Salary Range & Percentiles
Pay distribution across experience levels
- 10th Percentile — Entry Level$38,170
- 25th Percentile — Junior$45,820
- 50th Percentile — Median$55,090
- 75th Percentile — Senior$69,910
- 90th Percentile — Top Earners$94,160
The top 10% of Environmental Science Technicians earn $94,160 or more per year. Entry-level professionals can expect to start around $38,170, with significant growth over the first 5 years.
Salary by State
Geographic salary comparison
| State | Avg Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia (est.) | $92,416 | +52.0% |
| Washington | $77,500 | +27.5% |
| Connecticut | $74,420 | +22.4% |
| Minnesota | $72,240 | +18.8% |
| New Mexico | $70,810 | +16.5% |
| Rhode Island | $70,490 | +15.9% |
| New York | $68,320 | +12.4% |
| California | $67,750 | +11.4% |
| Nebraska | $66,090 | +8.7% |
| Alaska | $65,520 | +7.8% |
| Illinois | $65,490 | +7.7% |
| Pennsylvania | $65,320 | +7.4% |
| Colorado | $65,180 | +7.2% |
| Idaho | $64,670 | +6.4% |
| Nevada | $63,280 | +4.1% |
| Arizona | $62,210 | +2.3% |
| Montana | $61,570 | +1.3% |
| Maryland | $61,430 | +1.0% |
| Oregon | $61,310 | +0.8% |
| Utah | $60,640 | -0.3% |
| North Dakota | $60,510 | -0.5% |
| Massachusetts | $60,330 | -0.8% |
| South Carolina | $59,820 | -1.6% |
| Ohio | $59,200 | -2.6% |
| New Jersey | $58,880 | -3.2% |
| Vermont | $58,670 | -3.5% |
| Wisconsin | $58,470 | -3.8% |
| Tennessee | $57,650 | -5.2% |
| Michigan | $56,260 | -7.5% |
| Texas | $56,190 | -7.6% |
| Wyoming | $55,950 | -8.0% |
| Hawaii | $55,840 | -8.2% |
| North Carolina | $55,580 | -8.6% |
| Virginia | $55,560 | -8.6% |
| Missouri | $55,130 | -9.3% |
| Maine | $55,030 | -9.5% |
| New Hampshire | $54,670 | -10.1% |
| Iowa | $54,280 | -10.7% |
| Florida | $53,620 | -11.8% |
| Oklahoma | $53,550 | -11.9% |
| Louisiana (est.) | $53,504 | -12.0% |
| West Virginia | $53,320 | -12.3% |
| Indiana | $53,230 | -12.5% |
| Kentucky | $53,230 | -12.5% |
| Georgia | $52,770 | -13.2% |
| Arkansas | $51,930 | -14.6% |
| Kansas | $51,440 | -15.4% |
| Alabama | $48,630 | -20.0% |
| Delaware | $46,980 | -22.7% |
| Mississippi | $43,170 | -29.0% |
| South Dakota | $42,530 | -30.0% |
What Factors Affect Environmental Science Technicians Salary?
Key factors affecting compensation
Pay for Environmental Science Technicians is influenced by geographic location, years of experience, employer type, and educational background. Location alone is a large factor: Washington pays an average of $77,500, while South Dakota pays $42,530 — a gap of $34,970 per year.
The middle half of Environmental Science Technicians earn between $45,820 and $69,910 per year. The lowest-paid 10% earn under $38,170, while the top 10% earn more than $94,160.
These figures are the wages employers report to BLS: base pay plus commissions, production bonuses and tips. They exclude overtime pay, shift differentials, year-end bonuses, benefits and self-employed workers, so total compensation can be higher than the numbers shown.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OES) · May 2025
Compare with Similar Jobs
Related career salary benchmarks
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Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about this salary
What is the average salary for Environmental Science Technicians?
The average salary for Environmental Science Technicians in the United States is $60,800 per year, with a median of $55,090.
What is the starting salary for Environmental Science Technicians?
Entry-level Environmental Science Technicians typically earn between $38,170 and $45,820 per year depending on location and employer.
What state pays Environmental Science Technicians the most?
Washington pays Environmental Science Technicians the most at $77,500 per year on average, followed by Connecticut ($74,420) and Minnesota ($72,240).
How much do Environmental Science Technicians make per hour?
Based on the average annual salary of $60,800, Environmental Science Technicians earn approximately $29.23 per hour (based on 2,080 working hours/year).
Is Environmental Science Technicians a good career in 2026?
BLS counts 34,670 Environmental Science Technicians jobs in the United States, with a mean annual wage of $60,800 and a median of $55,090 (OEWS May 2025). This site does not publish job-growth projections; the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook covers the outlook for each occupation.
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