Environmental Restoration Planners: Career Overview
Collaborate with field and biology staff to oversee the implementation of restoration projects and to develop new products. Process and synthesize complex scientific data into practical strategies for restoration, monitoring or management.
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What Tasks Do Environmental Restoration Planners Perform?
Typical responsibilities of environmental restoration planners cover:
- Develop environmental restoration project schedules and budgets.
- Provide technical direction on environmental planning to energy engineers, biologists, geologists, or other professionals working to develop restoration plans or strategies.
- Create habitat management or restoration plans, such as native tree restoration and weed control.
- Conduct site assessments to certify a habitat or to ascertain environmental damage or restoration needs.
- Collect and analyze data to determine environmental conditions and restoration needs.
- Supervise and provide technical guidance, training, or assistance to employees working in the field to restore habitats.
- Plan environmental restoration projects, using biological databases, environmental strategies, and planning software.
- Communicate findings of environmental studies or proposals for environmental remediation to other restoration professionals.
Skills and Knowledge
Effective environmental restoration planners combine a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Key Skills
These are the skills most central to this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Core Knowledge
Types of Environmental Restoration Planners Jobs
Common job titles for this role include:
- Coastal and Estuary Specialist
- Conservation Planner
- Environmental Planner
- Environmental Planning Engineer
- Environmental Restoration Planner
- Fisheries Habitat Restoration Specialist
- Habitat Conservation Planner
- Habitat Restoration Specialist
Job Outlook
There are roughly 94,475 environmental restoration planners working in the United States today. Demand is forecast to grow by +4.3% over the projection horizon.
Environmental Restoration Planners Pay
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $61,737 |
| Hourly median | $29.68 |
| 10th percentile | $41,515 |
| 25th percentile | $51,626 |
| 75th percentile | $71,848 |
| 90th percentile | $81,959 |
Pay can vary substantially based on experience, location, and industry.
Pay by State
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $122,440 |
| California | $97,520 |
| Massachusetts | $96,330 |
| Oregon | $93,560 |
| Rhode Island | $90,460 |
| Illinois | $89,010 |
| Washington | $88,670 |
| Minnesota | $87,210 |
| Alaska | $87,060 |
| Colorado | $86,720 |
| Maryland | $82,100 |
| Georgia | $82,030 |
| Utah | $81,480 |
| Connecticut | $81,370 |
| North Dakota | $81,260 |
| Ohio | $80,640 |
| Nevada | $80,480 |
| New York | $80,240 |
| New Jersey | $79,920 |
| New Mexico | $79,250 |
| New Hampshire | $79,230 |
| Arizona | $78,870 |
| Texas | $78,560 |
| Montana | $78,510 |
| Virginia | $78,140 |
| West Virginia | $77,980 |
| Indiana | $77,380 |
| Tennessee | $76,900 |
| Michigan | $76,670 |
| Arkansas | $75,620 |
| Hawaii | $75,050 |
| Alabama | $74,660 |
| Wyoming | $74,060 |
| Iowa | $74,060 |
| Kansas | $73,300 |
| Pennsylvania | $73,040 |
| South Dakota | $71,510 |
| Vermont | $69,330 |
| Kentucky | $68,990 |
| Wisconsin | $68,980 |
| Oklahoma | $67,530 |
| Louisiana | $67,260 |
| Missouri | $67,190 |
| Idaho | $66,710 |
| South Carolina | $65,960 |
| North Carolina | $65,800 |
| Delaware | $62,780 |
| Guam | $62,170 |
| Nebraska | $61,260 |
| Maine | $60,880 |
| Florida | $59,510 |
| Virgin Islands | $56,400 |
| Mississippi | $55,110 |
| Puerto Rico | $47,250 |
Pay by U.S. Region
Earnings for environmental restoration planners shift depending on where you work. Top regions by median wage:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Far Western US | $93,938 | 24.2% | 1.59 |
| New England | $87,163 | 6.2% | 1.41 |
| Middle Atlantic | $83,442 | 14.8% | 1.29 |
| Rocky Mountains | $81,100 | 5.9% | 1.58 |
| Great Lakes | $78,970 | 10.1% | 0.80 |
| Southwest | $78,042 | 8.5% | 0.92 |
| Plains States | $77,498 | 5.5% | 0.91 |
| Southeast | $68,239 | 24.1% | 1.11 |
Top Metro Areas
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | CA | $110,240 | 1,630 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | DC | $109,520 | 2,780 |
| Kennewick-Richland, WA | WA | $108,310 | 330 |
| Monroe, MI | MI | $107,990 | 60 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | CA | $102,420 | 3,390 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | CA | $101,540 | 2,530 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | CA | $99,750 | 450 |
| Worcester, MA | MA | $99,280 | 210 |
Industry Breakdown
Most environmental restoration planners are concentrated in the following sectors:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 32,170 | $77,920 |
| Educational Services | 2,640 | $82,360 |
| Other Services (except Public Administration) | 2,610 | $74,910 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | 1,910 | $101,330 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 1,690 | $74,670 |
| Manufacturing | 1,220 | $107,990 |
| Utilities | 1,160 | $108,480 |
| Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction | 690 | $73,180 |
Below are examples of industries where environmental restoration planners work:
Tools and Technology
- Document management software: Adobe Acrobat (hot technology)
- Graphics or photo imaging software: Adobe Creative Cloud software (hot technology)
- Graphics or photo imaging software: Adobe Illustrator (hot technology)
- Desktop publishing software: Adobe InDesign (hot technology)
- Graphics or photo imaging software: Adobe Photoshop (hot technology)
- Computer aided design CAD software: Autodesk AutoCAD (hot technology)
- Computer aided design CAD software: Autodesk AutoCAD Civil 3D (hot technology)
- Geographic information system: ESRI ArcGIS software (hot technology)
- Data base user interface and query software: Microsoft Access (hot technology)
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Electronic mail software: Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
Work Environment
Daily working conditions for environmental restoration planners is shaped by the following characteristics:
- Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Telephone Conversations
- Determine Tasks, Priorities and Goals
Education and Training
Typical environmental restoration planners positions require a bachelor’s degree as the typical entry-level education. The role falls in Extensive Preparation Needed (Job Zone 5), signaling the level of preparation typically expected.
Similar Occupations
Similar Occupations
- Water Resource Specialists (Primary-Long)
- Brownfield Redevelopment Specialists and Site Managers (Primary-Short)
- Civil Engineers (Supplemental)
- Water/Wastewater Engineers (Supplemental)
- Environmental Engineers (Primary-Long)
- Soil and Plant Scientists (Supplemental)
- Zoologists and Wildlife Biologists (Supplemental)
- Biologists (Supplemental)
Top Programs to Study For This Career
Students preparing for environmental restoration planners commonly pursue programs in:
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies
4 programs across 4 majors
Biological and Biomedical Sciences
3 programs across 1 majors
Natural Resources and Conservation
2 programs across 1 majors
Health Professions and Related Programs
1 programs across 1 majors
Physical Sciences
1 programs across 1 majors
Sources
This profile draws on the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 19-2041.02 (Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health).
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