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.
- Median pay
- $55,090
- Doing it now
- 36,400
- By 2035
- Up 6.9%
- Usually needs
- Associate's degree
a year
across the country
5,300 openings a year
to get in
What the work involves
- Record test data and prepare reports, summaries, or charts that interpret test results.
- Collect samples of gases, soils, water, industrial wastewater, or asbestos products to conduct tests on pollutant levels or identify sources of pollution.
- Provide information or technical or program assistance to government representatives, employers, or the general public on the issues of public health, environmental protection, or workplace safety.
- Calibrate microscopes or test instruments.
- Make recommendations to control or eliminate unsafe conditions at workplaces or public facilities.
- Prepare samples or photomicrographs for testing and analysis.
- Calculate amount of pollutant in samples or compute air pollution or gas flow in industrial processes, using chemical and mathematical formulas.
What to study
The fields of study the Department of Education links to this occupation, most widely taught first.
- Environmental Control Technologies/TechniciansSee 17 colleges that teach it
- Geography and Environmental StudiesSee 39 colleges that teach it
- Science Technologies/Technicians, OtherSee 16 colleges that teach it
- Environmental GeosciencesSee 9 colleges that teach it
Who it suits
O*NET scores every occupation on six interest dimensions. This one leans hardest on these three.
Hands-on and practical
Analytical and curious
Organised and precise
Careers like this one
Where this comes from: the description and the task list are O*NET, which the Department of Labor maintains. Pay, workforce size, outlook and the education normally needed are the Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections programme, 2025 wages and 2025 to 2035 projections. Half of them earn more than $55,090 a year, which means half earn less, and what you would earn depends on where you work and how long you have been doing it. The fields of study come from the National Center for Education Statistics crosswalk.