Environmental Science and Protection Technicians, Including Health: Salary, Job Outlook & How to Become One (2026 Parent Guide)

Environmental Science and Protection Technicians, Including Health fall under the Life, Physical, and Social Science category in the U.S. occupational classification. Environmental Science and Protection Technicians, Including Health earn a median salary of $49,490 per year, ranking in the top 63% of all U.S. occupations. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects +4.0% job growth through 2034, projected to grow at roughly the US average. Entry into this field typically requires a bachelor's degree, with specific licensing or certification depending on the state and employer. For parents whose teenager is exploring this path, the most actionable step is mapping the education requirements to specific colleges and majors before junior year — not waiting until application season.

What do environmental science and protection technicians, including health earn?

The median annual wage for environmental science and protection technicians, including health is $49,490. That puts environmental science and protection technicians, including health at #512 on the BLS ranked list of all U.S. occupations by median pay. This salary is around or below the U.S. median for individual workers, so career growth often depends on advancement into supervisory roles, specialization, or additional credentials. Actual pay varies meaningfully by state, employer type, and years of experience — entry-level salaries are typically 30–40% below the median, while top-decile earners often exceed it by 50% or more.

Is environmental science and protection technicians, including health a growing career?

The 10-year outlook for environmental science and protection technicians, including health is +4.0%, projected to grow at roughly the US average. Employment is projected to move from approximately 40K positions in 2024 to 42K in 2034, a net change of 2K. Average growth signals a healthy, resilient occupation that mirrors broader U.S. employment trends. Job availability tends to track regional economic conditions.

What do environmental science and protection technicians, including health do every day?

According to O*NET task surveys of working environmental science and protection technicians, including health, these are the core responsibilities most professionals perform. This is what your teen would actually be doing in this role.

1. 1.Inspect workplaces to ensure the absence of health and safety hazards, such as high noise levels, radiation, or potential lighting hazards.
2. 2.Set up equipment or stations to monitor and collect pollutants from sites, such as smoke stacks, manufacturing plants, or mechanical equipment.
3. 3.Develop or implement programs for monitoring of environmental pollution or radiation.
4. 4.Calculate amount of pollutant in samples or compute air pollution or gas flow in industrial processes, using chemical and mathematical formulas.
5. 5.Perform statistical analysis of environmental data.
6. 6.Weigh, analyze, or measure collected sample particles, such as lead, coal dust, or rock, to determine concentration of pollutants.
7. 7.Provide information or technical or program assistance to government representatives, employers, or the general public on the issues of public health, environmental protection, or workplace safety.
8. 8.Analyze potential environmental impacts of production process changes, and recommend steps to mitigate negative impacts.

Top skills for environmental science and protection technicians, including health

O*NET ranks these as the most important skills for this occupation, on a 1–5 importance scale derived from worker surveys.

What education does my child need to become environmental science and protection technicians, including health?

The standard path into environmental science and protection technicians, including health begins with a bachelor's degree in a related field, followed by entry-level experience or internships during college. For parents helping a teen prepare, the highest-leverage step before junior year is identifying colleges and programs that feed reliably into this occupation — Solyo's college search lets parents filter by major and admissions data side by side.

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Common questions parents ask about environmental science and protection technicians, including health