Environmental Scientists and Specialists in California. BLS OES + DOL OFLC + reader-reported submissions. How this is built →
Salary distribution
Where California environmental scientists and specialists fall on the wage curve.
Shaded band = interquartile range (where most full-time workers fall)
The middle 50% of workers earn between $81,480 and $132,770, with a median of $106,510.
Environmental Scientists and Specialists in California: actual employer-disclosed pay
Public records from 136 certified H-1B Labor Condition Applications filed with the U.S. Department of Labor. Median offered wage: $95,465. Every figure below is an actual offered salary an employer attested to under federal law.
By DOL wage level
DOL classifies every offer into one of four wage levels based on the role's experience and skill requirements.
| Level | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|
| Level I — entry | 22 | $79,040 |
| Level II — qualified | 26 | $95,465 |
| Level III — experienced | 15 | $108,056 |
| Level IV — fully competent | 18 | $152,011 |
Top employers filing for this role
Companies with the most certified filings for Environmental Scientists and Specialists in California. Median offer is across all of that employer's filings.
| Employer | Most-filed title | Filings | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| California Air Resources Board | Air Pollution Specialist | 22 | $109,896 |
| University of California at Santa Barbara | Project Scientist | 8 | $81,468 |
| The Leland Stanford, Jr University | Postdoctoral Research Affiliate | 5 | $84,000 |
| AECOM Technical Services, Inc. | Manager, Climate Advisory | 4 | $118,530 |
| California Department of Transportation | Environmental Scientist | 4 | $78,792 |
| Lawrence Livermore National Security, LLC | Staff Scientist | 4 | $166,463 |
| Regents of the University of California at Riverside | Postdoctoral Scholar | 4 | $71,769 |
| The International Council on Clean Transportation | Associate Researcher | 4 | $107,900 |
| Trinity Consultants, Inc. | Compliance Specialist | 4 | $109,187 |
| University of California, Davis | Assistant Project Scientist | 4 | $75,563 |
Recent sample filings
A snapshot of recent certified offers. Each line is a real, public, verifiable record.
- Air Pollution Specialist at California Air Resources Board$111,492SacramentoDecided —I-200-26085-730741
- Senior Consultant - Climate Change Policy Analyst at Energy and Environmental Economics, Inc.$106,017San FranciscoWage Level IIDecided Mar 31, 2026I-200-26083-725484
- Climate Adaptation Planner III at Ascent Environmental, Inc.$108,056IrvineWage Level IIIDecided Mar 30, 2026I-200-26082-722198
- Environmental Infrastructure Systems Analyst at Big Stone Renewables LLC$75,000ClovisWage Level IDecided Mar 25, 2026I-203-26078-714186
- Climate Adaptation Planner III at Ascent Environmental, Inc.$108,056IrvineWage Level IIIDecided Mar 10, 2026I-200-26062-676702
- Senior Analyst at Rhodium Group, LLC$156,188San FranciscoWage Level IVDecided Mar 5, 2026I-200-26057-666002
- Air Pollution Specialist at California Air Resources Board$85,068SacramentoDecided Feb 25, 2026I-200-26049-649555
- Environmental Scientist at California Department of Transportation$81,552OaklandDecided Feb 19, 2026I-200-26042-634359
Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Foreign Labor Certification. Disclosed wages reflect what employers attested to pay; actual paid wages may differ. Only certified filings are shown — denied and withdrawn cases are excluded.
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Environmental Scientists and Specialists pay by experience level in California
Each band reflects DOL Wage Levels I-IV mapped onto a four-step ladder. Click a level to see the disclosed-wage range for that segment.
Environmental Scientists and Specialists specialties in California
Real specialty titles employers file for, clustered from 67 certified offers. The most common variant is Air Pollution Specialist at a median of $109,896.
| Specialty | Top employer | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air Pollution Specialist | California Air Resources Board | 23 | $109,896 |
| Environmental Scientist | California Department of Transportation | 9 | $80,018 |
| Postdoctoral Scholar | University of California, Merced | 9 | $74,425 |
| Assistant Project Scientist | University of California at Santa Barbara | 8 | $80,450 |
| Postdoctoral Research Affiliate | The Leland Stanford, Jr University | 4 | $82,000 |
| Staff Scientist | Lawrence Livermore National Security, LLC | 4 | $139,301 |
| Associate Specialist | University of California, Santa Cruz | 4 | $83,300 |
| Environmental Specialist | APEXUS TECH LLC | 3 | $65,416 |
| Research Associate | Boz Life Science Research and Teaching Institute | 3 | $57,013 |
Specialties with 10 or more filings link to a dedicated breakdown.
