What You Need to Know About Sustainability Specialist
Career Description Address organizational sustainability issues, such as waste stream management, green building practices, and green procurement plans.
A Day in the Life of a Sustainability Specialist
- Write grant applications, rebate applications, or project proposals to secure funding for sustainability projects.
- Identify or create new sustainability indicators.
- Identify or procure needed resources to implement sustainability programs or projects.
- Create or maintain plans or other documents related to sustainability projects.
- Develop sustainability project goals, objectives, initiatives, or strategies in collaboration with other sustainability professionals.
- Review and revise sustainability proposals or policies.
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Sustainability Specialist Skills
These are the skills Sustainability Specialists say are the most useful in their careers:
Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Complex Problem Solving: Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Writing: Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Other Sustainability Specialist Job Titles
- Senior Sustainability Advisor
- Sustainability Coach
- Sustainability Coordinator
- Sustainability Project Analyst
- Champion of Sustainable Design
Job Outlook for Sustainability Specialists
In 2016, there was an estimated number of 1,023,900 jobs in the United States for Sustainability Specialist. New jobs are being produced at a rate of 8.8% which is above the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 90,400 new jobs for Sustainability Specialist by 2026. The BLS estimates 104,200 yearly job openings in this field.
The states with the most job growth for Sustainability Specialist are Utah, Nevada, and Arkansas. Watch out if you plan on working in Alaska, Maine, or Oklahoma. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
Salary for a Sustainability Specialist
The typical yearly salary for Sustainability Specialists is somewhere between $38,420 and $123,000.
Sustainability Specialists who work in District of Columbia, Maryland, or Virginia, make the highest salaries.
How much do Sustainability Specialists make in each U.S. state?
State | Annual Mean Salary |
---|---|
Alabama | $85,140 |
Alaska | $82,160 |
Arizona | $67,670 |
Arkansas | $59,530 |
California | $83,470 |
Colorado | $82,130 |
Connecticut | $78,120 |
Delaware | $81,880 |
District of Columbia | $102,730 |
Florida | $66,440 |
Georgia | $75,070 |
Hawaii | $73,310 |
Idaho | $67,630 |
Illinois | $71,780 |
Indiana | $61,290 |
Iowa | $65,020 |
Kansas | $74,520 |
Kentucky | $66,450 |
Louisiana | $60,430 |
Maine | $66,760 |
Maryland | $91,400 |
Massachusetts | $85,980 |
Michigan | $70,410 |
Minnesota | $71,220 |
Mississippi | $65,650 |
Missouri | $73,500 |
Montana | $66,290 |
Nebraska | $74,370 |
Nevada | $71,580 |
New Hampshire | $70,890 |
New Jersey | $78,920 |
New Mexico | $70,340 |
New York | $83,330 |
North Carolina | $74,040 |
North Dakota | $73,010 |
Ohio | $71,190 |
Oklahoma | $72,940 |
Oregon | $68,890 |
Pennsylvania | $80,910 |
Rhode Island | $80,380 |
South Carolina | $69,340 |
South Dakota | $70,830 |
Tennessee | $62,330 |
Texas | $80,140 |
Utah | $72,100 |
Vermont | $67,910 |
Virginia | $88,180 |
Washington | $77,850 |
West Virginia | $70,180 |
Wisconsin | $57,620 |
Wyoming | $69,740 |
What Tools & Technology do Sustainability Specialists Use?
Below is a list of the types of tools and technologies that Sustainability Specialists may use on a daily basis:
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Word
- Microsoft Office
- JavaScript
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Microsoft Outlook
- Web browser software
- Microsoft Access
- Word processing software
- Microsoft Project
- Autodesk AutoCAD
- Adobe Systems Adobe Acrobat
- Microsoft SharePoint
- Microsoft Visio
- Adobe Systems Adobe Photoshop
- Structured query language SQL
- Microsoft Publisher
- Adobe Systems Adobe Illustrator
- Extensible markup language XML
- Adobe Systems Adobe InDesign
Becoming a Sustainability Specialist
What education or degrees do I need to become a Sustainability Specialist?
How many years of work experience do I need?
Where Sustainability Specialists Work
The table below shows the approximate number of Sustainability Specialists employed by various industries.
References:
More about our data sources and methodologies.
Featured Schools
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