Life, Physical, and Social Science
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.
MAY 2025 · OCCUPATIONAL WAGES
A wage reference for United States.
Published wage percentiles describe a distribution within the source occupation group. They provide context for a career decision; employer packages and job offers have their own terms.
Source wage group: Environmental Science and Protection Technicians, Including Health
This wage group may include multiple detailed occupations. The figures are for the source group, which may be broader than Environmental Science and Protection Technicians, Including Health. They are not an exact-title, employer, experience or seniority match.
May 2025 · USD · United States. Annual and hourly figures are shown only when the source publishes them; neither is calculated from the other.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics occupational wage data, distributed through the O*NET® OnLine service.
Median annual wage$55,090USD per year · Published 50th percentile
Median hourly wage$26.49USD per hour · Published 50th percentile
Annual wage thresholds
USD per year
Hourly wage thresholds
USD per hour
| Percentile | Annual wage (USD/year) | Hourly wage (USD/hour) |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $38,170 | $18.35 |
| 25th | $45,820 | $22.03 |
| 50th · Median | $55,090 | $26.49 |
| 75th | $69,910 | $33.61 |
| 90th | $94,160 | $45.27 |
“≥” means at least the published amount; “≤” means at most that amount. These are bounds, not exact values. “Not published” means the source did not provide that figure. Occupational wages follow the source definition and do not establish an employer’s base salary, equity or total compensation.
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THE WORK BEHIND THE TITLE
What this career involves.
Occupation definitions describe common work. Responsibilities and requirements vary by employer and specific job.
Selected title examples
Air AnalystAir Pollution AuditorAir Quality Technician (Air Quality Tech)Analytical Lab Tech (Analytical Laboratory Technician)Asbestos Abatement Technician (Asbestos Abatement Tech)Asbestos MicroscopistBiological Lab Tech (Biological Laboratory Technician)BiotechnicianCertified Indoor EnvironmentalistChemical Lab Tech (Chemical Laboratory Technician)Compliance Technician (Compliance Tech)Decontamination Technician (Decontamination Tech)
Expand more title examples (48)
Emergency Spill Response Technician (Emergency Spill Response Tech)Energy and Conservation Technician (Energy and Conservation Tech)Environmental AnalystEnvironmental Compliance Technician (Environmental Compliance Tech)Environmental Field Technician (Environmental Field Tech)Environmental Health Officer (EHO)Environmental Lab Tech (Environmental Laboratory Technician)Environmental Monitoring Technician (Environmental Monitoring Tech)Environmental Property AssessorEnvironmental Sampling Technician (Environmental Sampling Tech)Environmental Science Technician (Environmental Science Tech)Environmental Services AssociateEnvironmental Services Technician (Environmental Services Tech)Environmental Technician (Environmental Tech)Environmental Test Technician (Environmental Test Tech)Facility Environmental Technician (Facility Environmental Tech)Field Environmental Technician (Field Environmental Tech)Field Sampling Technician (Field Sampling Tech)Field TechnicianGround Water Monitoring Technician (Ground Water Monitoring Tech)Ground Water Technician (Ground Water Tech)Hazardous Materials Analyst (Hazmat Analyst)Hazardous Materials Technician (Hazardous Materials Tech)Hazardous Waste Technician (Hazardous Waste Tech)Industrial Ecology Technician (Industrial Ecology Tech)Industrial Pretreatment Program Specialist (IPP Specialist)Infectious Waste Technician (Infectious Waste Tech)Lab Assistant (Laboratory Assistant)Lab Technician (Laboratory Technician)Lead-Based Paint Technician (Lead-Based Paint Tech)Leaking Underground Storage Tank Remover (LUST Remover)Materials Exchange SpecialistMicrobiological Lab Technician (Microbiological Laboratory Technician)Mobile Lab Technician (Mobile Laboratory Technician)Monitoring Technician (Monitoring Tech)Natural Resources Technician (Natural Resources Tech)Pollution Control Technician (Pollution Control Tech)Prep Technician (Preparation Technician)Process Environmental Technician (Process Environmental Tech)Public Health SanitarianPublic Health Sanitarian Technician (Public Health Sanitarian Tech)Radon InspectorRemediation Technician (Remediation Tech)Sample Prep Tech (Sample Preparation Technician)Sample Technician (Sample Tech)SanitarianSanitarian SpecialistSmog Technician (Smog Tech)
Typical tasks
- Collect samples of gases, soils, water, industrial wastewater, or asbestos products to conduct tests on pollutant levels or identify sources of pollution.
