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Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics

Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2018

19-4091 Environmental Science and Protection Technicians, Including Health

Perform laboratory and field tests to monitor the environment and investigate sources of pollution, including those that affect health, under the direction of an environmental scientist, engineer, or other specialist. May collect samples of gases, soil, water, and other materials for testing.


National estimates for this occupation
Industry profile for this occupation
Geographic profile for this occupation

National estimates for this occupation: Top

Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for this occupation:

Employment (1) Employment
RSE (3)
Mean hourly
wage
Mean annual
wage (2)
Wage RSE (3)
32,600 2.5 % $24.21 $50,350 0.9 %

Percentile wage estimates for this occupation:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median)
75% 90%
Hourly Wage $13.72 $17.03 $22.20 $29.44 $38.53
Annual Wage (2) $28,530 $35,420 $46,170 $61,240 $80,130


Industry profile for this occupation: Top

Industries with the highest published employment and wages for this occupation are provided. For a list of all industries with employment in this occupation, see the Create Customized Tables function.

Industries with the highest levels of employment in this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services 7,910 0.55 $22.05 $45,860
Local Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OES Designation) 6,970 0.13 $26.23 $54,570
Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services 6,070 0.42 $21.51 $44,730
State Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OES Designation) 2,240 0.10 $23.17 $48,200
Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools 1,820 0.06 $25.53 $53,090

Industries with the highest concentration of employment in this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Remediation and Other Waste Management Services 1,060 0.71 $34.15 $71,030
Waste Treatment and Disposal 620 0.64 $25.63 $53,310
Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services 7,910 0.55 $22.05 $45,860
Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services 6,070 0.42 $21.51 $44,730
Social Advocacy Organizations 550 0.26 $21.32 $44,340

Top paying industries for this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing 90 0.08 $37.86 $78,740
Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution 370 0.09 $37.11 $77,200
Business, Professional, Labor, Political, and Similar Organizations (8) (8) $35.09 $72,990
Natural Gas Distribution 30 0.03 $34.44 $71,640
Remediation and Other Waste Management Services 1,060 0.71 $34.15 $71,030


Geographic profile for this occupation: Top

States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for this occupation are provided. For a list of all areas with employment in this occupation, see the Create Customized Tables function.





States with the highest employment level in this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
California 5,110 0.30 1.33 $28.89 $60,090
Texas 2,810 0.23 1.03 $22.29 $46,370
New York 2,400 0.26 1.14 $25.39 $52,810
Ohio 1,520 0.28 1.24 $21.62 $44,970
Washington 1,280 0.39 1.74 $34.47 $71,700




States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
West Virginia 680 0.98 4.34 $20.90 $43,480
New Mexico 520 0.65 2.86 $25.23 $52,470
Alaska 200 0.63 2.79 $26.71 $55,560
Delaware 210 0.46 2.06 $18.08 $37,610
Wyoming 110 0.42 1.88 $21.23 $44,160




Top paying States for this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Washington 1,280 0.39 1.74 $34.47 $71,700
Rhode Island 70 0.14 0.62 $31.60 $65,730
District of Columbia 150 0.21 0.94 $30.95 $64,370
Utah 200 0.14 0.62 $29.17 $60,670
California 5,110 0.30 1.33 $28.89 $60,090





Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in this occupation:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA 2,020 0.21 0.94 $26.47 $55,050
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 1,510 0.25 1.10 $29.29 $60,930
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX 980 0.33 1.46 $22.35 $46,480
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI 790 0.17 0.76 $21.63 $44,990
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA 740 0.31 1.36 $29.69 $61,750
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA 660 0.25 1.10 $18.30 $38,060
San Diego-Carlsbad, CA 540 0.37 1.65 $28.32 $58,910
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 530 0.17 0.75 $27.31 $56,810
Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA 520 0.53 2.36 $26.62 $55,360
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 510 0.14 0.63 $22.91 $47,650




Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Charleston, WV 180 1.63 7.22 $23.46 $48,790
Beckley, WV 60 1.35 5.98 $21.56 $44,840
Jacksonville, NC 40 0.87 3.85 $24.67 $51,310
Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH 110 0.87 3.87 $19.70 $40,970
Canton-Massillon, OH 140 0.82 3.62 $19.10 $39,720
Wheeling, WV-OH 50 0.76 3.36 $19.01 $39,540
Syracuse, NY 230 0.76 3.38 $17.29 $35,960
Iowa City, IA 70 0.73 3.23 $24.97 $51,940
Clarksville, TN-KY 60 0.71 3.13 $18.78 $39,050
Morgantown, WV 40 0.63 2.80 $20.45 $42,530




Top paying metropolitan areas for this occupation:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Kennewick-Richland, WA (8) (8) (8) $37.89 $78,810
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA 420 0.38 1.68 $35.71 $74,280
Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA 50 0.51 2.25 $35.63 $74,110
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA 40 0.22 0.96 $34.08 $70,900
Providence-Warwick, RI-MA 80 0.14 0.63 $31.70 $65,940
Vallejo-Fairfield, CA 50 0.38 1.70 $31.11 $64,710
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA 130 0.40 1.78 $30.75 $63,970
New Bedford, MA 30 0.46 2.06 $30.63 $63,720
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA 340 0.17 0.76 $29.72 $61,820
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA 740 0.31 1.36 $29.69 $61,750

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest employment in this occupation:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Northern West Virginia nonmetropolitan area 160 1.11 4.91 $20.24 $42,100
Alaska nonmetropolitan area 130 1.24 5.52 $26.21 $54,510
Eastern New Mexico nonmetropolitan area 120 0.78 3.48 $23.19 $48,240
West Northwestern Ohio nonmetropolitan area 110 0.44 1.95 $19.20 $39,930
Northern New Mexico nonmetropolitan area 110 1.39 6.17 $30.54 $63,520

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Northern New Mexico nonmetropolitan area 110 1.39 6.17 $30.54 $63,520
Eastern Sierra-Mother Lode Region of California nonmetropolitan area 80 1.36 6.06 $30.52 $63,480
Alaska nonmetropolitan area 130 1.24 5.52 $26.21 $54,510
Northern West Virginia nonmetropolitan area 160 1.11 4.91 $20.24 $42,100
Central New Hampshire nonmetropolitan area 80 0.87 3.88 $21.32 $44,350

Top paying nonmetropolitan areas for this occupation:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Eastern Utah nonmetropolitan area 30 0.40 1.77 $36.23 $75,350
West Texas Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area 110 0.54 2.42 $32.75 $68,110
Northern New Mexico nonmetropolitan area 110 1.39 6.17 $30.54 $63,520
Eastern Sierra-Mother Lode Region of California nonmetropolitan area 80 1.36 6.06 $30.52 $63,480
Northwest Colorado nonmetropolitan area 30 0.26 1.14 $27.41 $57,010


About May 2018 National, State, Metropolitan, and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

These estimates are calculated with data collected from employers in all industry sectors, all metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas, and all states and the District of Columbia. The top employment and wage figures are provided above. The complete list is available in the downloadable XLS files.

The percentile wage estimate is the value of a wage below which a certain percent of workers fall. The median wage is the 50th percentile wage estimate--50 percent of workers earn less than the median and 50 percent of workers earn more than the median. More about percentile wages.


(1) Estimates for detailed occupations do not sum to the totals because the totals include occupations not shown separately. Estimates do not include self-employed workers.

(2) Annual wages have been calculated by multiplying the hourly mean wage by a "year-round, full-time" hours figure of 2,080 hours; for those occupations where there is not an hourly wage published, the annual wage has been directly calculated from the reported survey data.

(3) The relative standard error (RSE) is a measure of the reliability of a survey statistic. The smaller the relative standard error, the more precise the estimate.

(8) Estimate not released.

(9) The location quotient is the ratio of the area concentration of occupational employment to the national average concentration. A location quotient greater than one indicates the occupation has a higher share of employment than average, and a location quotient less than one indicates the occupation is less prevalent in the area than average.


Other OES estimates and related information:

May 2018 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2018 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2018 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2018 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2018 Occupation Profiles

Technical Notes

 

Last Modified Date: March 29, 2019