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
+2%
2024→2025
$82,410
Top 10% earn
+1%
Growth '24–'34
51,710
Estimated US jobs

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 estimated jobs in covered establishments. The highest published state median in this ranking is New York ($73,090).

47 Series · Source: BLS OEWS Compare with another job →
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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 2034.

$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.

Observed pay change

What changed, BLS OEWS 2019–2025

May 2019 → May 2025
  • The published national median for Hazardous Materials Removal Workers moved from $43,900 in May 2019 to $49,450 in May 2025 (+12.6%).
  • Across the 749 occupations priced in both releases under SOC-2018, the median occupation changed +24.5%.
  • Hazardous Materials Removal Workers sits -11.8 pp behind that median, nominal dollars, no price deflator applied.

Hazardous Materials Removal Workers (SOC 47-4041) has a national median of $49,450 per year in the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025 release. The published 10th-to-90th-percentile boundaries run from $38,460 to $82,410, and the published mean is $56,430. Those summary statistics describe the estimated distribution; their difference alone does not identify its cause. OEWS estimates 51,710 jobs in covered establishments nationally. WageDex has published rows for 52 state or territory areas and 161 metropolitan or nonmetropolitan wage areas. The published national median moved from $48,490 in the May 2024 OEWS release to $49,450 in May 2025, a rise of $960 (+2%). This is a change between two BLS survey estimates, not an inflation-adjusted same-worker pay raise.

BLS Employment Projections forecast a +1% change in employment from 2024 to 2034, which we classify as slower than average relative to the all-occupations baseline of 3.1%. About 5,000 openings are projected per year from growth, occupational transfers, and labor-force exits. BLS assigns High school diploma or equivalent as typical education needed for entry, and BLS classifies its typical on-the-job preparation as moderate-term on-the-job training. BLS does not publish a separate occupation-specific fatality and injury rate for this role in the current release. The safety panel below shows its broad Construction and Extraction Occupations SOC-group context and is not an occupation-level measurement or ranking.

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 highest published metropolitan-area median in this ranking is Kennewick-Richland, WA at $104,530. The observed difference does not identify its cause. Pair the national median with the state and metropolitan-area rows below while keeping the geography and statistic consistent. OEWS includes tips, commissions, incentive pay, and production bonuses, but not employer benefits, overtime premiums, stock compensation, or nonproduction bonuses. See our methodology for the sourcing and calculation details.

BLS OEWS May 2025 51,710 jobs Median $49,450/yr

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

$0–$20,000: 0 US occupations (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 98 US occupations (12%). Below this entry. $40,000–$60,000: 298 US occupations (36%). This entry sits in this band. $60,000–$80,000: 209 US occupations (25%). Above this entry. $80,000–$100,000: 82 US occupations (10%). Above this entry. $100,000–$120,000: 58 US occupations (7%). Above this entry. $120,000–$140,000: 32 US occupations (4%). Above this entry. $140,000–$160,000: 14 US occupations (2%). Above this entry. $160,000–$180,000: 9 US occupations (1%). Above this entry. $180,000 and above: 25 US occupations (3%). Above this entry. This job $0 $180,000+ every BLS occupation, bucketed by value

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.

Read the chart as text · as of May 2025
Band Count Share
$0–$20,000 0 US occupations 0%
$20,000–$40,000 98 US occupations 12%
$40,000–$60,000 (this entry) 298 US occupations 36%
$60,000–$80,000 209 US occupations 25%
$80,000–$100,000 82 US occupations 10%
$100,000–$120,000 58 US occupations 7%
$120,000–$140,000 32 US occupations 4%
$140,000–$160,000 14 US occupations 2%
$160,000–$180,000 9 US occupations 1%
$180,000 and above 25 US occupations 3%

