Environmental Compliance Inspectors: Job Description
Inspect and investigate sources of pollution to protect the public and environment and ensure conformance with Federal, State, and local regulations and ordinances.
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What Tasks Do Environmental Compliance Inspectors Perform?
The day-to-day responsibilities of environmental compliance inspectors cover:
- Determine the nature of code violations and actions to be taken, and issue written notices of violation, participating in enforcement hearings, as necessary.
- Prepare, organize, and maintain inspection records.
- Investigate complaints and suspected violations regarding illegal dumping, pollution, pesticides, product quality, or labeling laws.
- Determine which sites and violation reports to investigate, and coordinate compliance and enforcement activities with other government agencies.
- Interview individuals to determine the nature of suspected violations and to obtain evidence of violations.
- Inform individuals and groups of pollution control regulations and inspection findings, and explain how problems can be corrected.
- Verify that hazardous chemicals are handled, stored, and disposed of in accordance with regulations.
- Learn and observe proper safety precautions, rules, regulations, and practices so that unsafe conditions can be recognized and proper safety protocols implemented.
Key Skills and Knowledge
Effective environmental compliance inspectors rely on a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Most Important Skills
The competencies that matter most in this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Knowledge Areas
Other Environmental Compliance Inspectors Job Titles
People in this occupation may also be known by titles such as:
- Agricultural Chemicals Inspector
- Agricultural Chemicals Registration Specialist
- Air Permitting and Enforcement Inspector
- Air Pollution Inspector
- Authorized Inspector
- Certified Erosion, Sediment, and Storm Water Inspector (CESSWI)
- City Sanitarian
- Compliance Analyst
Employment and Demand
There are about 613,054 environmental compliance inspectors working in the United States today. This occupation is expected to grow by +10.0% over the projection horizon.
How Much Do Environmental Compliance Inspectors Make?
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $119,630 |
| Hourly median | $57.51 |
| 10th percentile | $66,939 |
| 25th percentile | $93,285 |
| 75th percentile | $145,976 |
| 90th percentile | $172,322 |
Wages vary widely based on experience, location, and industry.
Environmental Compliance Inspectors Salary by State
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $103,010 |
| New Jersey | $93,520 |
| Massachusetts | $92,890 |
| California | $92,350 |
| Alaska | $88,730 |
| Vermont | $88,550 |
| Delaware | $88,450 |
| Maryland | $87,580 |
| Connecticut | $87,210 |
| Maine | $86,940 |
| New York | $86,880 |
| Washington | $86,200 |
| Minnesota | $85,220 |
| Oregon | $84,210 |
| Rhode Island | $83,200 |
| New Hampshire | $82,530 |
| Virginia | $80,990 |
| Hawaii | $80,930 |
| Colorado | $80,590 |
| Wyoming | $80,150 |
| Illinois | $79,350 |
| Nevada | $78,940 |
| North Dakota | $78,450 |
| South Carolina | $76,200 |
| Wisconsin | $75,780 |
| Michigan | $75,300 |
| Ohio | $75,030 |
| North Carolina | $74,810 |
| Pennsylvania | $73,840 |
| Iowa | $73,530 |
| Arizona | $73,070 |
| Texas | $72,050 |
| Indiana | $71,980 |
| South Dakota | $71,700 |
| Florida | $70,460 |
| Alabama | $70,190 |
| New Mexico | $67,640 |
| Kentucky | $67,490 |
| Kansas | $66,980 |
| Nebraska | $65,960 |
| Idaho | $65,350 |
| Virgin Islands | $65,210 |
| Mississippi | $65,150 |
| Missouri | $64,960 |
| Utah | $64,730 |
| West Virginia | $64,040 |
| Georgia | $63,990 |
| Tennessee | $63,760 |
| Louisiana | $63,730 |
| Arkansas | $63,560 |
| Montana | $63,330 |
| Oklahoma | $61,730 |
| Puerto Rico | $46,570 |
Pay by U.S. Region
Compensation for environmental compliance inspectors differ across the country. Top regions by median wage:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Far Western US | $89,808 | 17.1% | 1.04 |
| New England | $89,791 | 5.3% | 1.22 |
| Middle Atlantic | $86,241 | 16.5% | 1.15 |
| Great Lakes | $75,873 | 10.3% | 0.74 |
| Rocky Mountains | $73,182 | 3.7% | 0.94 |
| Plains States | $72,241 | 6.5% | 0.97 |
| Southwest | $71,347 | 14.4% | 1.17 |
| Southeast | $70,480 | 24.9% | 1.08 |
Highest-Paying Metro Areas for Environmental Compliance Inspectors
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | CA | $118,490 | 2,690 |
| Lexington Park, MD | MD | $105,610 | 150 |
| Brunswick-St. Simons, GA | GA | $104,330 | 640 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | CA | $104,000 | 7,350 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | DC | $102,500 | 14,110 |
| Bellingham, WA | WA | $101,870 | 650 |
| El Centro, CA | CA | $101,110 | 850 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | CA | $98,190 | 6,000 |
Which Industries Hire Environmental Compliance Inspectors
The bulk of environmental compliance inspectors are found across these industries:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Finance and Insurance | 46,410 | $79,920 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 38,020 | $90,990 |
| Health Care and Social Assistance | 32,070 | $68,590 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | 22,870 | $89,740 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 18,660 | $60,800 |
| Manufacturing | 18,630 | $85,040 |
| Educational Services | 15,080 | $74,650 |
| Transportation and Warehousing | 14,480 | $63,430 |
Below are examples of industries where environmental compliance inspectors work:
Software Environmental Compliance Inspectors Use
- Document management software: Adobe Acrobat (hot technology)
- Computer aided design CAD software: Autodesk AutoCAD (hot technology)
- Data base user interface and query software: Microsoft Access (hot technology)
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Electronic mail software: Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Presentation software: Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Project management software: Microsoft Project (hot technology)
- Document management software: Microsoft SharePoint (hot technology)
- Word processing software: Microsoft Word (hot technology)
- Customer relationship management CRM software: Salesforce software (hot technology)
- Enterprise resource planning ERP software: SAP software (hot technology)
What the Workplace Is Like
The work environment for environmental compliance inspectors tends to involve the following characteristics:
- Telephone Conversations
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Contact With Others
- Deal With External Customers or the Public in General
Education and Training
Entry-level environmental compliance inspectors positions require a bachelor’s degree as the typical entry-level education. This career aligns with Considerable Preparation Needed (Job Zone 4), reflecting the level of preparation typically expected.
Similar Occupations
Similar Occupations
- Water Resource Specialists (Supplemental)
- Regulatory Affairs Managers (Supplemental)
- Compliance Managers (Primary-Long)
- Brownfield Redevelopment Specialists and Site Managers (Primary-Long)
- Compliance Officers (Supplemental)
- Government Property Inspectors and Investigators (Primary-Long)
- Regulatory Affairs Specialists (Primary-Long)
- Security Management Specialists (Supplemental)
Where to Study
Students preparing for environmental compliance inspectors commonly pursue programs in:
Natural Resources and Conservation
4 programs across 2 majors
Health Professions and Related Programs
3 programs across 2 majors
Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services
2 programs across 1 majors
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies
1 programs across 1 majors
Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting and Related Protective Services
1 programs across 1 majors
About the Data
Statistics shown above are sourced from the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 13-1041.01 (Compliance Officers).
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