What is an environmental compliance specialist and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
Quoted Expert
Shannon Farrell Ph.D.
introduction image

Environmental compliance specialists are responsible for ensuring carbon footprints conform to applicable laws regulating pollution and emissions. They inspect industrial sites and investigate sources of pollution to protect local communities, and they ensure that companies comply with federal and state environmental laws. Environmental compliance specialists earn a median sum of $56,000 annually or $27 per hour.

Environmental compliance specialists evaluate results and make recommendations as necessary for maintaining compliance with regulatory agencies. They must be familiar with standard concepts, practices, and procedures within a particular field. They conduct various tests, analysis, and observations to evaluate the potential hazards to the environment before making any necessary recommendations.

Environmental compliance specialists typically hold a bachelor's degree in environmental science, physical science, or other related fields. They are expected to have sound knowledge of environmental programs and proceedings as well as the ability to handle the environmental protection procedures, which run in compliance with the regulatory authorities.

What general advice would you give to an Environmental Compliance Specialist?

Shannon Farrell Ph.D.Shannon Farrell Ph.D. LinkedIn Profile

Assistant Professor, SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry

Your career path is not likely to be one step after another in the same prescribed direction. In today's unique circumstances, be prepared to be flexible, open-minded, and alert for new and unexpected opportunities. Be ready to take multiple jobs in sequence - it is exceedingly rare these days that one finds their 'forever' long term job right off the bat and right out of undergrad. Try things, test, experiment - identifying what spheres of work you like and what spheres you don't like is all a valuable part of data gathering and adaptively moving forward.

If it is hard to find a job in your ideal field, find jobs that provide the opportunity for developing crossover skills: technical and field skills, research skills, writing skills, communication, or management skills. Leverage opportunities to improve and display your executive function skills - planning, organizing, managing, leadership, mentorship, etc. These can all be valuable efforts, even when you aren't working in your preferred scientific field. Be your advocate - make contacts, network, ask for advice, don't be afraid to step out of your comfort zone (it may be uncomfortable, but you will survive!)
ScoreEnvironmental Compliance SpecialistUS Average
Salary
4.6

Avg. Salary $59,335

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability Level
6.3

Growth Rate 5%

Growth Rate 0.3%

Diversity
4.3
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.82%

Asian 8.04%

Black or African American 12.25%

Hispanic or Latino 15.20%

Unknown 4.45%

White 59.23%

Gender

female 38.60%

male 61.40%

Age - 46
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 46
Stress Level
6.3

Stress level is manageable

7.1 - high

Complexity Level
8.0

Complexity Level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work Life Balance
4.7

Work Life balance is fair

6.4 - fair

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Environmental Compliance Specialist career paths

Key steps to become an environmental compliance specialist

  1. Explore environmental compliance specialist education requirements

    Most common environmental compliance specialist degrees

    Bachelor's

    75.8 %

    Master's

    13.2 %

    Associate

    8.2 %
  2. Start to develop specific environmental compliance specialist skills

    Skills
    ascdesc
    Percentages
    ascdesc
    Hazardous Materials6.99%
    Corrective Action6.40%
    Environmental Regulations4.75%
    Air Emissions4.47%
    Compliance Reports4.42%
  3. Complete relevant environmental compliance specialist training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of 6-12 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New environmental compliance specialists learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as an environmental compliance specialist based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real environmental compliance specialist resumes.
  4. Research environmental compliance specialist duties and responsibilities

    • Work on a team that implement and achieve ISO 14001 certification.
    • Provide EHS regulatory compliance services to several federal government clients and manage hazardous waste documentation databases.
    • Provide training on the SDS.
    • Provide oversight to contractors and company employees in the implementation of these projects.
  5. Get environmental compliance specialist experience

  6. Prepare your environmental compliance specialist resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your environmental compliance specialist resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on an environmental compliance specialist resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose From 10+ Customizable Environmental Compliance Specialist Resume templates

    Build a professional Environmental Compliance Specialist resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your Environmental Compliance Specialist resume.
    Environmental Compliance Specialist Resume
    Environmental Compliance Specialist Resume
    Environmental Compliance Specialist Resume
    Environmental Compliance Specialist Resume
    Environmental Compliance Specialist Resume
    Environmental Compliance Specialist Resume
    Environmental Compliance Specialist Resume
    Environmental Compliance Specialist Resume
    Environmental Compliance Specialist Resume
  7. Apply for environmental compliance specialist jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for an environmental compliance specialist job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How Did You Land Your First Environmental Compliance Specialist Job

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Average environmental compliance specialist salary

The average Environmental Compliance Specialist salary in the United States is $59,335 per year or $29 per hour. Environmental compliance specialist salaries range between $42,000 and $82,000 per year.

Average Environmental Compliance Specialist Salary
$59,335 Yearly
$28.53 hourly

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How do environmental compliance specialists rate their job?

-/5

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Environmental Compliance Specialist reviews

profile
A zippia user wrote a review on Feb 2021
Cons

I don’t like when big companies they know what’s wrong and what’s right, but still the destroy, like cutting trees in Brazil and the other side big companies even knowing those trees are ilegal, but still they continuing to porches. There for I can’t understand and I don’t like.


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A zippia user wrote a review on Oct 2020
Pros

Both indoor and outdoor work environment. Great job satisfaction meeting regulatory requirements.

Cons

Can be stressful at times


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A zippia user wrote a review on Apr 2020
Pros

environmental Impacts accuracy and quality of classification processes handled by their team. Impacts team, partner teams and Process Experts.

Cons

pay, responsibly,


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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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