$49,450 · 32nd percentile of 825 US occupations

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. Scatter plot of 24 data points. $40000$50000$60000$70000$80000$90000 -5%0%5%10%15% Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) Median annual wage Construction Laborers - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 7.3% · Median annual wage: $47120First-Line Superviso… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 5.3% · Median annual wage: $79920Electricians - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 9.5% · Median annual wage: $63190Carpenters - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 4.5% · Median annual wage: $60580Operating Engineers … - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 3.6% · Median annual wage: $59850Plumbers, Pipefitter… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 4.5% · Median annual wage: $63800Painters, Constructi… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 3.8% · Median annual wage: $49400Cement Masons and Co… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 1.8% · Median annual wage: $57020Highway Maintenance … - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 3% · Median annual wage: $50260Construction and Bui… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -0.8% · Median annual wage: $74690Roofers - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 5.9% · Median annual wage: $55440Sheet Metal Workers - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 2.4% · Median annual wage: $61800Drywall and Ceiling … - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 4.2% · Median annual wage: $58930Structural Iron and … - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 4.4% · Median annual wage: $62780Helpers--Electricians - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 0.2% · Median annual wage: $42670Glaziers - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 3.3% · Median annual wage: $57080Brickmasons and Bloc… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 3.2% · Median annual wage: $62120Hazardous Materials … - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 1% · Median annual wage: $49450Roustabouts, Oil and… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 2.5% · Median annual wage: $46960Insulation Workers, … - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 3.8% · Median annual wage: $49120Helpers--Pipelayers,… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 4.9% · Median annual wage: $42360Service Unit Operato… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 0.4% · Median annual wage: $58160Paving, Surfacing, a… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 3.2% · Median annual wage: $53340Tile and Stone Setters - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 10.1% · Median annual wage: $55690
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.
Read the chart as text
  • Construction Laborers: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 7.3%, Median annual wage $47120
  • First-Line Superviso…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 5.3%, Median annual wage $79920
  • Electricians: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 9.5%, Median annual wage $63190
  • Carpenters: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 4.5%, Median annual wage $60580
  • Operating Engineers …: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 3.6%, Median annual wage $59850
  • Plumbers, Pipefitter…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 4.5%, Median annual wage $63800
  • Painters, Constructi…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 3.8%, Median annual wage $49400
  • Cement Masons and Co…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 1.8%, Median annual wage $57020
  • Highway Maintenance …: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 3%, Median annual wage $50260
  • Construction and Bui…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -0.8%, Median annual wage $74690
  • Roofers: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 5.9%, Median annual wage $55440
  • Sheet Metal Workers: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 2.4%, Median annual wage $61800
  • Drywall and Ceiling …: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 4.2%, Median annual wage $58930
  • Structural Iron and …: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 4.4%, Median annual wage $62780
  • Helpers--Electricians: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 0.2%, Median annual wage $42670
  • Glaziers: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 3.3%, Median annual wage $57080
  • Brickmasons and Bloc…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 3.2%, Median annual wage $62120
  • Hazardous Materials …: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 1%, Median annual wage $49450
  • Roustabouts, Oil and…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 2.5%, Median annual wage $46960
  • Insulation Workers, …: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 3.8%, Median annual wage $49120
  • Helpers--Pipelayers,…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 4.9%, Median annual wage $42360
  • Service Unit Operato…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 0.4%, Median annual wage $58160
  • Paving, Surfacing, a…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 3.2%, Median annual wage $53340
  • Tile and Stone Setters: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 10.1%, Median annual wage $55690

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)

Employment Change

+500

51,300 (2024) → 51,800 (2034)

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 →
Group

Construction and Extraction Occupations context

Broad SOC context, not an occupation grade

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

Monitoring 3.6
Critical Thinking 3.5
Operation and Control 3.4
Active Listening 3.3
Operations Monitoring 3.3
Reading Comprehension 3.1
Speaking 3.1
Writing 3.0
Active Learning 3.0
Social Perceptiveness 3.0

Knowledge Areas

Public Safety and Security 3.6
Administration and Management 3.5
Transportation 3.4
Customer and Personal Service 3.4
Building and Construction 3.2
Mechanical 3.1
English Language 3.1
Mathematics 2.8
Administrative 2.6
Chemistry 2.6

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

10th$38,460
25th$44,720
Median$49,450
75th$61,530
90th$82,410

Hourly Rate Distribution

10th$18.49
25th$21.50
Median$23.78
75th$29.58
90th$39.62

Hazardous Materials Removal Workers pay history, 2015–2025

Published national median across 11 BLS OEWS releases. Nominal dollars, not inflation-adjusted.

