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What these jobs actually pay

16,761 US public-sector postings, September 17, 2025 to August 28, 2026

Biggest category $61,000 Regulation/Compliance · 3,069 postings
Middle of the pack $75,679 Wastewater
Pays the most $137,427 Air Quality · mostly California

Typical pay by category

typical pay what most jobs pay

Categories with the most job postings first — those figures rest on the most evidence.

$0k $25k $50k $75k $100k $125k $150k Regulation/Compliance — typical $61,000 · most postings $46,818–$90,564 · 3069 postings Regulation/Compliance $61,000 Fish & Wildlife — typical $58,584 · most postings $44,990–$81,322 · 2699 postings Fish & Wildlife $58,584 Environmental Science — typical $107,064 · most postings $68,688–$122,652 · 1743 postings, mostly California Environmental Science* $107,064 Land/Resources — typical $56,950 · most postings $42,640–$74,214 · 1628 postings Land/Resources $56,950 Forestry — typical $65,408 · most postings $50,230–$75,789 · 1478 postings Forestry $65,408 Water — typical $80,000 · most postings $56,826–$113,672 · 1443 postings Water $80,000 GIS — typical $77,771 · most postings $56,805–$105,600 · 911 postings GIS $77,771 Agriculture — typical $54,579 · most postings $46,720–$67,271 · 845 postings Agriculture $54,579 Education/Outreach — typical $61,548 · most postings $44,577–$82,560 · 762 postings Education/Outreach $61,548 Wastewater — typical $75,679 · most postings $59,300–$101,724 · 622 postings Wastewater $75,679 Air Quality — typical $137,427 · most postings $73,107–$145,824 · 374 postings, mostly California Air Quality* $137,427 Engineering — typical $86,892 · most postings $67,314–$114,264 · 288 postings Engineering $86,892 Laboratory — typical $60,307 · most postings $46,277–$76,742 · 261 postings Laboratory $60,307 Sustainability — typical $100,241 · most postings $56,674–$130,356 · 214 postings Sustainability $100,241 Climate & Resilience — typical $105,352 · most postings $75,312–$131,810 · 95 postings Climate & Resilience $105,352 Planning — typical $90,924 · most postings $61,787–$121,552 · 84 postings Planning $90,924 Habitat — typical $41,600 · most postings $37,440–$56,051 · 72 postings Habitat $41,600 Soil/Geology — typical $77,000 · most postings $63,821–$102,397 · 70 postings Soil/Geology $77,000 Remediation/Restoration — typical $69,507 · most postings $53,448–$95,644 · 70 postings Remediation/Restoration $69,507
  1. Regulation/Compliance $61,000
    $46,818 – $90,564 3,069 postings
  2. Fish & Wildlife $58,584
    $44,990 – $81,322 2,699 postings
  3. Environmental Science $107,064
    $68,688 – $122,652 1,743 postings · mostly California
  4. Land/Resources $56,950
    $42,640 – $74,214 1,628 postings
  5. Forestry $65,408
    $50,230 – $75,789 1,478 postings
  6. Water $80,000
    $56,826 – $113,672 1,443 postings
  7. GIS $77,771
    $56,805 – $105,600 911 postings
  8. Agriculture $54,579
    $46,720 – $67,271 845 postings
  9. Education/Outreach $61,548
    $44,577 – $82,560 762 postings
  10. Wastewater $75,679
    $59,300 – $101,724 622 postings
  11. Air Quality $137,427
    $73,107 – $145,824 374 postings · mostly California
  12. Engineering $86,892
    $67,314 – $114,264 288 postings
  13. Laboratory $60,307
    $46,277 – $76,742 261 postings
  14. Sustainability $100,241
    $56,674 – $130,356 214 postings
  15. Climate & Resilience $105,352
    $75,312 – $131,810 95 postings
  16. Planning $90,924
    $61,787 – $121,552 84 postings
  17. Habitat $41,600
    $37,440 – $56,051 72 postings
  18. Soil/Geology $77,000
    $63,821 – $102,397 70 postings
  19. Remediation/Restoration $69,507
    $53,448 – $95,644 70 postings

* Most of these postings come from a single state or employer, so the figure mostly reflects pay there — see “How to read this” below.

