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Environmental Science and Protection Technicians, Including Health

Typical education: Bachelor's degreeModerate pressure

What they do

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.

Kinds of work

  • Realistic: Hands-on work with tools, machines, plants or animals, often outdoors.
  • Investigative: Science, research, figuring out how things work and solving complex problems.
  • Conventional: Organizing information, following clear procedures and working with data and details.

Moderate pressure: How much pressure workers in this job report: deadlines, conflict, dealing with upset people, the cost of mistakes, responsibility for others' safety, competition and long hours. It varies a lot from one employer to the next. Source: U.S. Department of Labor worker surveys.

Pay, tasks and more

Salary

United States $55,090 Median per year · $26.49/hr Most earn $38,170–$94,160

BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2025.

What you might do

  • Analyze potential environmental impacts of production process changes, and recommend steps to mitigate negative impacts.
  • Develop or implement programs for monitoring of environmental pollution or radiation.
  • Inspect workplaces to ensure the absence of health and safety hazards, such as high noise levels, radiation, or potential lighting hazards.
  • Initiate procedures to close down or fine establishments violating environmental or health regulations.
  • Investigate hazardous conditions or spills or outbreaks of disease or food poisoning, collecting samples for analysis.
  • Monitor emission control devices to ensure they are operating properly and comply with state and federal regulations.

Job outlook

United States
7% more jobs by 2035, faster than average · about 5,300 openings a year

Openings include new jobs and jobs left by workers who retire or change careers. Projections: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. "Bright Outlook": U.S. Department of Labor.

Where they work

  • Local government, excluding education and hospitals21.3%
  • Management, scientific, and technical consulting services20.4%
  • Testing laboratories and services13.5%
  • Engineering services7.5%
  • State government, excluding education and hospitals6.8%

Share of all workers in this career. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, National Employment Matrix.

Experience before this job: 6 months to 1 year

Career path

How people usually get into this career, from school to their first job and beyond.

Typical education: Bachelor's degreeExperience before this job: 6 months to 1 year

This career usually takes a bachelor's degree plus about 6 months to 1 year of hands-on lab or field work before you're hired, so plan on roughly 4 to 5 years total. Your first job would be as a technician who collects samples and runs tests under a scientist's direction.

  1. Bachelor's degree in environmental science or a related science

    4 years

    You learn the core science of air, water, soil, and pollution, plus lab methods and data analysis that technicians use every day.

  2. Laboratory or Field Assistant (internship or seasonal job)

    6 months to 1 year

    You help collect samples, run standard lab tests, and record data while learning field safety and equipment, which builds the experience employers look for.

  3. Environmental Science and Protection Technician

    Ongoing

    You perform lab and field tests to monitor the environment and look into pollution sources, working under an environmental scientist, engineer, or other specialist.

Where it can lead

  1. Environmental Scientist

    2-4 years of experience first

    You move from running tests to designing studies, interpreting results, and advising on environmental decisions, which usually requires more experience and often a graduate degree.

  2. Senior Environmental Technician

    3-5 years of experience first

    You take on more complex testing, train newer technicians, and manage sampling projects with less supervision.

What you can do now

Ideas for high school and college students.

In high school

  • Take biology, chemistry, earth science, and mathThese classes build the science and measurement skills you'll use in any environmental lab or field job.
  • Join a science, environmental, or robotics clubClub projects teach teamwork, careful record-keeping, and hands-on problem solving.
  • Do a science fair project on water or air qualityTesting a local creek or air sample shows you what the work feels like and gives you something to talk about in college applications.
  • Volunteer for a stream cleanup or local monitoring eventHelping with community water or habitat checks gives you early field exposure and connections to local groups.
  • Find a summer job at a park, nursery, or recreation areaOutdoor work teaches you about local ecosystems and reliability, which employers value.

In college

  • Major in environmental science or chemistryThese majors include the lab courses and environmental science content that technician jobs ask for.
  • Take statistics and a GIS or data analysis courseMapping and data skills are widely used in monitoring and reporting work.
  • Apply for an environmental lab or field internshipReal sampling and testing experience is the most direct way to meet the typical experience requirement.
  • Work a campus job in a science labLab assistant roles build hands-on skills with equipment, sample handling, and lab safety.
  • Join an environmental student organization or take a field safety courseClubs help you network, and safety training such as hazardous materials or field first aid makes you a stronger candidate.

Tips for getting started

  • Look for paid or volunteer lab and field work early, since hands-on experience is what most employers want alongside your degree.
  • Get comfortable with data tools like spreadsheets and basic statistics, because technicians record and check a lot of measurements.
  • Ask a local water district, park, or environmental agency whether they take student helpers or interns.

Related jobs a step up

Education, experience and related careers: U.S. Department of Labor. The step-by-step path, where it can lead and what you can do now were written by AI as typical examples; many people take other ways.

College majors that lead here

Majors: U.S. Department of Education and BLS (CIP–SOC crosswalk). Earnings and debt: College Scorecard, typical across U.S. colleges.

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