SOC 13-1041.01

    Environmental Compliance Inspectors

    Inspect and investigate sources of pollution to protect the public and environment and ensure conformance with Federal, State, and local regulations and ordinances.

    Median pay
    $80,730
    Growth
    +3.8%
    As fast as average
    Openings a year
    32,700
    Typical education
    Bachelor's degree

    Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition

    Source: BLS 2025 wages · 2025–35 projections · figures for the broader BLS group "Compliance officers"

    See the pathway

    Annual pay range

    Lowest 10% earn less than
    $48,220
    Median
    $80,730
    Highest 10% earn more than
    $133,720
    National wages for all workers in this occupation. BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.

    417,070 people work in this occupation.

    In short

    Environmental compliance inspectors investigate pollution sources to protect public health and the environment. Part of the compliance officer group, these professionals earn a median annual pay of $80,730.

    Written with AI from the BLS, O*NET and CareerOneStop data on this page. Every figure is checked against that data before it is published.

    What environmental compliance inspectors do

    Job Zone 4: Considerable preparation

    Inspect and investigate sources of pollution to protect the public and environment and ensure conformance with Federal, State, and local regulations and ordinances.

    Most need a bachelor's degree and several years of related experience.

    What the work is like

    People in this career inspect and investigate various sources of pollution to ensure they conform to federal, state, and local regulations. On a daily basis, compliance inspectors evaluate information against established standards, gather data, and document their findings. They spend significant time working with computers, processing information, and solving complex problems.

    Communication is a major part of the job, requiring inspectors to share information with supervisors, colleagues, and people outside their organization, including the general public. This work suits individuals with conventional interests who enjoy structured tasks and systematic details. To succeed, inspectors need strong skills in critical thinking, reading comprehension, active listening, and speaking. They must also draw on knowledge in law and government, chemistry, biology, public safety, and engineering.

    How to get there

    Entering this field typically requires a bachelor's degree along with several years of related work experience. Students preparing for this career often major in natural resources conservation and research, environmental geosciences, public health, environmental and natural resources management and policy, or criminal justice and corrections.

    Some states list a license for this work. Additionally, professionals can earn specialized credentials to demonstrate their expertise. Examples of certifications in this field include the Certified Erosion, Sediment and Storm Water Inspector, the Certified Professional in Erosion and Sediment Control, the Certified Home Energy Rater, the Rating Field Inspector, and a credential in Managing Composting Programs.

    Pay and outlook explained

    The median annual pay for compliance officers, the broader group that includes environmental compliance inspectors, was $80,730 in 2025. The lowest 10% of earners in this group made less than $48,220, while the highest 10% earned more than $133,720.

    There are 417,070 people employed in this field. Between 2025 and 2035, employment is projected to grow by 3.8%, which is as fast as the average for all occupations. This growth and normal turnover are expected to result in 32,700 job openings each year.

    Interest profile

    Realistic (R)
    60 / 100
    Investigative (I)
    63 / 100
    Artistic (A)
    1 / 100
    Social (S)
    23 / 100
    Enterprising (E)
    37 / 100
    Conventional (C) · strongest
    81 / 100
    How strongly each interest area describes the work, from O*NET (scores rescaled to 0–100). The interest code lists the strongest areas in order.

    Interest code CIR. Compare it with yours

    What you'd do

    Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards
    91
    Getting Information
    89
    Working with Computers
    86
    Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
    85
    Documenting/Recording Information
    81
    Communicating with People Outside the Organization
    78
    Processing Information
    78
    Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships
    74
    Making Decisions and Solving Problems
    74
    Performing for or Working Directly with the Public
    74
    Work activities rated by importance for this occupation, O*NET (0–100).

    Skills and strengths

    Skills

    • Critical Thinking
    • Reading Comprehension
    • Active Listening
    • Speaking
    • Writing
    • Active Learning
    • Complex Problem Solving
    • Monitoring
    • Judgment and Decision Making
    • Operations Monitoring

    Knowledge

    • English Language
    • Law and Government
    • Computers and Electronics
    • Chemistry
    • Customer and Personal Service
    • Mathematics
    • Public Safety and Security
    • Biology
    • Engineering and Technology
    • Administration and Management

    Abilities

    • Problem Sensitivity
    • Deductive Reasoning
    • Inductive Reasoning
    • Oral Comprehension
    • Oral Expression
    • Written Comprehension
    • Flexibility of Closure
    • Near Vision
    • Written Expression
    • Information Ordering

    Also called

    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 · Compliance Coordinator · Compliance Investigator

    Career pathway

    From your interests to environmental compliance inspectors

    Interests that fit the work, the career, majors that lead there and colleges whose graduates in those majors earn the most. Hover or focus a step to follow one path.

