Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health: Salary, Job Outlook & How to Become One (2026 Parent Guide)
Life, Physical, and Social Science · SOC 19-2041 · O*NET 19-2041.00
Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health fall under the Life, Physical, and Social Science category in the U.S. occupational classification. Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health earn a median salary of $82,220 per year, ranking in the top 25% of all U.S. occupations. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects +6.1% job growth through 2035, 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 parents should know about environmental scientists and specialists, including health right now
If your teen loves being outdoors, cares about clean water and air, and likes chemistry, biology, and data all at once, environmental science is a field worth a serious look. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, environmental scientists and specialists earned a median wage of $80,060 in May 2024, with the lowest tenth of earners around $50,130 and the top tenth above $134,830, so pay grows meaningfully with experience and specialization. Employment is projected to grow about 4.4 percent, roughly average, which means steady rather than explosive demand, driven by pollution monitoring, environmental cleanup, and compliance work. This is a degree-entry role, not a licensed trade, so there is no mandatory exam or apprenticeship to worry about. Your teen enters with a four-year bachelor's degree in environmental science or a related field such as biology, chemistry, or geology, then builds one to two years of internship and field experience to become a functioning practitioner. Optional voluntary certifications like the Qualified Environmental Professional, offered by the Board for Global EHS Credentialing after about five years of experience and two exams, can boost senior prospects but are never required to work. On the trend side, artificial intelligence is reshaping the work in a big way. A widely cited World Economic Forum report projects roughly 35 percent growth in AI-driven positions in environmental sectors over five years, with more than 60 percent of roles now expecting foundational AI skills. New hybrid jobs are appearing, from remote sensing analysts reading satellite imagery to environmental data scientists running machine learning on ecological datasets. In high school, the strongest preparation is a heavy science and math load, meaning chemistry, biology, physics, and statistics, plus AP Environmental Science if offered. Encourage coding basics in Python, any GIS or mapping electives, and hands-on experiences like water-quality projects, science fairs, park volunteering, or a summer research or field internship. Strong writing matters too, since these professionals write reports and communicate findings to non-scientists.
What do environmental scientists and specialists, including health earn?
The median annual wage for environmental scientists and specialists, including health is $82,220. That puts environmental scientists and specialists, including health at #206 on the BLS ranked list of all U.S. occupations by median pay. This salary is above the U.S. median for individual workers and reflects a stable, credentialed occupation. 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 scientists and specialists, including health a growing career?
The 10-year outlook for environmental scientists and specialists, including health is +6.1%, projected to grow at roughly the US average. Employment is projected to move from approximately 93K positions in 2024 to 99K in 2034, a net change of 6K. Average growth signals a healthy, resilient occupation that mirrors broader U.S. employment trends. Job availability tends to track regional economic conditions.
What education does my child need to become environmental scientists and specialists, including health?
The standard path into environmental scientists and specialists, 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.
Related careers your child might also consider
How parents help teens explore careers like this
Solyo helps parents map a teen's interests to specific careers, then back to the colleges and majors that lead there. Salary, outlook, and education data come from BLS and O*NET — the same sources high school counselors use — but presented for the parent's planning lens, not the student's exploration view.
Common questions parents ask about environmental scientists and specialists, including health
What is the median salary for environmental scientists and specialists, including health?
The median annual salary for environmental scientists and specialists, including health is $82,220 according to the latest Bureau of Labor Statistics data.
Is environmental scientists and specialists, including health a growing career?
BLS projects +6.1% growth for environmental scientists and specialists, including health from 2025 through 2035, which is average growth projected to grow at roughly the US average.
What education does my child need to become environmental scientists and specialists, including health?
The typical entry path requires a bachelor's degree, plus any state licensure or certification specific to the role. Programs that align well with this career can be filtered inside Solyo's college search.
What careers are similar to environmental scientists and specialists, including health?
Related occupations within the Life, Physical, and Social Science category share education paths and skill profiles, so they're a useful starting set when a teen is uncertain. The "Related careers" section below lists nearby options.
Salary data sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment Statistics program. Skills, tasks, and education distribution from the O*NET database. Job outlook from the BLS Employment Projections 2025–2035 release.