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Environmental Technology

Types of Degrees Environmental Technology Majors Are Earning

People majoring in Environmental Technology can earn degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Certificate	6
Associate’s Degree	70
Bachelor’s Degree	106
Master’s Degree	59

What Environmental Technology Majors Need to Know

Coursework for Environmental Technology develop a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that Environmental Technology graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

This major prepares you for careers needing Environmental Technology emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• Customer and Personal Service — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.
• Mathematics — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.
• English Language — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 3.8 / 7.
• Chemistry — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.
• Engineering and Technology — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 4.0 / 7.

^{Importance is rated 1–5; level is 1–7. Source: ONET Online — weighted across related occupations.*}

Skills

Skills developed in a Environmental Technology program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Reading Comprehension — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.
• Active Listening — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4 / 7.
• Critical Thinking — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 3.9 / 7.
• Speaking — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 4 / 7.
• Writing — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 3.9 / 7.

Abilities

The cognitive and physical abilities most relevant to Environmental Technology careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Written Comprehension — Importance 4 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.
• Oral Comprehension — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.
• Oral Expression — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.
• Deductive Reasoning — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 3.9 / 7.
• Near Vision — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Environmental Technology graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Documenting/Recording Information	4.2 / 7
Getting Information	4.1 / 7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	4.0 / 7
Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards	4.0 / 7
Working with Computers	3.8 / 7
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	3.6 / 7
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events	3.6 / 7
Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials	3.6 / 7
Analyzing Data or Information	3.6 / 7
Processing Information	3.6 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Environmental Technology professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Database software	Data base user interface and query software	—
Statistical software	Analytical or scientific software	—
Microsoft PowerPoint	Presentation software	—
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	✓
HEC-RAS	Analytical or scientific software	—
Geomechanical design analysis GDA software	Map creation software	—
Microsoft Outlook	Electronic mail software	✓
Autodesk AutoCAD	Computer aided design CAD software	—
ESRI ArcGIS software	Geographic information system	—
Email software	Electronic mail software	—
Word processing software	Word processing software	—
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	✓

^{Source: ONET Online technology skills, weighted across related occupations.*}

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Environmental Technology graduates include:

• Field Technician
• Air Analyst
• Air Quality Technician (Air Quality Tech)
• Hazardous Materials Technician (Hazardous Materials Tech)
• Environmental Property Assessor
• Microbiological Lab Technician (Microbiological Laboratory Technician)
• Environmental Science Technician (Environmental Science Tech)
• Process Environmental Technician (Process Environmental Tech)
• Leaking Underground Storage Tank Remover (LUST Remover)
• Radon Inspector
• Hazardous Materials Analyst (Hazmat Analyst)
• Environmental Sampling Technician (Environmental Sampling Tech)
• Sample Technician (Sample Tech)
• Lead-Based Paint Technician (Lead-Based Paint Tech)
• Environmental Lab Tech (Environmental Laboratory Technician)

Education Typically Required

Across the occupations open to Environmental Technology graduates, the typical level of education actually held by current workers is distributed as:

Education Level	Share of Workers
Bachelor’s degree	67.8%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	12.7%
High school diploma or equivalent	7.5%
Postsecondary certificate	6.3%
Some college courses	3.1%
Post-baccalaureate certificate	2.2%
Master’s degree	0.4%

^{Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*}

Who Is Earning a Degree in Environmental Technology?

Gender Distribution

This field has a relatively balanced gender distribution: 44.4% women and 55.6% men among Environmental Technology graduates.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	107	44.4%
Men	134	55.6%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of Environmental Technology graduates is as follows:

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	155	64.3%
Asian	9	3.7%
Hispanic or Latino	21	8.7%
Black or African American	11	4.6%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander	1	0.4%
Two or More Races	12	5.0%
Race Unknown	7	2.9%
International Students	25	10.4%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Environmental Technology Graduates Earn?

Federal data tracks median earnings of Environmental Technology graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Wages typically rise steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.

Years Out	Median Earnings
1 year	$36,113
4 years	$40,833
5 years	$45,594

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $45,594 — roughly 26% above the 1-year mark.

^{Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.}

Online Environmental Technology Programs

Online study is tracked by IPEDS for Environmental Technology. The table below shows how many graduates earned at least some of their coursework online (Distance-Ed Available) versus completing the entire program online (Distance-Ed Only).

Award Level	Distance-Ed Available	Distance-Ed Only
Associate’s	1	1
Master’s	1	0

^{Distance-Ed Only = degrees completed entirely online; Distance-Ed Available = degrees including at least some online coursework. Source: IPEDS Completions by Distance Education status.}

Is a Degree in Environmental Technology Worth It?

Looking purely at the federal earnings tracker, Environmental Technology graduates earn a median of $40,833 four years after completion — roughly 7% above the national median for workers with only a high school diploma (~$38,000).

^{ROI estimate compares the program’s 4-yr median earnings against the 2023 BLS CPS median earnings for high-school-only workers. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard + BLS Current Population Survey.}

Related Programs

You may also be interested in these closely related fields of study:

Program	CIP Code
Environmental Control Technologies/Technicians	15.05
Energy Management and Systems Technology/Technician	15.0503
Environmental Control Technologies/Technicians, Other	15.0599
Hazardous Materials Management and Waste Technology/Technician	15.0508
Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Engineering Technology/Technician	15.0501
Solar Energy Technology/Technician	15.0505
Water Quality and Wastewater Treatment Management and Recycling Technology/Technician	15.0506
Hazardous Materials Information Systems Technology/Technician	15.0704

References

The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students and international students. This number is then divided by the total number of students to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard

More about our data sources and methodologies.