Average Environmental Science And Protection Technicians, Including Health Salary in the United States
The national median salary for Environmental Science And Protection Technicians, Including Health is $55,090 per year. The middle 50% earn between $45,820 and $69,910, with 34,670 workers employed nationally.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey, May 2025 estimates . Data covers 50 states and 153 metro areas.
Pay distribution
Here is how Environmental Science And Protection Technicians, Including Health pay is distributed across workers nationally. The 10th percentile typically reflects entry-level or early-career pay, the median is the midpoint, and the 90th percentile represents the top earners in the field.
- 10th
- $38,170
- 25th
- $45,820
- Median
- $55,090
- 75th
- $69,910
- 90th
- $94,160
All values are percentiles of annual wages.
Environmental Science And Protection Technicians, Including Health earn close to the national median for all US workers. Solidly middle-income.
Pay varies significantly across workers. Seniority, employer size, and specialization all move the needle, so it is normal for two environmental science and protection technicians, including health at different points in their careers to earn very different salaries.
Job outlook
BLS projects employment for environmental science and protection technicians, including health from 2024 to 2034. Growth is roughly in line with the US average of about 4% across all occupations.
- Projected growth
- +4.0%
- 1,600 net jobs over the projection period.
- Annual openings
- 5,600
- Includes growth plus replacements for workers who leave. Annual openings are high relative to the workforce size, reflecting meaningful turnover and new-hire volume.
- Typical entry education
- Associate's degree
Where Environmental Science And Protection Technicians, Including Health earn the most
Location matters for pay. The top-paying state is noticeably above the national median, so relocating to a higher-paying market can meaningfully boost earnings. Right now, the top-paying state is Washington at $67,160, about 21.9% above the national median. At the metro level, San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA leads with a median of $90,720.
Top-paying states
| State | Median salary | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Washington | $67,160 | 850 |
| Nebraska | $66,240 | 140 |
| Connecticut | $66,120 | N/A |
| Minnesota | $65,320 | 450 |
| Rhode Island | $64,830 | 90 |
| New York | $62,400 | 1,960 |
| New Mexico | $62,330 | 500 |
| North Dakota | $61,430 | 140 |
Top-paying metros
| Metro area | Median salary | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | $90,720 | 40 |
| Duluth, MN-WI | $89,040 | 50 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $80,840 | 690 |
| Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC | $77,860 | 90 |
| Fresno, CA | $77,840 | 400 |
| Redding, CA | $77,650 | 40 |
| Visalia, CA | $77,390 | 30 |
| Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY | $74,410 | 100 |
Compare two locations side by side
Pick two states or metros to see environmental science and protection technicians, including health pay in each, along with a cost-of-living adjusted view.
Salary trend and related occupations
Between 2019 and 2025, the national median salary for Environmental Science And Protection Technicians, Including Health rose from $46,540 to $55,090, a gain of +18.4% in nominal dollars.
Over the same period, US consumer prices rose by +25.9%. Just to keep pace with inflation, the 2019 median of $46,540 would need to be worth $58,607 in 2025 dollars.
The actual 2025 median of $55,090 is −$3,517 below that inflation-adjusted benchmark, a real change of -6.0% in purchasing power.
Adjusted for inflation, pay has lost ground. Nominal growth of 18.4% has not kept up with rising prices.
- Nominal change
- +18.4%
- 2019–2025
- Cumulative inflation
- +25.9%
- US CPI, 2019–2025
- Real change
- -6.0%
- After adjusting for inflation
Median salary over time
Environmental Science And Protection Technicians, Including Health median pay by year, going back through the available BLS releases.
- 2025
- $55,090
- 2024
- $49,490
- 2023
- $50,660
- 2022
- $48,380
- 2021
- $47,370
- 2020
- $46,850
- 2019
- $46,540
BLS did not publish a median for 2000–2018, so those years are omitted.
Related occupations
Other occupations in the same field, with median pay for comparison.
- Biological Technicians
- $57,510
- Food Science Technicians
- $52,130
- Chemical Technicians
- $60,390
- Agricultural Technicians
- $49,630
Common salary questions for Environmental Science And Protection Technicians, Including Health
What does the median salary mean? +
The median is the midpoint of all wages. Half of Environmental Science And Protection Technicians, Including Health workers earn more and half earn less. It is a better measure of typical pay than the average, which can be skewed by very high or very low earners.
Why does pay vary so much by location? +
Local labor markets, cost of living, industry concentration, and employer competition all affect wages. High-cost metros like San Francisco and New York often pay more in nominal terms, though some of that premium is offset by higher living costs.
How current is this salary data? +
This page uses the May 2025 BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics release. BLS publishes OEWS data once per year, typically in the spring for the previous May reference period.
What do the percentile ranges tell me? +
The 10th and 90th percentiles show the full pay band. The 25th to 75th percentile range, the middle 50%, is where most workers fall. A wide spread usually means experience, specialization, or location matter a lot for this occupation.