yr
Lead Environmental Scientist
See Full Career Path

Download as data table

What is the total pay trajectory for Environmental Scientist?

Job TitleSalary
Environmental Scientist$76,065 /yr
Senior Environmental Scientist$112,285 /yr
Lead Environmental Scientist$92,994 /yr

What are total pay estimates for an Environmental Scientist at different companies?

or
Sort:
Company
Jobs
Total Pay Range
Tetra Tech
3.8
Environmental ScientistSee 183 salaries from all locations

$67,418

 / yr
AECOM
3.8
Environmental ScientistSee 143 salaries from all locations

$70,641

 / yr
TRC Companies
3.7
Environmental ScientistSee 81 salaries from all locations

$69,181

 / yr
Arcadis
4.1
Environmental ScientistSee 70 salaries from all locations

$68,403

 / yr
Stantec
3.9
Environmental ScientistSee 66 salaries from all locations

$68,584

 / yr
GHD
3.7
Environmental ScientistSee 54 salaries from all locations

$65,558

 / yr
Environmental Protection Agency
4.1
Environmental ScientistSee 50 salaries from all locations

$76,671

 / yr

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WSP
3.7
Environmental ScientistSee 47 salaries from all locations

$70,647

 / yr
HDR
4.1
Environmental ScientistSee 39 salaries from all locations

$68,340

 / yr
California Department of Fish and Wildlife
3.4
Environmental ScientistSee 38 salaries from all locations

$75,694

 / yr
Arcadis
4.1
Environmental Scientist ISee 34 salaries from all locations

$62,977

 / yr
State of California
4
Environmental ScientistSee 32 salaries from all locations

$87,756

 / yr
ECS Limited
3.5
Environmental ScientistSee 30 salaries from all locations

$33

 / hr
Jacobs
4
Environmental ScientistSee 30 salaries from all locations

$73,510

 / yr
Kleinfelder
3.7
Environmental ScientistSee 29 salaries from all locations

$74,386

 / yr
Apex Companies, LLC
3.9
Environmental ScientistSee 26 salaries from all locations

$66,044

 / yr
VHB
3.8
Environmental ScientistSee 26 salaries from all locations

$63,379

 / yr
Terracon
3.8
Environmental ScientistSee 26 salaries from all locations

$67,187

 / yr
AECOM
3.8
Environmental Scientist ISee 24 salaries from all locations

$64,823

 / yr
A&B Environmental Services
3.1
Environmental ScientistSee 24 salaries from all locations

$64,003

 / yr
Download as data table

Environmental Scientist Salaries

Job TitleSalary
Tetra Tech Environmental Scientist salaries - 183 salaries reported$67,418/yr
AECOM Environmental Scientist salaries - 143 salaries reported$70,641/yr
TRC Companies Environmental Scientist salaries - 81 salaries reported$69,181/yr
Arcadis Environmental Scientist salaries - 70 salaries reported$68,403/yr
Stantec Environmental Scientist salaries - 66 salaries reported$68,584/yr
GHD Environmental Scientist salaries - 54 salaries reported$65,558/yr
Environmental Protection Agency Environmental Scientist salaries - 50 salaries reported$76,671/yr
WSP Environmental Scientist salaries - 47 salaries reported$70,647/yr
HDR Environmental Scientist salaries - 39 salaries reported$68,340/yr
California Department of Fish and Wildlife Environmental Scientist salaries - 38 salaries reported$75,694/yr
Arcadis Environmental Scientist I salaries - 34 salaries reported$62,977/yr
State of California Environmental Scientist salaries - 32 salaries reported$87,756/yr
ECS Limited Environmental Scientist salaries - 30 salaries reported$33/hr
Jacobs Environmental Scientist salaries - 30 salaries reported$73,510/yr
Kleinfelder Environmental Scientist salaries - 29 salaries reported$74,386/yr
Apex Companies, LLC Environmental Scientist salaries - 26 salaries reported$66,044/yr
VHB Environmental Scientist salaries - 26 salaries reported$63,379/yr
Terracon Environmental Scientist salaries - 26 salaries reported$67,187/yr
AECOM Environmental Scientist I salaries - 24 salaries reported$64,823/yr
A&B Environmental Services Environmental Scientist salaries - 24 salaries reported$64,003/yr
Viewing 1 - 20 of 1,660

