47 Series · SOC 47-4041
Hazardous Materials Removal Workers Salary
National pay, percentile range, growth outlook, and state-by-state detail from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey (May 2025).
- $49,450
- Median / year
- $82,410
- Top 10% earn
- +1%
- Growth '23–'33
- 51,710
- US workers
Hazardous Materials Removal Workers earn a median of $49,450 per year.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, the median annual wage is $49,450, based on the most recent survey of employers. Reported pay ranges from $38,460 (10th percentile) to $82,410 (90th percentile) nationally, across roughly 51,710 US workers. New York pays the most ($73,090), since pay varies by state and metro area.
The pay verdict
Hazardous Materials Removal Workers earn a median of $49,450, putting them below the typical US occupation and higher than 32% of the 825 occupations with a published BLS median. Within Construction and Extraction, it ranks #45 of 60 by median pay. Employment is projected to grow 1% by 2033.
- $49,450
- Median annual wage
- Top 68%
- of 825 US occupations with published wages
- #45 of 60
- in Construction and Extraction
- 2.1×
- 90th-to-10th pay spread
Highest-paying state: New York at $73,090. Typical entry-level education: High school diploma or equivalent.
Hazardous Materials Removal Workers (SOC 47-4041) pays a national median of $49,450 per year according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey released in May 2025. Full-range compensation stretches from $38,460 at the 10th percentile to $82,410 at the 90th, with a mean of $56,430 indicating a right-skew where top earners pull the average above the midpoint. An estimated 51,710 Americans work in this occupation across 52 reporting states and 161 metro areas.
BLS Employment Projections forecast a +1% change in employment from 2024 to 2034, which the agency classifies as slower than average relative to the 5% all-occupations baseline. About 5,000 openings are projected per year, combining new positions with replacement needs from retirements and occupation-switchers. Typical entry-level preparation is High school diploma or equivalent and moderate-term on-the-job training of on-the-job training. The BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) and Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII) produce a workplace-safety grade of B for this role, with a fatality rate of 12.4 per 100,000 and injury rate of 3.5 per 100.
Geographic variation matters as much as the headline median. New York pays the highest state median at $73,090, which is +48% above the national figure. The top metro is Kennewick-Richland, WA at $104,530 - metro premiums typically reflect higher cost of living, industry concentration, or specialized employer demand. When using this page for negotiation or career planning, pair the national median with the state and metro rows below, remember that BLS wages exclude benefits, bonuses, and overtime, and revisit after each May OEWS release since percentiles shift with cost-of-living cycles and industry demand. See our methodology for exactly how these figures are sourced, computed, and verified.
Median Salary
$49,450
per year
Median Hourly
$23.78/hr
per hour
Mean Salary
$56,430
average
Employment
51,710
jobs nationwide
How does this pay compare nationally?
Where Hazardous Materials Removal Workers pay sits nationally
Median annual wage vs. 825 detailed BLS occupations with a published median
$49,450 Bottom 32% higher than 32% of 825 US occupations
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US occupations. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS · May 2025
Does this job pay well and grow?
Each dot is a 47-series occupation, placed by projected 2024–2034 growth and median pay. The highlighted dot is Hazardous Materials Removal Workers; the upper-right quadrant is the sweet spot (high pay + fast growth).
Among 24 47-series occupations with growth data, Hazardous Materials Removal Workers sits on the slower-growing side at +1% growth and $49,450 median pay.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS (wages, May 2025) and Employment Projections (2024–2034).
Job Outlook (2024–2034)
Projected Growth
+1%
Slower than average
Annual Openings
5,000
per year (projected)
Typical Education
High school diploma or equivalent
On-the-Job Training
Moderate-term on-the-job training
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034
Workplace Safety
All safety ratings →Safe
Safety Grade (BLS 2023)
Fatality Rate
12.4/100K
Injury Rate
3.5/100
Danger Index
20.2/100
Source: BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) & Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII), 2023
Career Intelligence
Skills, knowledge, and tasks most important for Hazardous Materials Removal Workers roles, ranked by importance. Source: O*NET.