- Investigate hazardous conditions or spills or outbreaks of disease or food poisoning, collecting samples for analysis.
- Record test data and prepare reports, summaries, or charts that interpret test results.
- Prepare samples or photomicrographs for testing and analysis.
- Discuss test results and analyses with customers.
- Inspect workplaces to ensure the absence of health and safety hazards, such as high noise levels, radiation, or potential lighting hazards.
Expand more tasks (19)
- Weigh, analyze, or measure collected sample particles, such as lead, coal dust, or rock, to determine concentration of pollutants.
- Calibrate microscopes or test instruments.
- 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.
- Maintain files, such as hazardous waste databases, chemical usage data, personnel exposure information, or diagrams showing equipment locations.
- Set up equipment or stations to monitor and collect pollutants from sites, such as smoke stacks, manufacturing plants, or mechanical equipment.
- Develop or implement programs for monitoring of environmental pollution or radiation.
- Monitor emission control devices to ensure they are operating properly and comply with state and federal regulations.
- Make recommendations to control or eliminate unsafe conditions at workplaces or public facilities.
- Calculate amount of pollutant in samples or compute air pollution or gas flow in industrial processes, using chemical and mathematical formulas.
- Develop testing procedures.
- Perform statistical analysis of environmental data.
- Develop or implement site recycling or hazardous waste stream programs.
- Direct activities of workers in laboratory.
- Analyze potential environmental impacts of production process changes, and recommend steps to mitigate negative impacts.
- Initiate procedures to close down or fine establishments violating environmental or health regulations.
- Inspect sanitary conditions at public facilities.
- Determine amounts and kinds of chemicals to use in destroying harmful organisms or removing impurities from purification systems.
- Examine and analyze material for presence and concentration of contaminants, such as asbestos, using variety of microscopes.
- Distribute permits, closure plans, or cleanup plans.
Skills used in this work
- Reading Comprehension
- Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
- Active Listening
- Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
- Speaking
- Talking to others to convey information effectively.
- Writing
- Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
- Critical Thinking
- Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
- Monitoring
- Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Expand more skills (29)
- Science
- Using scientific rules and methods to solve problems.
- Complex Problem Solving
- Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
- Judgment and Decision Making
- Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
- Active Learning
- Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
- Mathematics
- Using mathematics to solve problems.
- Systems Analysis
- Determining how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect outcomes.
- Coordination
- Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
- Learning Strategies
- Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.
- Operations Monitoring
- Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
- Service Orientation
- Actively looking for ways to help people.
- Social Perceptiveness
- Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
- Systems Evaluation
- Identifying measures or indicators of system performance and the actions needed to improve or correct performance, relative to the goals of the system.
- Time Management
- Managing one's own time and the time of others.
- Instructing
- Teaching others how to do something.
- Operation and Control
- Controlling operations of equipment or systems.
- Persuasion
- Persuading others to change their minds or behavior.
- Negotiation
- Bringing others together and trying to reconcile differences.
- Quality Control Analysis
- Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.
- Operations Analysis
- Analyzing needs and product requirements to create a design.
- Management of Personnel Resources
- Motivating, developing, and directing people as they work, identifying the best people for the job.
- Management of Material Resources
- Obtaining and seeing to the appropriate use of equipment, facilities, and materials needed to do certain work.
- Troubleshooting
- Determining causes of operating errors and deciding what to do about it.
- Equipment Maintenance
- Performing routine maintenance on equipment and determining when and what kind of maintenance is needed.
- Management of Financial Resources
- Determining how money will be spent to get the work done, and accounting for these expenditures.
- Programming
- Writing computer programs for various purposes.
- Equipment Selection
- Determining the kind of tools and equipment needed to do a job.
- Repairing
- Repairing machines or systems using the needed tools.
- Technology Design
- Generating or adapting equipment and technology to serve user needs.
- Installation
- Installing equipment, machines, wiring, or programs to meet specifications.
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