How Much Can I Make Working for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)?

Like virtually every local, state, and federal government job, those professionals who successfully seek a career with the Environmental Protection Agency will be paid according to the agency’s “General Schedule” of compensation. This schedule is assigned to workers based on their qualifications as well as the position that they take within the agency. Generally, the highest-paid new hires within the EPA bring an engineering or technology background with them, while most others are paid a healthy wage for environmental specialties, disaster response, and other fields.

Explaining EPA Salary Details

The General Schedule: How it Works and What it Means for New Hires in the EPA

The goal of a pay schedule is to essentially reduce discrimination in the workplace while ensuring that all workers are granted access to predictable annual raises. A new hire is granted a starting wage based on prior experience with the agency, prior experience in relate occupations, and the title that they receive upon starting the job. While it can be hard to nail down a specific average salary for all professionals who seek employment with the Environmental Protection Agency, many professions do have a median wage based on the EPA’s General Schedule. Among the most popular and lucrative positions:

– Environmental Protection Specialist

This position is essentially the first response when something goes awry in a protected environment or even a populated area. Professionals in this field create response plans, deploy response teams, and get the situation under control. For their efforts, they earn one of the highest non-engineering salaries in the EPA. On average, these professionals take home $57,000 per year, with compensation varying based on their level of experience and position within the General Schedule.

– EPA Chemist

A chemist hired by the EPA will be charged with creating eco-friendly solutions to common environmental problems. They’re usually paid the highest salary among non-engineering positions, taking home $57,000 per on average. Worth noting is that this position’s pay scale within the General Schedule actually receives larger annual raises than several other positions. That means professionals will see their pay go up each year faster than they would as an environmental specialist, emergency response professional, or mechanic.

– Engineering Positions

The best place to be within the EPA’s General Schedule its engineering level, which has the highest initial starting pay, the highest salary cap, and the largest annual raises of any position within the federal agency. On average, engineers who seek employment with the EPA can expect to earn a median annual wage of $76,000. Salaries can reach well into the six-figure range for those with extensive and continued agency experience, while entry-level salaries are often above even the median wage for environmental specialists and chemists.

Changes to the Pay Scale Occur on a Yearly Basis

One thing to keep in mind is that the EPA reserves the right to change its General Schedule of employee compensation on at least an annual basis. These changes are often made to compensate for differences in the cost of living, or to add additional pay levels and salary caps for positions that are more highly in demand during that particular calendar year.

For this reason, it’s a good idea to review the EPA’s pay schedule prior to filing an application. Since the pay scales are all public, it simply makes sense to look at estimated pay before committing to the job. With that information in mind, a job protecting America’s habitats can be both lucrative and rewarding for those with an eco-friendly mindset.

Additional Resources: How Do Environmental Public Health Needs Vary in Different Areas of the United States?

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