Environmental Scientists and Specialists in California, by industry
Median offered wage across 131 certified filings, grouped by NAICS industry sector. Professional services leads with a median of $99,840.
| Industry | Largest employer | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Professional services | AECOM Technical Services, Inc. | 53 | $99,840 |
| Education | University of California at Santa Barbara | 33 | $80,000 |
| Government and public sector | California Air Resources Board | 25 | $109,896 |
| Nonprofit and civic | Restore the Delta | 7 | $91,800 |
| Energy and utilities | California Energy Commission | 4 | $97,548 |
| Technology and software | Watershed Technology, Inc. | 2 | $194,500 |
| Manufacturing | AGILENT TECHNOLOGIES, INC. | 2 | $167,888 |
| Retail and wholesale | Amazon.com Services LLC | 2 | $82,058 |
| Real estate | Tripalink, Corp. | 1 | $200,000 |
| Finance and insurance | APEXUS TECH LLC | 1 | $64,043 |
| Healthcare | UCSF MEDICAL CENTER | 1 | $104,978 |
Sectors with at least 25 filings link to a dedicated page with full distribution and sample employer breakdown.
Wage trend
Median annual wage in California over the past 3 BLS OES releases. Real values are CPI-adjusted to 2025 dollars.
Typical entry
Education
Bachelor's degree
Experience
None
On-the-job training
None
Top skills (O*NET)
- 4.5 / 5
English Language
Knowledge
- 4.1 / 5
Deductive Reasoning
Ability
- 4.1 / 5
Oral Comprehension
Ability
- 4.1 / 5
Written Comprehension
Ability
- 4.1 / 5
Problem Sensitivity
Ability
- 4.0 / 5
Science
Basic skill
- 4.0 / 5
Active Listening
Basic skill
- 4.0 / 5
Complex Problem Solving
Technical
Common tasks (O*NET)
- 01
Communicate scientific or technical information to the public, organizations, or internal audiences through oral briefings, written documents, workshops, conferences, training sessions, or public hearings.
- 02
Monitor effects of pollution or land degradation and recommend means of prevention or control.
- 03
Collect, synthesize, analyze, manage, and report environmental data, such as pollution emission measurements, atmospheric monitoring measurements, meteorological or mineralogical information, or soil or water samples.
- 04
Review and implement environmental technical standards, guidelines, policies, and formal regulations that meet all appropriate requirements.
- 05
Provide scientific or technical guidance, support, coordination, or oversight to governmental agencies, environmental programs, industry, or the public.
- 06
Evaluate violations or problems discovered during inspections to determine appropriate regulatory actions or to provide advice on the development and prosecution of regulatory cases.
- 07
Process and review environmental permits, licenses, or related materials.
- 08
Conduct environmental audits or inspections or investigations of violations.
10-year outlook
Growth 2024 → 2034
+4.4%
Projected annual openings
—
BLS outlook
Average growth
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034 cycle.
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Explore coursesTop metros in California
Metro-level salary data for environmental scientists and specialists in major California metropolitan areas.
- San Francisco$127,210
- Sacramento$108,430
- San Jose$106,510
- San Diego$106,100
- Los Angeles$105,340
- Riverside$104,110
Compare Environmental Scientists and Specialists pay across nearby states
Considering a move? Compare California with another state
Frequently asked questions
- What is the median salary for Environmental Scientists and Specialists in California?
- According to BLS Occupational Employment Statistics, the median annual wage for Environmental Scientists and Specialists in California is $106,510.
- How does California compare to the national median for Environmental Scientists and Specialists?
- The California median is +25.6% versus the BLS national figure of $84,804.
- What is the salary range for Environmental Scientists and Specialists in California?
- BLS reports the 10th-percentile annual wage at $65,350 and the 90th-percentile at $161,910, which captures most full-time workers in the role.
- Is Environmental Scientists and Specialists a growing field?
- BLS Employment Projections show employment growing by 4.4% over the projection cycle. See the 10-year outlook section above for details.
- What education is required for Environmental Scientists and Specialists?
- BLS lists the typical entry-level education as Bachelor's degree. Many employers also weigh prior experience and credentials.
Information on this page is for general educational purposes only. It is not career, financial, or tax advice. Wage data reflects BLS estimates for the reference year shown and may not match individual offers, employer-specific ranges, or current market conditions. Confirm with a licensed professional before making career or compensation decisions.