Top Skills
Knowledge Areas
Key Tasks
- ▸ Build containment areas prior to beginning abatement or decontamination work.
- ▸ Remove asbestos or lead from surfaces, using hand or power tools such as scrapers, vacuums, or high-pressure sprayers.
- ▸ Identify asbestos, lead, or other hazardous materials to be removed, using monitoring devices.
- ▸ Prepare hazardous material for removal or storage.
- ▸ Comply with prescribed safety procedures or federal laws regulating waste disposal methods.
- ▸ Record numbers of containers stored at disposal sites, specifying amounts or types of equipment or waste disposed.
- ▸ Sort specialized hazardous waste at landfills or disposal centers, following proper disposal procedures.
- ▸ Operate cranes to move or load baskets, casks, or canisters.
- ▸ Drive trucks or other heavy equipment to convey contaminated waste to designated sea or ground locations.
- ▸ Load or unload materials into containers or onto trucks, using hoists or forklifts.
Source: O*NET Online, National Center for O*NET Development. Data represents typical importance ratings for this occupation.
Salary Range
Annual Salary Distribution
Hourly Rate Distribution
10th Percentile
$38,460
25th Percentile
$44,720
Median
$49,450
75th Percentile
$61,530
90th Percentile
$82,410
Salary by State
Highest Paying States
View all 52 states →
| # | State | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York | $73,090 | +48% above national |
| 2 | Illinois | $61,330 | +24% above national |
| 3 | Alaska | $60,320 | +22% above national |
| 4 | District of Columbia | $60,240 | +22% above national |
| 5 | North Dakota | $60,160 | +22% above national |
| 6 | Washington | $60,160 | +22% above national |
| 7 | Tennessee | $60,090 | +22% above national |
| 8 | Colorado | $59,920 | +21% above national |
| 9 | Missouri | $59,120 | +20% above national |
| 10 | Minnesota | $59,100 | +20% above national |
| 11 | Hawaii | $58,440 | +18% above national |
| 12 | California | $56,120 | +13% above national |
| 13 | New Jersey | $55,900 | +13% above national |
| 14 | New Hampshire | $55,310 | +12% above national |
| 15 | Montana | $54,540 | +10% above national |
| 16 | New Mexico | $53,440 | +8% above national |
| 17 | South Dakota | $51,420 | +4% above national |
| 18 | Arizona | $50,530 | +2% above national |
| 19 | Iowa | $49,870 | +1% above national |
| 20 | Oregon | $49,720 | +1% above national |
| 21 | Idaho | $49,710 | +1% above national |
| 22 | Massachusetts | $49,620 | same as national |
| 23 | Utah | $49,240 | same as national |
| 24 | South Carolina | $49,170 | 1% below national |
| 25 | Georgia | $48,960 | 1% below national |
| 26 | Maryland | $48,640 | 2% below national |
| 27 | Wyoming | $48,570 | 2% below national |
| 28 | Nebraska | $48,540 | 2% below national |
| 29 | Pennsylvania | $47,860 | 3% below national |
| 30 | Wisconsin | $47,750 | 3% below national |
| 31 | Kentucky | $47,640 | 4% below national |
| 32 | Nevada | $47,520 | 4% below national |
| 33 | Maine | $47,280 | 4% below national |
| 34 | Connecticut | $47,090 | 5% below national |
| 35 | Vermont | $46,780 | 5% below national |
| 36 | Indiana | $46,680 | 6% below national |
| 37 | Rhode Island | $46,670 | 6% below national |
| 38 | Ohio | $46,620 | 6% below national |
| 39 | West Virginia | $46,390 | 6% below national |
| 40 | Michigan | $46,380 | 6% below national |
| 41 | Kansas | $45,530 | 8% below national |
| 42 | Virginia | $45,320 | 8% below national |
| 43 | Texas | $44,390 | 10% below national |
| 44 | Oklahoma | $44,300 | 10% below national |
| 45 | Delaware | $44,250 | 11% below national |
| 46 | North Carolina | $43,180 | 13% below national |
| 47 | Florida | $42,350 | 14% below national |
| 48 | Mississippi | $39,440 | 20% below national |
| 49 | Alabama | $38,610 | 22% below national |
| 50 | Louisiana | $38,000 | 23% below national |
| 51 | Arkansas | $36,630 | 26% below national |
| 52 | Puerto Rico | $28,220 | 43% below national |
Salary by Metro Area
Highest Paying Metros
View all 161 metro areas →
| # | Metro Area | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kennewick-Richland, WA | $104,530 | +111% above national |
| 2 | Pueblo, CO | $79,260 | +60% above national |
| 3 | Amarillo, TX | $77,580 | +57% above national |
| 4 | Knoxville, TN | $75,280 | +52% above national |
| 5 | New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $74,060 | +50% above national |
| 6 | St. Louis, MO-IL | $67,010 | +36% above national |
| 7 | West North Dakota nonmetropolitan area | $63,960 | +29% above national |
