What is the salary and career path for a environmental compliance specialist?
Environmental compliance specialist is a close match to Compliance Officers (SOC 13-1041), the BLS code for professionals who ensure conformance with laws and regulations; the OEWS May 2025 median is $80,730 a year ($38.81 an hour), from $48,220 at the 10th percentile to $133,720 at the 90th. BLS projects 3% employment growth for the code over 2024–2034 — about average — with roughly 33,300 openings a year. It typically requires a bachelor's degree in environmental science or a related field rather than a license.
- Environmental Compliance Specialists earn a national median $80,730/yr ($38.81/hr) (BLS OEWS May 2025, SOC 13-1041); the top 10% clear $133,720.
- Entry expects a bachelor's degree in environmental science, engineering or a related field, with certifications like CPEA layered on.
- BLS projects 3% growth for Compliance Officers (SOC 13-1041) through 2034 — about average — with roughly 33,300 openings a year across the broad code.
- Pay climbs from an analyst near $48,220 to a compliance or EHS manager at the $133,720 top decile.
Career Path
How do you become an environmental compliance specialist?
Environmental technician / analyst
Collecting monitoring data and drafting reports under a senior specialist; entry pay sits near the 10th percentile of $48,220.
Environmental compliance specialist
Owning permits, reporting and audits for a site around the $80,730 median for the code.
Senior compliance specialist
Managing multi-media programs and regulatory strategy pays toward the 75th percentile of $109,010.
Compliance / EHS manager
Leading an environmental compliance function reaches the 90th percentile of $133,720.
BLS Salary Data
Which state pays environmental compliance specialists the most in 2026?
Source: BLS OEWS May 2025, SOC 13-1041. National median: $80,730. Full salary guide →
Pay Comparison
How does environmental compliance specialist pay compare to related roles?
Head-to-head against the roles environmental compliance specialists most often weigh against. BLS OEWS May 2025 medians.
Takeaway: environmental compliance specialists rank 3 of 4 on median pay among the comparable roles above, with a projected +3% employment change 2024–34 (BLS Employment Projections). Pay position and projected demand together are what determine how quickly environmental compliance specialists clear offers across the GlobalCybers placement network.
Methodology & Sources
How this guide is sourced and reviewed
Wages (BLS): All median and percentile figures are BLS OEWS May 2025, SOC 13-1041 (environmental compliance specialists) and the matching SOC codes for each comparison role. OEWS is sampled on a rolling 3-year basis and published ~10 months after collection, so treat it as a firm anchor rather than a spot rate.
Job growth: Projected 2024–34 employment change, and the average annual openings figure, are from the BLS Employment Projections program, by occupation. Openings are a per-year average over the projection decade, not a decade total.
Licensing & credentials:Requirements are drawn from the issuing state licensing boards and the certifying body behind each credential — not from third-party aggregators.
Demand signal:Any statement about how quickly this role clears offers reflects GlobalCybers placement request volume across the trailing 12 months — our own network data, offered as a directional real-world indicator alongside BLS, not a market-wide survey.
Credentials
What licences and certifications do environmental compliance specialists need?
The baseline degree that grounds the technical basis for permits and regulations. See all state licences →
Certified Professional Environmental Auditor or Registered Environmental Manager credentials that signal expertise.
OSHA hazardous-waste operations training required for specialists working at regulated waste or remediation sites.
Working knowledge of EPA and state e-reporting systems (e.g. NetDMR, e-GGRT) used to file compliance data.
Tools & Software
What tools and software do environmental compliance specialists use on the job?
⚙️ Core Tools & Equipment
📊 BLS Employment Data, SOC 13-1041
Salary Levers
How do environmental compliance specialists earn above the $80,730 BLS median?
Multi-media program ownership
Managing air, water and waste compliance together moves pay from the $48,220 entry band toward the upper percentiles.
Regulated-industry premiums
Energy, oil-and-gas and chemical employers pay above the $80,730 median for high-stakes compliance.
Compliance management
Leading an EHS or compliance function pushes earnings toward the $133,720 top decile.
This Route vs. College
Is becoming an environmental compliance specialist worth it vs. a 4-year degree?
The entry route into this role, set against a four-year degree. Same starting line, side by side.
Entry-level (10th percentile) and all-level median wages: BLS OEWS May 2025, SOC 13-1041. Student-debt figure: median federal borrower balance for bachelor's-degree completers. Starting-salary comparison is illustrative and varies by field and region.
FAQ
Environmental Compliance Specialist Career, Frequently Asked Questions
Environmental Compliance Specialist career research journey
Do your homework, then let the network do the rest.Get the job, then keep rising
FreeSet your intent, matching jobs come to you. No applying.
A roadmap to your next licence tier and higher pay band.
Once placed, we cover all certification, licence & career-guide fees.
Hiring environmental compliance specialists?
Get a verified shortlist of 3–5 qualified candidates in 48 hours
GlobalCybers verifies active state licenses, trade certifications, Intent and right-to-work status before any candidate reaches your portal. Flat $2,999/mo RPO (Recruitment Process Outsourcing), up to 3 concurrent roles, or a free trial (pay on hire). 90-day written guarantee.
Related · Environmental Compliance Specialist
Everything for environmental compliance specialists in one place
Salary data, licensing, interview prep, and hiring, all cross-linked so you (and search engines) can move through the full environmental compliance specialist cluster.