    1. Interests

    2. This career

      • Environmental Compliance Inspectors$80,730 median pay

    3. Majors

    4. Colleges

    College Scorecard program outcomes

    Colleges with strong outcomes

    Programs that lead to this career, ranked by what their graduates earn four years after finishing. Earnings are for graduates who received federal aid.

    1. 1Georgetown University-DC logo
      Georgetown University-DC

      Washington, DC · Health and Medical Administrative Services · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      Not reported
      4 yrs after
      $143,686
      Median debt
      $11,000
    2. 2Cornell University-New York logo
      Cornell University-New York

      Ithaca, NY · Human Resources Management and Services · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      $74,192
      4 yrs after
      $112,713
      Median debt
      $12,000
    3. 3University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Main Campus logo
      University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Main Campus

      Chapel Hill, NC · Health and Medical Administrative Services · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      $44,456
      4 yrs after
      $110,204
      Median debt
      Not reported
    4. 4Northwestern University-Illinois logo
      Northwestern University-Illinois

      Evanston, IL · Human Resources Management and Services · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      $98,392
      4 yrs after
      $108,498
      Median debt
      Not reported
    5. 5Calumet College of Saint Joseph logo
      Calumet College of Saint Joseph

      Whiting, IN · Criminal Justice and Corrections · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      $54,078
      4 yrs after
      $106,465
      Median debt
      $20,417
    6. 6University of Michigan-Ann Arbor Main Campus logo
      University of Michigan-Ann Arbor Main Campus

      Ann Arbor, MI · Human Resources Management and Services · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      $69,663
      4 yrs after
      $99,594
      Median debt
      $20,596
    7. 7
      George Washington University

      Washington, DC · Human Resources Management and Services · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      $58,393
      4 yrs after
      $97,126
      Median debt
      $20,000
    8. 8Brigham Young University-Provo BYU Utah logo
      Brigham Young University-Provo BYU Utah

      Provo, UT · Human Resources Management and Services · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      $66,527
      4 yrs after
      $96,354
      Median debt
      Not reported

    Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard field-of-study data, 2025. Programs with few graduates are not listed.

    NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk

    Majors that lead here

    Related programs by four-digit CIP code. They are common routes in, not the only ones.

    CareerOneStop

    Certifications, licenses and pay by state

    What environmental compliance inspectors may need beyond a degree, where a license is required, and what the work pays in each state.

    Certifications

    Core certifications employers recognise for this work.

    Search all certifications on CareerOneStop

    Training

    Programs of study that prepare people for this work.

    • Energy and Environmental Policy
    • Environmental Geosciences
    • Environmental Science
    • Environmental Studies
    • Environmental/Natural Resources Law Enforcement and Protective Services
    • Human Resources Management/Personnel Administration, General
    • Labor and Industrial Relations
    • Medical Staff Services Technology/Technician
    • Patient Safety and Healthcare Quality
    • Regulatory Science/Affairs
    • Suspension and Debarment Investigation

    Find training near you on CareerOneStop

    Licenses by state

    18 states list a license for this work. Open your state for the license and the agency that issues it.

    Check license requirements on CareerOneStop

    Data from CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor (Employment and Training Administration, with the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development). Retrieved November 9, 2026.

    Your plan

    Build my pathway plan

    Courses, majors, colleges, scholarships and a timeline for this career, built from your profile.

    Related careers

    Careers with similar work, interests or skills.

    All careers

    Questions about environmental compliance inspectors

    Written with AI from the BLS, O*NET and CareerOneStop data on this page. Every figure is checked against that data before it is published.

    What are some common job titles for this career?

    People in this field are known by many names, including air pollution inspectors, compliance investigators, and agricultural chemicals specialists. They may also work as city sanitarians, compliance analysts, or air permitting and enforcement inspectors.

    What college majors are related to environmental compliance?

    Students can prepare for this career by majoring in natural resources conservation and research, environmental geosciences, or public health. Other relevant majors include environmental and natural resources management and policy, human resources management, and criminal justice.

    What certifications can an environmental compliance inspector earn?

    Inspectors can pursue certifications such as the Certified Erosion, Sediment and Storm Water Inspector or the Certified Professional in Erosion and Sediment Control. Other options include becoming a Certified Home Energy Rater or earning a credential in Managing Composting Programs.

    Sources and attribution

    Every figure on this page comes from these public datasets. Missing values are shown as not reported, never estimated.

    O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. CollegesRef has modified all or some of this information.

    Data from CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor (Employment and Training Administration, with the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development). Retrieved November 9, 2026.

    Page data updated November 5, 2026.