The same figures as a table

Categories with the most postings first, so the best-evidenced figures lead.
Category Typical pay Most jobs pay between Job postings
Regulation/Compliance $61,000 $46,818 – $90,564 3,069
Fish & Wildlife $58,584 $44,990 – $81,322 2,699
Environmental Science* $107,064 $68,688 – $122,652 1,743
Land/Resources $56,950 $42,640 – $74,214 1,628
Forestry $65,408 $50,230 – $75,789 1,478
Water $80,000 $56,826 – $113,672 1,443
GIS $77,771 $56,805 – $105,600 911
Agriculture $54,579 $46,720 – $67,271 845
Education/Outreach $61,548 $44,577 – $82,560 762
Wastewater $75,679 $59,300 – $101,724 622
Air Quality* $137,427 $73,107 – $145,824 374
Engineering $86,892 $67,314 – $114,264 288
Laboratory $60,307 $46,277 – $76,742 261
Sustainability $100,241 $56,674 – $130,356 214
Climate & Resilience $105,352 $75,312 – $131,810 95
Planning $90,924 $61,787 – $121,552 84
Habitat $41,600 $37,440 – $56,051 72
Soil/Geology $77,000 $63,821 – $102,397 70
Remediation/Restoration $69,507 $53,448 – $95,644 70

Typical pay by state

Every category combined. 46 states had enough postings to report.

