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Protect the environment and the people around you with a career as an environmental or health scientist or specialist. These natural science experts use their training -- usually in the form of a 4-year bachelor's degree -- to gather data and monitor environmental conditions like pollution emission or water samples. Whether they're providing guidance to government officials or developing plans to correct polluted areas, environmental scientists and specialists play an essential role in local, national and global environmental efforts.

Specialist wages for trained environmental and health scientists

Environmental scientists and specialists, including health scientists and specialists, earned median annual wages of $61,700 in 2010. Most work full time, and those in the field may have to spend long hours away from home, so a passion for ecological action can help increase your chances of long-term success.

Salary.com reports median salaries as of April 2012 on a few popular careers related to the field:

1. Environmental compliance specialist: $65,295
2. Senior environmental compliance specialist: $79,282
3. Environmental manager: $98,128
4. Entry level environmental planner: $51,094
5. Lead environmental planner: $91,443

The BLS notes the three metropolitan areas in the U.S. with the highest employment level of environmental scientists and specialists along with their annual mean wages as of May 2011:

1. Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, D.C.-Va.-Md.-W.Va. metropolitan division: $103,610
2. Houston-Sugar Land-Baytown, Texas: $64,650
3. Seattle-Bellevue-Everett, Wash. metropolitan division: $78,320

GlassDoor.com additionally provides surveyed salary ranges as of April 2012 for related occupations at specific employers:

1. Environmental scientist and specialist (ChemADVISOR): $44,000-$49,000
2. Environmental scientist/specialist (World Oil Marketing Company): $50,000-$54,000
3. Environmental health scientist/specialist (Westat): $72,000-$78,000
4. Environmental specialist/scientist (LSA Associates, INC.): $39,000-$43,000

In the careers above, wages can vary significantly based on location, years of experience, job duties and other factors.

Health and environmental scientists and specialists find training online

A bachelor's degree in a natural science gives aspiring health and environmental scientists and specialists the opportunity to earn a well-rounded education that includes a strong focus on their field. A typical degree program should include training:

• Chemistry and chemical composition
• Biology fundamentals like plant and animal structure
• Practical application of engineering and technology
• Fluid, material and atmospheric physics
• Mathematic principles and applications

As you can see, training to become a health or environmental specialist requires a practical, applicable knowledge across different fields. The most successful scientists and specialists will have complex problem solving skills and a high level of inductive and deductive reasoning.

Career growth keeps pace with occupational averages

Job opportunities are projected to be good in the coming years, with the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projecting a growth of 16,700 new jobs entering the field between 2010 and 2020. The industry is expected to grow 18.7 percent in those 10 years, which is about the average for all occupations. A growing public interest in health and environmental concerns -- along with a growing population and increasingly sophisticated technology -- should make this specialized career a smart training choice for years to come.