$35,000$40,000$45,000$50,000 20152016201720182019202020212022202320242025 National median - 2015: $39,690National median - 2016: $40,640National median - 2017: $41,400National median - 2018: $42,030National median - 2019: $43,900National median - 2020: $45,270National median - 2021: $46,300National median - 2022: $46,690National median - 2023: $47,280National median - 2024: $48,490National median - 2025: $49,450$49,450
National median annual wage for Hazardous Materials Removal Workers, May 2015 to May 2025 OEWS releases
Read the chart as text
Period National median
2015 $39,690
2016 $40,640
2017 $41,400
2018 $42,030
2019 $43,900
2020 $45,270
2021 $46,300
2022 $46,690
2023 $47,280
2024 $48,490
2025 $49,450

2015 median

$39,690

2025 median

$49,450

2019–2025 change (same SOC)

+$5,550 (+12.6%)

Avg/year (same SOC)

+2%

Published national median annual wage and estimated employment for Hazardous Materials Removal Workers by OEWS release year
Release Median Change Estimated jobs
May 2015 $39,690 First banked release 42,560
May 2016 $40,640 +2.4% 44,280
May 2017 $41,400 +1.9% 43,260
May 2018 $42,030 +1.5% 44,000
May 2019 $43,900 Classification break 44,240
May 2020 $45,270 +3.1% 44,010
May 2021 $46,300 +2.3% 44,240
May 2022 $46,690 +0.8% 46,780
May 2023 $47,280 +1.3% 49,960
May 2024 $48,490 +2.6% 50,570
May 2025 $49,450 +2.0% 51,710

Across the 11 releases WageDex holds for this occupation, the published national median went from $39,690 in May 2015 to $49,450 in May 2025. Within the SOC-2018 classification (2019–2025), the like-for-like change averages +2% per year in nominal terms. Within the same SOC classification, estimated employment went from 44,240 in May 2019 to 51,710 in May 2025.

Each figure is a separate BLS survey estimate, so a change between releases reflects the estimated occupation-wide median in each year. It is not the raise any individual worker received, and it is not adjusted for inflation. Years where BLS did not publish an annual median for this occupation are omitted rather than filled in. This span also crosses a classification change: releases before May 2019 use the 2010 Standard Occupational Classification and later releases use the 2018 SOC, so figures either side of that boundary are not strictly like-for-like. Headline change rates on this page use only the same-classification subset.

