Environmental Scientists and Specialists Job Outlook
The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects employment of environmental scientists and specialists to grow 6.1% from 2025 to 2035 (about 5,700 more jobs), with about 7,300 openings a year, and the May 2025 median pay of $82,220 a year ranks 206th of 825 occupations.
- Projected change
- +6.1%
- Openings a year
- 7,300
- Median pay
- $82,220
- Pay rank
- 206th of 825
Is employment of environmental scientists and specialists growing or shrinking?
Growing: BLS projects employment of environmental scientists and specialists to rise 6.1% (about 5,700 more jobs) from 2025 to 2035, faster than the 3.5% projected across all occupations. That is slower than the +7.6% summed from BLS's employment levels across the 48 life, physical, and social science occupations with a projection. That change ranks 158th of 830 projected occupations.
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| Employment, 2025 | 93,400 |
| Employment, 2035 | 99,200 |
| Projected change | +6.1% |
| Openings a year | 7,300 |
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035. A projection is a BLS estimate, not a count. The 93,400 jobs here differ from the 89,250 on the salary page because Employment Projections also counts the self-employed and a wider set of workers, while OEWS counts wage and salary jobs in May 2025. BLS published these projections on August 27, 2026; checked November 10, 2026. Confirm any figure in the BLS Employment Projections tables.
BLS's reasons for this projection are at the Occupational Outlook Handbook. State projections are at Projections Central; projections by industry are left to BLS. Education, licensing and work context at O*NET.
How many job openings are there each year?
About 7,300 openings a year, from job growth and from workers leaving the occupation, the 318th most of 830 occupations. About 92% of them replace workers who change occupations or leave the labor force; the rest come from the 570 jobs added in an average year.
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035.
How does pay for environmental scientists and specialists rank?
The median of $82,220 a year ranks 206th of 825 occupations with a published median. It sits in the upper half of occupations on both pay and openings.
Source: BLS OEWS national file, May 2025. Wage and salary jobs only; the self-employed are not counted. OEWS pay excludes overtime, shift differentials and non-production bonuses. Ranks count only the occupations with that published figure: 830 for projected change, 830 for openings, 825 for median pay, which is why the totals differ.
What does it take to start?
- Typical entry-level education: bachelor's degree.
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035, education and training assignments.
How do related jobs compare on outlook?
| Occupation | Change | Openings a year | Median pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Economists | +4.7% | 1,100 | $124,720 |
| Environmental Science and Protection Technicians, Including Health | +6.9% | 5,300 | $55,090 |
| Conservation Scientists | +5.3% | 2,100 | $73,010 |
| Hydrologic Technicians | -1.3% | 400 | $64,790 |
| Urban and Regional Planners | +3.9% | 3,200 | $89,320 |
| Hydrologists | +1.5% | 400 | $96,600 |
| Forest and Conservation Technicians | -2.1% | 3,800 | $54,560 |
| Occupational Health and Safety Specialists | +18.5% | 17,100 | $90,150 |
Related occupations from O*NET; projections from BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035; pay from BLS OEWS, May 2025.