# 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.

- Edition: Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition
- Page: https://www.collegesref.com/careers/environmental-compliance-inspectors
- SOC code: 13-1041.01
- Career family: Business and finance
- Median annual pay: $80,730 (10th percentile $48,220, 90th percentile $133,720)
- Projected growth: As fast as average, +3.8%
- Openings a year: 32,700
- Typical entry education: Bachelor's degree
- Bright outlook: no
- Data years: BLS 2025 wages · 2025–35 projections
- Pay and outlook are for the broader BLS group "Compliance officers".

## Interest profile (code CIR)

| Interest area | Score (0–100) |
| --- | ---: |
| Realistic (R) | 60 |
| Investigative (I) | 63 |
| Artistic (A) | 1 |
| Social (S) | 23 |
| Enterprising (E) | 37 |
| Conventional (C) | 81 |

## What you'd do

- Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards (importance 91/100)
- Getting Information (importance 89/100)
- Working with Computers (importance 86/100)
- Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates (importance 85/100)
- Documenting/Recording Information (importance 81/100)
- Communicating with People Outside the Organization (importance 78/100)
- Processing Information (importance 78/100)
- Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships (importance 74/100)
- Making Decisions and Solving Problems (importance 74/100)
- Performing for or Working Directly with the Public (importance 74/100)

## 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

## 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

## Majors that lead here (NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk, 4-digit CIP)

- [Criminal Justice and Corrections](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/4301) (CIP 4301, 1,742 colleges)
- [Health and Medical Administrative Services](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/5107) (CIP 5107, 1,585 colleges)
- [Natural Resources Conservation and Research](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/0301) (CIP 0301, 1,081 colleges)
- [Public Health](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/5122) (CIP 5122, 836 colleges)
- [Human Resources Management and Services](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/5210) (CIP 5210, 758 colleges)
- [Environmental/Natural Resources Management and Policy](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/0302) (CIP 0302, 204 colleges)
- Environmental Geosciences (CIP 3041, 17 colleges)

## Colleges with strong outcomes (College Scorecard, 2025)

| College | Program | Earnings 1 yr | Earnings 4 yrs | Median debt |
| --- | --- | ---: | ---: | ---: |
| [Georgetown University-DC](https://www.collegesref.com/college/georgetown-university-dc-1068) | Health and Medical Administrative Services | not reported | $143,686 | $11,000 |
| [Cornell University-New York](https://www.collegesref.com/college/cornell-university-new-york-710) | Human Resources Management and Services | $74,192 | $112,713 | $12,000 |
| [University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Main Campus](https://www.collegesref.com/college/university-of-north-carolina-at-chapel-hill-main-campus-2990) | Health and Medical Administrative Services | $44,456 | $110,204 | not reported |
| [Northwestern University-Illinois](https://www.collegesref.com/college/northwestern-university-illinois-1966) | Human Resources Management and Services | $98,392 | $108,498 | not reported |
| [Calumet College of Saint Joseph](https://www.collegesref.com/college/calumet-college-of-saint-joseph-380) | Criminal Justice and Corrections | $54,078 | $106,465 | $20,417 |
| [University of Michigan-Ann Arbor Main Campus](https://www.collegesref.com/college/university-of-michigan-ann-arbor-main-campus-2956) | Human Resources Management and Services | $69,663 | $99,594 | $20,596 |
| [George Washington University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/george-washington-university-1066) | Human Resources Management and Services | $58,393 | $97,126 | $20,000 |
| [Brigham Young University-Provo BYU Utah](https://www.collegesref.com/college/brigham-young-university-provo-byu-utah-302) | Human Resources Management and Services | $66,527 | $96,354 | not reported |

## Related careers

- [Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/environmental-scientists-and-specialists-including-health): $82,220 median pay
- [Environmental Science and Protection Technicians, Including Health](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/environmental-science-and-protection-technicians-including-health): $55,090 median pay
- [Environmental Engineers](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/environmental-engineers): $107,110 median pay
- [Environmental Engineering Technologists and Technicians](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/environmental-engineering-technologists-and-technicians): $59,920 median pay
- [Occupational Health and Safety Specialists](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/occupational-health-and-safety-specialists): $90,150 median pay
- [Government Property Inspectors and Investigators](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/government-property-inspectors-and-investigators): $80,730 median pay

## Sources

- [O*NET Database](https://www.onetcenter.org/database.html), version 31.0 (CC BY 4.0)
- [BLS Employment Projections](https://www.bls.gov/emp/tables.htm), version 2025-35, data year 2025 (Public domain (U.S. government work))
- [BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics](https://www.bls.gov/oes/tables.htm), version 2025, data year 2025 (Public domain (U.S. government work))
- [NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk](https://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/cipcode/resources.aspx?y=56), version 2020, data year 2020 (Public domain (U.S. government work))

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.