Salary by State

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

View all 138 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 Binghamton, NY $62,090 +26% above national
8 Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN $61,330 +24% above national
9 Warner Robins, GA $61,170 +24% above national
10 Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY $60,390 +22% above national
11 San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA $60,390 +22% above national
12 Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA $60,290 +22% above national
13 Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO $60,260 +22% above national
14 Bellingham, WA $59,720 +21% above national
15 Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY $59,700 +21% above national
16 San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $59,580 +20% above national
17 Utica-Rome, NY $59,440 +20% above national
18 Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN $59,220 +20% above national
19 Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI $59,160 +20% above national
20 Chattanooga, TN-GA $59,140 +20% above national
21 Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL $58,650 +19% above national
22 Urban Honolulu, HI $58,440 +18% above national
23 Duluth, MN-WI $58,400 +18% above national
24 Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA $57,840 +17% above national
25 Anchorage, AK $57,540 +16% above national
26 Greeley, CO $57,130 +16% above national
27 Billings, MT $56,700 +15% above national
28 Fort Collins-Loveland, CO $56,160 +14% above national
29 Vallejo, CA $55,960 +13% above national
30 Colorado Springs, CO $55,690 +13% above national
31 Chambersburg, PA $55,470 +12% above national
32 Albuquerque, NM $55,420 +12% above national
33 Syracuse, NY $54,870 +11% above national
34 Fresno, CA $54,570 +10% above national
35 Reading, PA $54,440 +10% above national
36 Farmington, NM $52,760 +7% above national
37 Sioux Falls, SD-MN $52,670 +7% above national
38 Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA $52,410 +6% above national
39 Toledo, OH $52,210 +6% above national
40 San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA $51,790 +5% above national
41 Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL $51,300 +4% above national
42 Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA $51,260 +4% above national
43 Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA $51,160 +3% above national
44 Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ $50,530 +2% above national
45 Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA $50,490 +2% above national
46 Medford, OR $50,430 +2% above national
47 Omaha, NE-IA $50,360 +2% above national
48 Bakersfield-Delano, CA $50,240 +2% above national
49 Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA $50,190 +1% above national
50 Lansing-East Lansing, MI $50,120 +1% above national
51 Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA $49,950 +1% above national
52 Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH $49,930 +1% above national
53 Durham-Chapel Hill, NC $49,850 +1% above national
54 Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA $49,830 +1% above national
55 Charleston-North Charleston, SC $49,420 same as national
56 Salinas, CA $49,390 same as national
57 Rochester, NY $49,250 same as national
58 Ogden, UT $49,240 same as national
59 Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD $49,130 1% below national
60 Eugene-Springfield, OR $49,070 1% below national
61 Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD $48,870 1% below national
62 Boise City, ID $48,660 2% below national
63 Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA $48,650 2% below national
64 Memphis, TN-MS-AR $48,460 2% below national
65 Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA $48,460 2% below national
66 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV $48,390 2% below national
67 Stockton-Lodi, CA $48,360 2% below national
68 Salem, OR $48,330 2% below national
69 Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI $48,240 2% below national
70 Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ $48,190 3% below national
71 Salt Lake City-Murray, UT $48,070 3% below national
72 Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN $48,050 3% below national
73 Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA $47,950 3% below national
74 Cedar Rapids, IA $47,820 3% below national
75 Jacksonville, FL $47,780 3% below national
76 Kansas City, MO-KS $47,780 3% below national
77 Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT $47,740 3% below national
78 Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV $47,690 4% below national
79 Portland-South Portland, ME $47,470 4% below national
80 Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN $47,440 4% below national
81 New Haven, CT $47,440 4% below national
82 Columbia, SC $47,380 4% below national
83 Worcester, MA $47,250 4% below national
84 Lincoln, NE $47,220 5% below national
85 Boulder, CO $47,160 5% below national
86 North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL $47,140 5% below national
87 Pittsburgh, PA $47,010 5% below national
88 Springfield, MA $46,880 5% below national
89 Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL $46,800 5% below national
90 Providence-Warwick, RI-MA $46,790 5% below national
91 Burlington-South Burlington, VT $46,780 5% below national
92 Lewiston-Auburn, ME $46,780 5% below national
93 Columbus, OH $46,730 6% below national
94 Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA $46,680 6% below national
95 Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC $46,600 6% below national
96 Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN $46,530 6% below national
97 Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI $46,380 6% below national
98 Norwich-New London-Willimantic, CT $46,330 6% below national
99 Lancaster, PA $46,030 7% below national
100 Cleveland, OH $45,800 7% below national
101 Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL $45,760 7% below national
102 Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH $45,660 8% below national
103 Kalamazoo-Portage, MI $45,650 8% below national
104 Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC $45,600 8% below national
105 Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL $45,430 8% below national
106 Trenton-Princeton, NJ $45,430 8% below national
107 Raleigh-Cary, NC $45,410 8% below national
108 Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI $45,380 8% below national
109 Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT $45,330 8% below national
110 Fort Wayne, IN $45,260 8% below national
111 Richmond, VA $45,190 9% below national
112 Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC $45,140 9% below national
113 Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX $44,880 9% below national
114 Reno, NV $44,800 9% below national
115 Tulsa, OK $44,800 9% below national
116 Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA $44,520 10% below national
117 Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX $44,420 10% below national
118 Oklahoma City, OK $44,340 10% below national
119 Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL $44,200 11% below national
120 Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX $43,200 13% below national
121 San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX $43,170 13% below national
122 Greensboro-High Point, NC $43,120 13% below national
123 Corpus Christi, TX $42,970 13% below national
124 Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR $42,760 14% below national
125 Wichita, KS $42,520 14% below national
126 Waco, TX $40,130 19% below national
127 Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC $40,110 19% below national
128 Gulfport-Biloxi, MS $39,440 20% below national
129 New Orleans-Metairie, LA $39,170 21% below national
130 Birmingham, AL $38,610 22% below national
131 Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL $38,450 22% below national
132 Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL $38,440 22% below national
133 Jackson, MS $38,290 23% below national
134 Mobile, AL $37,910 23% below national
135 Lake Charles, LA $37,670 24% below national
136 Baton Rouge, LA $37,070 25% below national
137 Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR $36,540 26% below national
138 San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR $26,520 46% below national