All categories combined, per state. States with the most postings first.
State Typical pay Most jobs pay between Job postings
California $111,852 $76,380 – $136,218 2,998
Florida $47,350 $39,000 – $55,625 2,038
Texas $62,171 $50,608 – $80,268 976
Washington $89,316 $63,252 – $111,504 968
New York $85,138 $44,866 – $104,230 629
North Carolina $65,408 $51,500 – $77,598 540
Colorado $62,587 $41,725 – $90,684 539
Oregon $86,964 $63,900 – $101,486 487
Pennsylvania $79,062 $56,420 – $92,010 433
New Mexico $87,161 $64,168 – $110,344 413
Arizona $65,000 $51,802 – $78,540 389
Massachusetts $67,298 $55,323 – $84,152 370
Montana $54,475 $41,704 – $68,099 365
Virginia $66,586 $48,000 – $85,000 351
Indiana $47,320 $25,480 – $59,800 332
Alaska $65,374 $48,838 – $76,996 326
Louisiana $68,688 $68,688 – $96,324 277
South Carolina $64,220 $52,475 – $77,000 268
Georgia $50,336 $42,640 – $58,941 249
Idaho $54,704 $40,893 – $71,365 245
Wisconsin $49,962 $38,667 – $71,323 207
Minnesota $76,814 $45,739 – $96,470 191
Ohio $54,125 $44,678 – $69,410 178
Maryland $69,269 $45,968 – $105,360 161
Nevada $99,582 $76,609 – $107,762 157
Wyoming $62,379 $42,411 – $82,285 151
Oklahoma $51,189 $42,314 – $53,310 142
Michigan $78,983 $47,606 – $95,389 138
Alabama $72,504 $60,659 – $88,524 135
Nebraska $51,521 $37,217 – $56,928 134
South Dakota $39,166 $39,166 – $57,876 128
Vermont $60,632 $57,200 – $64,314 127
West Virginia $71,789 $65,020 – $88,526 126
Iowa $60,174 $37,565 – $81,021 106
Illinois $73,620 $55,032 – $81,840 103
Arkansas $58,700 $52,137 – $63,086 97
Mississippi $56,088 $44,497 – $74,238 93
North Dakota $72,504 $62,358 – $90,057 84
Utah $66,560 $52,000 – $92,893 75
Kentucky $54,080 $44,366 – $68,501 65
New Jersey $79,888 $62,000 – $89,726 56
Rhode Island $79,809 $40,950 – $95,517 54
Maine $76,222 $65,281 – $84,178 46
Missouri $65,936 $52,239 – $78,260 41
Hawaii $70,536 $58,974 – $78,420 38
Kansas $58,053 $51,074 – $78,172 30
  1. California $111,852
    $76,380 – $136,218 2,998 postings
  2. Florida $47,350
    $39,000 – $55,625 2,038 postings
  3. Texas $62,171
    $50,608 – $80,268 976 postings
  4. Washington $89,316
    $63,252 – $111,504 968 postings
  5. New York $85,138
    $44,866 – $104,230 629 postings
  6. North Carolina $65,408
    $51,500 – $77,598 540 postings
  7. Colorado $62,587
    $41,725 – $90,684 539 postings
  8. Oregon $86,964
    $63,900 – $101,486 487 postings
  9. Pennsylvania $79,062
    $56,420 – $92,010 433 postings
  10. New Mexico $87,161
    $64,168 – $110,344 413 postings
  11. Arizona $65,000
    $51,802 – $78,540 389 postings
  12. Massachusetts $67,298
    $55,323 – $84,152 370 postings
  13. Montana $54,475
    $41,704 – $68,099 365 postings
  14. Virginia $66,586
    $48,000 – $85,000 351 postings
  15. Indiana $47,320
    $25,480 – $59,800 332 postings
  16. Alaska $65,374
    $48,838 – $76,996 326 postings
  17. Louisiana $68,688
    $68,688 – $96,324 277 postings
  18. South Carolina $64,220
    $52,475 – $77,000 268 postings
  19. Georgia $50,336
    $42,640 – $58,941 249 postings
  20. Idaho $54,704
    $40,893 – $71,365 245 postings
  21. Wisconsin $49,962
    $38,667 – $71,323 207 postings
  22. Minnesota $76,814
    $45,739 – $96,470 191 postings
  23. Ohio $54,125
    $44,678 – $69,410 178 postings
  24. Maryland $69,269
    $45,968 – $105,360 161 postings
  25. Nevada $99,582
    $76,609 – $107,762 157 postings
  26. Wyoming $62,379
    $42,411 – $82,285 151 postings
  27. Oklahoma $51,189
    $42,314 – $53,310 142 postings
  28. Michigan $78,983
    $47,606 – $95,389 138 postings
  29. Alabama $72,504
    $60,659 – $88,524 135 postings
  30. Nebraska $51,521
    $37,217 – $56,928 134 postings
  31. South Dakota $39,166
    $39,166 – $57,876 128 postings
  32. Vermont $60,632
    $57,200 – $64,314 127 postings
  33. West Virginia $71,789
    $65,020 – $88,526 126 postings
  34. Iowa $60,174
    $37,565 – $81,021 106 postings
  35. Illinois $73,620
    $55,032 – $81,840 103 postings
  36. Arkansas $58,700
    $52,137 – $63,086 97 postings
  37. Mississippi $56,088
    $44,497 – $74,238 93 postings
  38. North Dakota $72,504
    $62,358 – $90,057 84 postings
  39. Utah $66,560
    $52,000 – $92,893 75 postings
  40. Kentucky $54,080
    $44,366 – $68,501 65 postings
  41. New Jersey $79,888
    $62,000 – $89,726 56 postings
  42. Rhode Island $79,809
    $40,950 – $95,517 54 postings
  43. Maine $76,222
    $65,281 – $84,178 46 postings
  44. Missouri $65,936
    $52,239 – $78,260 41 postings
  45. Hawaii $70,536
    $58,974 – $78,420 38 postings
  46. Kansas $58,053
    $51,074 – $78,172 30 postings

How to read this

These are advertised salary ranges on US public-sector job postings — what employers put in the ad. They are not what people are actually paid, they do not include the private sector, and they do not account for benefits, which are often a large part of public-sector compensation.

Every posting counts once. Postings are not merged by job title: when a state lists forty openings for one role those are forty real vacancies, and counting them once each is what makes the median reflect what you actually run into while searching.

Typical pay is the middle figure: half the postings advertise more, half advertise less. What most jobs pay is the middle half of postings — a quarter advertise below that range and a quarter above it.

Hourly rates are converted at 2,080 hours a year. Categories and states with fewer than 30 postings are left out entirely, because an average of a handful of jobs is not an average.

Watch the concentration. Pay differs a lot from state to state, so when most of a category’s postings come from one state, its figure mostly reflects pay in that state rather than the field as a whole: 42% of Environmental Science postings are in California; 66% of Air Quality postings are in California. The same goes for a single employer: Environmental Science is 40% State of California; Air Quality is 55% State of California. These categories are marked with * above.

Rebuilt September 17, 2026 from 22,880 tracked postings.

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