Top Paying Industries

For an Environmental Scientist in United States

The top 5 paying industries for an Environmental Scientist in United States are Financial Services with a median total pay of $95,765, Energy, Mining & Utilities with a median total pay of $89,320, Aerospace & Defense with a median total pay of $80,983, Information Technology with a median total pay of $76,060, and Retail & Wholesale with a median total pay of $70,687.

IndustryTotal PayTotal Pay Insight
  • Financial ServicesFinancial Services$95,765

    28% Higher than other industries

  • Energy, Mining & UtilitiesEnergy, Mining & Utilities$89,320

    23% Higher than other industries

  • Aerospace & DefenseAerospace & Defense$80,983

    15% Higher than other industries

  • Information TechnologyInformation Technology$76,060

    10% Higher than other industries

  • Retail & WholesaleRetail & Wholesale$70,687

    3% Higher than other industries

Financial Services

Top paying companies in Financial Services for Environmental Scientist are WSSI and ECC, Inc..

WSSIWSSI$109,565/yr
ECC, Inc.ECC, Inc.$81,965/yr

Glassdoor Economist Pay Overview

What is the pay outlook for Research & Science?

Research and science jobs offer pay well above the national average. Increased demand for STEM workers is increasing salaries in research and science. Jobs in these fields, however, often require higher education at the graduate level and/or specialized training. While domain-specific expertise gives workers in these fields access to very specialized jobs, there are also many employers who hire STEM workers for their general data and technology skills.

Environmental Scientist pay FAQ

The average salary for an Environmental Scientist is $76,065 per year in United States. Salaries estimates are based on 4467 salaries submitted anonymously to Glassdoor by an Environmental Scientist employees in United States.

The highest salary for an Environmental Scientist in United States is $95,836 per year.

The lowest salary for an Environmental Scientist in United States is $60,792 per year.

If you are thinking of becoming an Environmental Scientist or planning the next step in your career, find details about the role, the career path and salary trajectory of an Environmental Scientist.

Environmental scientists usually receive slightly lower pay than other Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) researchers. Environmental scientists who work for the federal government or private sector firms generally earn more than those who work for colleges or universities. They can improve their earnings through promotion and securing new grants, both of which generally occur after repeated publication in top scientific journals. The intersection of environmental science and computer science is growing quickly, so candidates who develop expertise in these areas may command higher salaries.

Powered by Glassdoor Economic Research

Of the anonymous Glassdoor users that report making a living as environmental scientists, 67% are satisfied with their earnings. Other factors that can add $9,138.55 to your annual income and increase satisfaction include bonuses and profit sharing.

Skills, education, and experience can impact your salary as an environmental scientist. Start by improving your skills in field sampling, data analysis, and Geographic Information System (GIS) software. You can also learn the processes for American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) environmental site assessments. Since reports and proposals are often a part of the job, you might also consider taking a technical or science writing course.

Continuing education can also increase your salary. Earn a master's degree or Ph.D. in environmental science, life science, or environmental planning. For jobs that involve environmental cleanup, look into courses that help you get the OSHA HAZWOPER certification.

Do you want to make a higher environmental scientist salary? If your current compensation is low compared to other local environmental scientist jobs, you might be in a good position to negotiate.

Examine the requirements and duties of the job, and show your employer how your skills and work history enable you to perform at the highest levels. Be specific; if the position involves ASTM site assessments, talk about a course you completed on standard practices. Highlight your scientific journal publications, or show how your data analysis contributed to a well-known environmental research project.

Additional Resources

Environmental Scientist Job Description Template

Salaries

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