| 8 | Alaska nonmetropolitan area | $63,310 | +28% above national |
| 9 | Binghamton, NY | $62,090 | +26% above national |
| 10 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $61,330 | +24% above national |
| 11 | Warner Robins, GA | $61,170 | +24% above national |
| 12 | North Coast Region of California nonmetropolitan area | $60,850 | +23% above national |
| 13 | Eastern Washington nonmetropolitan area | $60,730 | +23% above national |
| 14 | Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY | $60,390 | +22% above national |
| 15 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $60,390 | +22% above national |
| 16 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $60,290 | +22% above national |
| 17 | Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $60,260 | +22% above national |
| 18 | Bellingham, WA | $59,720 | +21% above national |
| 19 | Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY | $59,700 | +21% above national |
| 20 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $59,580 | +20% above national |
| 21 | Utica-Rome, NY | $59,440 | +20% above national |
| 22 | Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | $59,220 | +20% above national |
| 23 | Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $59,160 | +20% above national |
| 24 | Chattanooga, TN-GA | $59,140 | +20% above national |
| 25 | Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL | $58,650 | +19% above national |
| 26 | Urban Honolulu, HI | $58,440 | +18% above national |
| 27 | Duluth, MN-WI | $58,400 | +18% above national |
| 28 | Northern Indiana nonmetropolitan area | $58,080 | +17% above national |
| 29 | Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA | $57,840 | +17% above national |
| 30 | Anchorage, AK | $57,540 | +16% above national |
| 31 | Greeley, CO | $57,130 | +16% above national |
| 32 | Billings, MT | $56,700 | +15% above national |
| 33 | Fort Collins-Loveland, CO | $56,160 | +14% above national |
| 34 | East-Central Montana nonmetropolitan area | $56,100 | +13% above national |
| 35 | Vallejo, CA | $55,960 | +13% above national |
| 36 | Colorado Springs, CO | $55,690 | +13% above national |
| 37 | Chambersburg, PA | $55,470 | +12% above national |
| 38 | Albuquerque, NM | $55,420 | +12% above national |
| 39 | Syracuse, NY | $54,870 | +11% above national |
| 40 | High Desert Utah nonmetropolitan area | $54,810 | +11% above national |
| 41 | Fresno, CA | $54,570 | +10% above national |
| 42 | Reading, PA | $54,440 | +10% above national |
| 43 | Northern New Mexico nonmetropolitan area | $54,010 | +9% above national |
| 44 | Farmington, NM | $52,760 | +7% above national |
| 45 | Sioux Falls, SD-MN | $52,670 | +7% above national |
| 46 | Kansas nonmetropolitan area | $52,580 | +6% above national |
| 47 | Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA | $52,410 | +6% above national |
| 48 | Toledo, OH | $52,210 | +6% above national |
| 49 | San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $51,790 | +5% above national |
| 50 | Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL | $51,300 | +4% above national |
| 51 | Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $51,260 | +4% above national |
| 52 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $51,160 | +3% above national |
| 53 | East South Dakota nonmetropolitan area | $50,650 | +2% above national |
| 54 | Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | $50,530 | +2% above national |
| 55 | Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $50,490 | +2% above national |
| 56 | Medford, OR | $50,430 | +2% above national |
| 57 | Omaha, NE-IA | $50,360 | +2% above national |
| 58 | Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $50,240 | +2% above national |
| 59 | Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $50,190 | +1% above national |
| 60 | Lansing-East Lansing, MI | $50,120 | +1% above national |
| 61 | Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $49,950 | +1% above national |
| 62 | Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $49,930 | +1% above national |
| 63 | Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | $49,850 | +1% above national |
| 64 | Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA | $49,830 | +1% above national |
| 65 | West South Dakota nonmetropolitan area | $49,480 | same as national |
| 66 | Charleston-North Charleston, SC | $49,420 | same as national |
| 67 | Salinas, CA | $49,390 | same as national |
| 68 | Rochester, NY | $49,250 | same as national |
