Also called: Environmental Science Technicians
Environmental Science and Protection Technicians build complex problem solving, judgment and decision making and systems analysis skills that carry over to other work. Below are 25 careers ranked by how closely their skills match, with pay from BLS May 2025. The closest match is Environmental Compliance Inspectors (92%).
Updated October 2026 · Data: O*NET 31.0 and BLS OEWS May 2025 · How we match careers
Sorted by skill match.
| # | Career | Skill match | Median pay | Pay change | Extra education |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Environmental Compliance Inspectors | 92% | $80,730Pay for the broader BLS group “Compliance Officers” | Not compared | None |
| 2 | Environmental Engineering Technologists and Technicians | 90% | $59,920 | +9% | None |
| 3 | Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health | 89% | $82,220 | +49% | None |
| 4 | Conservation Scientists | 86% | $73,010 | +33% | None |
| 5 | Environmental Engineers | 83% | $107,110 | +94% | None |
| 6 | Occupational Health and Safety Specialists | 81% | $90,150 | +64% | None |
| 7 | Health and Safety Engineers, Except Mining Safety Engineers and Inspectors | 81% | $115,160 | +109% | None |
| 8 | Hydrologists | 80% | $96,600 | +75% | None |
| 9 | Water Resource Specialists | 79% | $167,220Pay for the broader BLS group “Natural Sciences Managers” | Not compared | None |
| 10 | Brownfield Redevelopment Specialists and Site Managers | 79% | $141,900Pay for the broader BLS group “Managers, All Other” | Not compared | None |
Compared with Environmental Science and Protection Technicians, Including Health, median $55,090. Skill match is our estimate (0–99) from O*NET 31.0 skills, knowledge, work activities and interests, adjusted for preparation and big pay drops. Pay: BLS OEWS May 2025, national median.
How important each skill is in work as environmental science and protection technicians (O*NET importance, scale 1–5).
The gaps that show up most often across your top 10 matches.
Free and low-cost training: use the CareerOneStop training finder below.
A concrete first step, the skills to add, and the hard parts of each job, from O*NET 31.0 education, training and work context data.
92% skill match · $80,730 (broader BLS group)
Complex Problem Solving · Quality Control Analysis · Operations Monitoring
90% skill match · $59,920 · +9% pay
Equipment Selection · Troubleshooting · Repairing
89% skill match · $82,220 · +49% pay
Complex Problem Solving · Management of Personnel Resources · Coordination
If you want to stay close to what you do now, these roles are the nearest.
The closest matches are Environmental Compliance Inspectors (92% skill match, median $80,730), Environmental Engineering Technologists and Technicians (90% skill match, median $59,920) and Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health (89% skill match, median $82,220), based on O*NET 31.0 data and BLS May 2025 pay.
Among the 25 matches, 17 pay more than environmental science and protection technicians at the median. The biggest increases: Nuclear Engineers (+143%, $133,970), Health and Safety Engineers, Except Mining Safety Engineers and Inspectors (+109%, $115,160) and Environmental Engineers (+94%, $107,110).
24 of the 25 matches usually need no more education than you have now, based on O*NET Job Zones. One usually needs a graduate degree: Soil and Plant Scientists.
We compare the importance of skills, knowledge, work activities and interests in O*NET 31.0 for your job and every other career, then adjust for extra preparation and big pay drops. The full method is on our Methodology page.