Environmental Engineering Technician
Impact: Environmental protection, public health, and regulatory compliance
Collects and analyzes environmental samples, performs field and office environmental quality work, and assists engineers in developing solutions to environmental problems.
What the day looks like
- People interaction
- Moderate
- Team vs solo
- 60% Team / 40% Solo
- Client facing
- Sometimes
- Impact visibility
- Moderate
- Travel
- 10-20% local/regional
- Schedule flexibility
- Structured
- Remote work
- Limited Remote
- Typical work hours
- 40 hours/week
- Stress level
- Moderate
At a glance
- Median salary
- $58,890
- Entry-level
- $40,000 - $50,000
- Senior
- $70,000+
- Growth by 2033
- 1% (slower than average)
- Demand
- Stable
- Freelance potential
- Low
- Salary growth potential
- Moderate to 40-75% growth from entry to senior
- Typical student debt
- $10,000 - $20,000
Skills you'll use
Hard skills
- Environmental Sampling
- Data Analysis
- Report Writing
- Microsoft Office
- GIS Software
- CAD Software
- Laboratory Testing
Soft skills
- Critical Thinking
- Active Listening
- Problem Solving
- Attention to Detail
- Dependability
- Communication
Technical complexity: Moderate
How to get there
- Minimum education
- Associate's Degree
- Licensing
- No
- Years to mid-career
- 3-5 years
- Years to senior
- 7-10 years
- Career switching
- Moderate
Where this career leads
How people arrive here
Where you can go from here
Typical progression
- Environmental Engineering Technician
- Senior Environmental Engineering Technician
- Environmental Scientist/Engineer (with further education)
Future outlook
- Automation probability
- 25% to moderate risk
- AI disruption risk
- Low
- Demand trend
- Stable
How people feel about it
- Overall satisfaction
- 3.2/10
- Meaning
- 3.5/10
- Work-life balance
- 3/10
- Prestige
- 5.5/10
- Social perception
- High