| 69 | Ogden, UT | $49,240 | same as national |
| 70 | Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $49,130 | 1% below national |
| 71 | Eugene-Springfield, OR | $49,070 | 1% below national |
| 72 | Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | $48,870 | 1% below national |
| 73 | Southwest Montana nonmetropolitan area | $48,800 | 1% below national |
| 74 | Northwestern Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area | $48,730 | 1% below national |
| 75 | Boise City, ID | $48,660 | 2% below national |
| 76 | Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $48,650 | 2% below national |
| 77 | Memphis, TN-MS-AR | $48,460 | 2% below national |
| 78 | Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA | $48,460 | 2% below national |
| 79 | Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $48,390 | 2% below national |
| 80 | Stockton-Lodi, CA | $48,360 | 2% below national |
| 81 | Salem, OR | $48,330 | 2% below national |
| 82 | Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | $48,240 | 2% below national |
| 83 | Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ | $48,190 | 3% below national |
| 84 | Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | $48,070 | 3% below national |
| 85 | Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | $48,050 | 3% below national |
| 86 | Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $47,950 | 3% below national |
| 87 | Cedar Rapids, IA | $47,820 | 3% below national |
| 88 | Jacksonville, FL | $47,780 | 3% below national |
| 89 | Kansas City, MO-KS | $47,780 | 3% below national |
| 90 | Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | $47,740 | 3% below national |
| 91 | Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | $47,690 | 4% below national |
| 92 | Portland-South Portland, ME | $47,470 | 4% below national |
| 93 | Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $47,440 | 4% below national |
| 94 | New Haven, CT | $47,440 | 4% below national |
| 95 | Columbia, SC | $47,380 | 4% below national |
| 96 | Worcester, MA | $47,250 | 4% below national |
| 97 | Lincoln, NE | $47,220 | 5% below national |
| 98 | Boulder, CO | $47,160 | 5% below national |
| 99 | North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL | $47,140 | 5% below national |
| 100 | Pittsburgh, PA | $47,010 | 5% below national |
| 101 | Coast Oregon nonmetropolitan area | $46,940 | 5% below national |
| 102 | Springfield, MA | $46,880 | 5% below national |
| 103 | Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | $46,800 | 5% below national |
| 104 | Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | $46,790 | 5% below national |
| 105 | Burlington-South Burlington, VT | $46,780 | 5% below national |
| 106 | Lewiston-Auburn, ME | $46,780 | 5% below national |
| 107 | Columbus, OH | $46,730 | 6% below national |
| 108 | Mid Michigan nonmetropolitan area | $46,710 | 6% below national |
| 109 | Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA | $46,680 | 6% below national |
| 110 | Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC | $46,600 | 6% below national |
| 111 | Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN | $46,530 | 6% below national |
| 112 | Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | $46,380 | 6% below national |
| 113 | Norwich-New London-Willimantic, CT | $46,330 | 6% below national |
| 114 | West Arkansas nonmetropolitan area | $46,320 | 6% below national |
| 115 | Lancaster, PA | $46,030 | 7% below national |
| 116 | Cleveland, OH | $45,800 | 7% below national |
| 117 | Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $45,760 | 7% below national |
| 118 | Northwest Colorado nonmetropolitan area | $45,700 | 8% below national |
| 119 | Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH | $45,660 | 8% below national |
| 120 | Kalamazoo-Portage, MI | $45,650 | 8% below national |
| 121 | Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | $45,600 | 8% below national |
| 122 | Northern Michigan nonmetropolitan area | $45,590 | 8% below national |
| 123 | Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL | $45,430 | 8% below national |
| 124 | Trenton-Princeton, NJ | $45,430 | 8% below national |
| 125 | Raleigh-Cary, NC | $45,410 | 8% below national |
| 126 | Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI | $45,380 | 8% below national |
| 127 | Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT | $45,330 | 8% below national |
| 128 | Fort Wayne, IN | $45,260 | 8% below national |
