How much does an environmental tech make?
a year · about $26 an hour
A typical environmental tech in the United States makes $55,090 a year, about $26 an hour, about the same as a typical US worker (median, May 2025, US Bureau of Labor Statistics).
What do they do?
They collect air, soil, or water samples outdoors, then use lab tools such as microscopes to check for contamination. They log and report results, and may inspect a business or the equipment measuring pollution.
Did you know? Some environmental techs send real-time information to emergency managers and weather services during floods.
Is that a lot?
Compared with jobs you knowIf 100 people had this job
Most earn between $38,170 and $94,160How do you become one?
U.S. environmental techs usually enter after high school with an associate degree in environmental or public health; some jobs accept high school, others need a bachelor’s. State licenses vary, and hazardous-waste work may require OSHA safety training.
School needed: Usually a bachelor's degree
Good for people who like building and doing and figuring things out
Why does pay differ?
In the U.S., pay can vary with experience, state licenses or safety training, and whether the employer is a government office, testing lab, or consulting company. Location, special skills, and working extra or unusual hours can also affect earnings.
Where does it pay most?
Highest in Washington ($67,160), lowest in Kentucky ($46,840).
See every state
Top 5 and bottom 3 states, typical (median) yearly pay.
Jobs like this
Data table and sources
| Lower earner (10th from bottom) | Typical person (median) | Higher earner (10th from top) | People in this job |
|---|---|---|---|
| $38,170 | $55,090 | $94,160 | about 35,000 |
| State | Typical person (median) | People in this job |
|---|---|---|
| Washington | $67,160 | about 850 |
| New York | $62,400 | about 2,000 |
| New Mexico | $62,330 | about 500 |
| California | $61,220 | about 6,000 |
| Colorado | $60,930 | about 740 |
Official definition: 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.
Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025 (bls.gov); descriptions and related jobs from O*NET 31.0. Figures as of May 2025, full-time yearly pay (hourly × 2,080 hours). bls.gov/oes · O*NET OnLine
Pages used for the text
- www.bls.gov/ooh/life-physical-and-social-science/environmental-science-and-prote
- www.onetonline.org/link/summary/19-4042.00
- www.bls.gov/careeroutlook/2015/article/wage-differences.htm
- apps.das.nh.gov/HRBroadGroupSpecifications/docs/classspec/spec_E/19-4040_ENV%20S
Data: US BLS OEWS, May 2025 · 1 USD = 150 JPY