Same SOC major group

Other detailed occupations in SOC major group 47 (Construction and Extraction Occupations) - category peers, not a pay match.

Showing 5 of 59 detailed occupations BLS assigns to this SOC major group.

Nationwide occupations with similar pay or employment scale

Two OEWS peer sets outside this SOC major group (Construction and Extraction Occupations). Same-category cards above stay inside the group; these neighborhoods are cross-group nearest neighbors on national median pay ($49,450 here) and reported employment (51,710 jobs here).

Similar employment scale

Nearest headcount peers (floor 1,000 national jobs), distinct from the pay column.

Peers are nearest-neighbor matches on BLS OEWS national median annual wage and reported employment. Employment peers exclude occupations already listed in the pay column so the two link sets stay distinct.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much do Hazardous Materials Removal Workers make?
The median annual salary for Hazardous Materials Removal Workers is $49,450 ($23.78/hour). The salary range spans from $38,460 at the 10th percentile to $82,410 at the 90th percentile.
Where does Hazardous Materials Removal Workers pay rank nationally?
At a published national median of $49,450, Hazardous Materials Removal Workers pay is higher than 32% of the 825 detailed occupations with a published BLS annual median in the May 2025 OEWS release. This compares occupation-level medians, not individual workers, job offers, or this occupation's own worker pay-percentile range.
What state pays Hazardous Materials Removal Workers the most?
New York pays the highest median salary for Hazardous Materials Removal Workers at $73,090/year, which is +48% above the national median.
What education do Hazardous Materials Removal Workers need?
BLS assigns Hazardous Materials Removal Workers to High school diploma or equivalent for typical education needed for entry. Typical on-the-job training assignment: Moderate-term on-the-job training.
Does BLS publish a safety rate for Hazardous Materials Removal Workers?
BLS does not publish a separate occupation-specific fatality and injury rate for Hazardous Materials Removal Workers in this release. WageDex shows the Construction and Extraction Occupations SOC-group rate only as broad context and does not rank it as this occupation's measured rate.
Is Hazardous Materials Removal Workers a good career?
Employment for Hazardous Materials Removal Workers is projected to grow 1% from 2024 to 2034, which is slower than average. About 5,000 openings are projected each year.
How does Hazardous Materials Removal Workers pay vary by state?
Hazardous Materials Removal Workers salaries vary significantly by state. The highest-paying state is New York at $73,090/year, while Puerto Rico pays the least at $28,220/year. BLS data covers 52 states and territories.
Which metro areas pay the most for Hazardous Materials Removal Workers?
The highest published metropolitan-area median in this ranking is Kennewick-Richland, WA at $104,530/year. BLS reports a median for 138 metropolitan areas for this occupation. The ranking does not establish why values differ.

What to do with this data

How to use Hazardous Materials Removal Workers pay figures in a real decision

  • The 75th-percentile wage is about $61,530/year. Treat it as the upper-quartile market boundary, not an automatic target for experience alone; role scope, location, industry, credentials, performance, and employer context still need separate evidence. 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.

Data as of May 2025. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 annual release. Employment projections from BLS Employment Projections program, 2024–2034. Data reflects cross-industry estimates for all ownership types.

These are survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. See how to use them.

Source data and WageDex calculations are identified in context on this page. Occupation wages use BLS OEWS May 2025; outlook uses BLS Employment Projections for 2024–2034; safety, skills, knowledge, and task panels identify their BLS or O*NET sources in context. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.

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.