| 129 | Richmond, VA | $45,190 | 9% below national |
| 130 | Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $45,140 | 9% below national |
| 131 | Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | $44,880 | 9% below national |
| 132 | Reno, NV | $44,800 | 9% below national |
| 133 | Tulsa, OK | $44,800 | 9% below national |
| 134 | Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA | $44,520 | 10% below national |
| 135 | Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $44,420 | 10% below national |
| 136 | Oklahoma City, OK | $44,340 | 10% below national |
| 137 | Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL | $44,200 | 11% below national |
| 138 | Upper East Mississippi nonmetropolitan area | $43,330 | 12% below national |
| 139 | Eastern North Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $43,300 | 12% below national |
| 140 | Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | $43,200 | 13% below national |
| 141 | San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | $43,170 | 13% below national |
| 142 | Greensboro-High Point, NC | $43,120 | 13% below national |
| 143 | Corpus Christi, TX | $42,970 | 13% below national |
| 144 | Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR | $42,760 | 14% below national |
| 145 | Wichita, KS | $42,520 | 14% below national |
| 146 | Waco, TX | $40,130 | 19% below national |
| 147 | Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC | $40,110 | 19% below national |
| 148 | Gulfport-Biloxi, MS | $39,440 | 20% below national |
| 149 | New Orleans-Metairie, LA | $39,170 | 21% below national |
| 150 | Southeast Oklahoma nonmetropolitan area | $39,140 | 21% below national |
| 151 | Birmingham, AL | $38,610 | 22% below national |
| 152 | Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL | $38,450 | 22% below national |
| 153 | Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | $38,440 | 22% below national |
| 154 | Jackson, MS | $38,290 | 23% below national |
| 155 | Mobile, AL | $37,910 | 23% below national |
| 156 | Lake Charles, LA | $37,670 | 24% below national |
| 157 | Baton Rouge, LA | $37,070 | 25% below national |
| 158 | Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR | $36,540 | 26% below national |
| 159 | South Arkansas nonmetropolitan area | $35,830 | 28% below national |
| 160 | Northeast Oklahoma nonmetropolitan area | $27,720 | 44% below national |
| 161 | San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR | $26,520 | 46% below national |
Similar Occupations in the Same Category
Other roles in SOC major group 47 (construction and extraction) with comparable pay and career paths.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a Hazardous Materials Removal Workers make? ▼
What state pays Hazardous Materials Removal Workers the most? ▼
What education do you need to become a Hazardous Materials Removal Workers? ▼
How dangerous is being a Hazardous Materials Removal Workers? ▼
Is Hazardous Materials Removal Workers a good career? ▼
How does Hazardous Materials Removal Workers pay vary by state? ▼
Which metro areas pay the most for Hazardous Materials Removal Workers? ▼
What to do with this data
How to use Hazardous Materials Removal Workers pay figures in a real decision
- For an experienced offer, anchor on the 75th percentile (about $61,530/year), not the median. The median marks the middle worker; the upper quartile is the realistic target with strong experience. Salary calculator
- Location moves pay significantly: New York leads at $73,090/year for this role. Weigh state pay against local cost of living before relocating or negotiating remote. Pay by state
- Compare this occupation against similar roles before you decide, so you are reading the pay band in context rather than in isolation. Compare jobs
These are BLS survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. Your pay depends on experience, employer, exact role, and location.
Every figure on WageDex is rendered directly from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, no number is typed in by an editor. This occupation's figures are computed directly from the BLS OEWS and Employment Projections datasets, nothing is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of May 2025.
This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or career advice. Actual pay for a specific role, employer, or offer may differ from these national/state figures, consult a qualified career counselor, recruiter, or financial advisor before making decisions based on this data.