Life & Physical Science

Environmental Science Technicians

SOC 19-4042

Collect samples and run tests that track pollution and environmental health.

The job

Median pay

$55k

$46k to $70k typical range

Outlook, 2025 to 2035

Growing fast

+6.9% projected

Openings a year

BLS projection

Typical education

Associate's

Our model

AI displacement risk

Moderate

How much of this job AI may do instead of the person

Works with AI

7/100

AI alongside the person rather than instead of them

AI exposure

45th pct

More exposed than 45% of occupations · modeled estimate · 53rd pct in Microsoft's data

Future-proof

54/100

Take the next step

Weigh it against HydrologistsPay, outlook, entry and AI exposure side by side See where it pays mostWashington leads at $67k; every state is below Find careers like itOpen the map at Environmental Science Technicians and explore its neighbours See open jobsEnvironmental Science Technicians roles hiring now Learn the skillsCourses for Environmental Science Technicians, who lean most on reading comprehension Real pay & reviewsWhat Environmental Science Technicians say they actually earn

Key skills

Reading Comprehension
Active Listening
Writing
Speaking
Critical Thinking
Science

Pay and jobs by state

BLS OEWS May 2025, 51 states. Sorted by jobs; per 1,000 is jobs per thousand workers in the state; vs national compares that rate with the country's. A tilde marks a figure estimated from the parent occupation group where BLS publishes none.

State	Jobs	Per 1,000	vs national	Median pay
California	6,010	0.3	1.5×	$61k
Texas	3,350	0.2	1.1×	$51k
Florida	2,090	0.2	0.9×	$49k
New York	1,960	0.2	0.9×	$62k
Virginia	1,450	0.4	1.6×	$49k
Pennsylvania	1,180	0.2	0.9×	$61k
Georgia	1,110	0.2	1.0×	$48k
North Carolina	1,100	0.2	1.0×	$52k
Illinois	980	0.2	0.7×	$60k
Washington	850	0.2	1.1×	$67k

All 51 states

State	Jobs	Per 1,000	vs national	Median pay
New Jersey	830	0.2	0.9×	$52k
Indiana	780	0.2	1.1×	$49k
Ohio	770	0.1	0.6×	$56k
West Virginia	750	1.1	4.8×	$53k
Colorado	740	0.3	1.1×	$61k
Michigan	600	0.1	0.6×	$51k
Arizona	590	0.2	0.8×	$58k
Maryland	580	0.2	0.9×	$55k
Kentucky	560	0.3	1.3×	$47k
New Mexico	500	0.6	2.6×	$62k
South Carolina	500	0.2	1.0×	$49k
Iowa	470	0.3	1.4×	$52k
Minnesota	450	0.2	0.7×	$65k
Alaska	440	1.4	6.1×	$55k
Oregon	440	0.2	1.0×	$59k
Washington DC	419	0.6	2.7×	$86k~
Alabama	410	0.2	0.9×	$45k
Nevada	390	0.3	1.1×	$60k
Missouri	380	0.1	0.6×	$50k
Wisconsin	380	0.1	0.6×	$55k
Oklahoma	360	0.2	0.9×	$48k
Kansas	340	0.2	1.1×	$48k
Massachusetts	330	0.1	0.4×	$59k
Tennessee	320	0.1	0.4×	$57k
Connecticut	305	0.2	0.8×	$66k~
Louisiana	300	0.2	0.7×	$50k~
Utah	270	0.2	0.7×	$58k
Hawaii	260	0.4	1.9×	$57k
Mississippi	250	0.2	1.0×	$35k
Idaho	200	0.2	1.1×	$55k
Arkansas	160	0.1	0.6×	$48k
Delaware	150	0.3	1.4×	$46k
Maine	150	0.2	1.1×	$52k
Wyoming	150	0.5	2.4×	$49k
Nebraska	140	0.1	0.6×	$66k
North Dakota	140	0.3	1.5×	$61k
Rhode Island	90	0.2	0.8×	$65k
New Hampshire	80	0.1	0.5×	$54k
Montana	70	0.1	0.6×	$61k
South Dakota	60	0.1	0.6×	$44k
Vermont	50	0.2	0.7×	$55k

Top metro areas

Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA1,460 jobs · $63k median
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ1,440 jobs · $63k median
Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX930 jobs · $49k median
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX710 jobs · $54k median
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN690 jobs · $60k median
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA690 jobs · $81k median
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL650 jobs · $50k median
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD650 jobs · $62k median

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Pay and outlook from BLS (OEWS 2025, Employment Projections 2025-2035). Skills and work activities from O*NET 30.3. AI exposure and future-proof scores are modeled estimates. How these numbers are made.