Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2011

19-4091 Environmental Science and Protection Technicians, Including Health

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.


National estimates for this occupation
Industry profile for this occupation
Geographic profile for this occupation

National estimates for this occupation: Top

Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for this occupation:

Employment (1) Employment
RSE (3)
Mean hourly
wage
Mean annual
wage (2)
Wage RSE (3)
30,320 1.9 % $21.76 $45,270 0.7 %

Percentile wage estimates for this occupation:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median)
75% 90%
Hourly Wage $12.85 $15.92 $20.32 $26.53 $33.57
Annual Wage (2) $26,720 $33,100 $42,270 $55,180 $69,820


Industry profile for this occupation: Top

Industries with the highest published employment and wages for this occupation are provided. For a list of all industries with employment in this occupation, see the Create Customized Tables function.

Industries with the highest levels of employment in this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services 7,160 0.68 $21.50 $44,730
Local Government (OES Designation) 6,820 0.12 $22.76 $47,340
Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services 5,940 0.46 $19.64 $40,850
State Government (OES Designation) 2,960 0.13 $23.08 $48,020
Scientific Research and Development Services 870 0.14 $23.58 $49,040

Industries with the highest concentration of employment in this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services 7,160 0.68 $21.50 $44,730
Remediation and Other Waste Management Services 770 0.62 $26.41 $54,920
Waste Treatment and Disposal 590 0.62 $22.63 $47,070
Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services 5,940 0.46 $19.64 $40,850
Social Advocacy Organizations 340 0.17 $18.96 $39,440

Top paying industries for this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution 500 0.13 $32.05 $66,670
Pharmaceutical and Medicine Manufacturing 70 0.03 $31.27 $65,040
Oil and Gas Extraction 110 0.07 $28.46 $59,200
Basic Chemical Manufacturing 60 0.04 $26.72 $55,580
Support Activities for Mining (8) (8) $26.55 $55,230


Geographic profile for this occupation: Top

States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for this occupation are provided. For a list of all areas with employment in this occupation, see the Create Customized Tables function.





States with the highest employment level in this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
California 3,470 0.25 1.05 $25.25 $52,510
Texas 2,420 0.23 0.99 $19.55 $40,670
New York 1,970 0.23 0.99 $20.84 $43,350
Florida 1,610 0.22 0.95 $18.34 $38,140
Ohio 1,430 0.29 1.21 $19.19 $39,920




States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Alaska 230 0.73 3.07 $19.71 $41,000
West Virginia 410 0.59 2.50 $17.38 $36,140
Idaho 270 0.46 1.94 $23.32 $48,510
Massachusetts 1,320 0.42 1.77 $19.28 $40,100
Washington 1,110 0.41 1.72 $25.81 $53,690




Top paying States for this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Illinois 1,060 0.19 0.80 $29.25 $60,830
Nevada 320 0.29 1.21 $28.08 $58,400
Rhode Island 80 0.17 0.71 $26.27 $54,640
Colorado 680 0.31 1.33 $26.24 $54,580
Washington 1,110 0.41 1.72 $25.81 $53,690





Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in this occupation:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Boston-Cambridge-Quincy, MA NECTA Division 960 0.57 2.42 $18.33 $38,130
Chicago-Joliet-Naperville, IL Metropolitan Division 690 0.19 0.82 $27.30 $56,790
Houston-Sugar Land-Baytown, TX 650 0.25 1.08 $19.02 $39,550
New York-White Plains-Wayne, NY-NJ Metropolitan Division 620 0.12 0.52 $23.65 $49,200
San Diego-Carlsbad-San Marcos, CA 580 0.47 1.99 $22.18 $46,130
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV Metropolitan Division 520 0.22 0.95 $21.07 $43,830
Seattle-Bellevue-Everett, WA Metropolitan Division 420 0.30 1.29 $24.26 $50,470
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale, CA Metropolitan Division 410 0.11 0.46 $25.08 $52,160
Oakland-Fremont-Hayward, CA Metropolitan Division 410 0.43 1.82 $27.21 $56,590
Dallas-Plano-Irving, TX Metropolitan Division 400 0.20 0.83 $21.56 $44,850




Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Kennewick-Pasco-Richland, WA 340 3.41 14.45 $32.75 $68,120
Springfield, IL 200 1.84 7.77 $32.10 $66,760
Knoxville, TN 380 1.17 4.97 $27.53 $57,270
Syracuse, NY 260 0.87 3.69 $15.02 $31,250
Wilmington, NC 110 0.83 3.50 $21.53 $44,770
Dover, DE 50 0.77 3.24 $17.82 $37,070
Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA 210 0.65 2.74 $24.08 $50,090
Logan, UT-ID 30 0.64 2.72 $18.31 $38,080
Trenton-Ewing, NJ 140 0.63 2.68 $20.25 $42,120
Asheville, NC 110 0.63 2.68 $13.33 $27,720




Top paying metropolitan areas for this occupation:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Champaign-Urbana, IL 40 0.46 1.95 $54.65 $113,660
Norwich-New London, CT-RI 70 0.54 2.28 $35.90 $74,680
Kennewick-Pasco-Richland, WA 340 3.41 14.45 $32.75 $68,120
Bakersfield-Delano, CA 60 0.23 0.97 $32.59 $67,800
Springfield, IL 200 1.84 7.77 $32.10 $66,760
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA 80 0.29 1.23 $30.13 $62,670
Santa Barbara-Santa Maria-Goleta, CA (8) (8) (8) $29.50 $61,360
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA 200 0.23 0.96 $29.33 $61,000
Denver-Aurora-Broomfield, CO 270 0.23 0.95 $29.17 $60,660
San Francisco-San Mateo-Redwood City, CA Metropolitan Division 250 0.27 1.12 $28.19 $58,630

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest employment in this occupation:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
West Kentucky nonmetropolitan area 150 1.02 4.30 $26.21 $54,520
North Central West Virginia nonmetropolitan area 140 1.05 4.46 $15.60 $32,440
Other North Carolina nonmetropolitan area 110 0.37 1.56 $20.66 $42,960
North Coast Region of California nonmetropolitan area 110 1.15 4.86 $23.56 $49,000
Southern West Virginia nonmetropolitan area 100 0.77 3.25 $15.00 $31,200

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Other Nevada nonmetropolitan area 100 1.83 7.73 $33.38 $69,430
East Idaho nonmetropolitan area 80 1.58 6.66 (8) (8)
Western South Dakota nonmetropolitan area 40 1.21 5.14 $13.02 $27,080
North Coast Region of California nonmetropolitan area 110 1.15 4.86 $23.56 $49,000
North Central West Virginia nonmetropolitan area 140 1.05 4.46 $15.60 $32,440

Top paying nonmetropolitan areas for this occupation:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Other Nevada nonmetropolitan area 100 1.83 7.73 $33.38 $69,430
Northeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area 30 0.32 1.37 $27.17 $56,510
West Kentucky nonmetropolitan area 150 1.02 4.30 $26.21 $54,520
Western Colorado nonmetropolitan area (8) (8) (8) $24.57 $51,100
Balance of Lower Peninsula of Michigan nonmetropolitan area 30 0.12 0.50 $24.12 $50,170


About May 2011 National, State, Metropolitan, and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

These estimates are calculated with data collected from employers in all industry sectors, all metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas, and all states and the District of Columbia. The top employment and wage figures are provided above. The complete list is available in the downloadable XLS files.

The percentile wage estimate is the value of a wage below which a certain percent of workers fall. The median wage is the 50th percentile wage estimate--50 percent of workers earn less than the median and 50 percent of workers earn more than the median. More about percentile wages.


(1) Estimates for detailed occupations do not sum to the totals because the totals include occupations not shown separately. Estimates do not include self-employed workers.

(2) Annual wages have been calculated by multiplying the hourly mean wage by a "year-round, full-time" hours figure of 2,080 hours; for those occupations where there is not an hourly mean wage published, the annual wage has been directly calculated from the reported survey data.

(3) The relative standard error (RSE) is a measure of the reliability of a survey statistic. The smaller the relative standard error, the more precise the estimate.

(8) Estimate not released.

(9) The location quotient is the ratio of the area concentration of occupational employment to the national average concentration. A location quotient greater than one indicates the occupation has a higher share of employment than average, and a location quotient less than one indicates the occupation is less prevalent in the area than average.


Other OES estimates and related information:

May 2011 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2011 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2011 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2011 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

List of Occupations in SOC Code Number Order

List of Occupations in Alphabetical Order

Download May 2011 Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates in Zipped XLS files

Technical Notes

 

Last Modified Date: March 27, 2012