Entry-level Environmental Scientist salary in Washington, DC

Based on 13 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level I in the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes College Park, Arlington, Washington, Dc, Alexandria, Reston.

Also listed as: Environmental Specialist

Median salary$72,000
Middle 50%$64.3k–$82k
vs. all levels here−27%comparison median $98,963
Filings13FY2025–FY2026 · latest two fiscal years

Salary range

Box: middle 50% of filings. Whiskers: 10th–90th percentile. 99% of filings are between $61,371 and $95,507.
PercentileSalary
10th$62,600
25th$64,314
50th (median)$72,000
75th$82,041
90th$93,721

Salary by year

Median salary

$50k $65k $80k FY2021: median $65,146 (13 filings) FY2022: median $70,000 (13 filings) FY2023: median $65,616 (10 filings) FY2024: median $70,836 (15 filings) FY2025: median $74,480 (10 filings) FY20 FY21 FY22 FY23 FY24 FY25 FY26

Filings per year

FY2020: 8 filings FY20 FY2021: 13 filings FY21 FY2022: 13 filings FY22 FY2023: 10 filings FY23 FY2024: 15 filings FY24 FY2025: 10 filings FY25 FY2026: 3 filings FY26 15
Shaded: FY2025–FY2026, the years behind the figures above. Median shown for years with at least 10 filings. FY2026 covers Q1–Q3 only.
Show as table
Fiscal yearMedianP25P75Filings
FY2020–––8
FY2021$65,146$64,043$75,20513
FY2022$70,000$65,150$76,07113
FY2023$65,616$62,380$73,87010
FY2024$70,836$68,500$76,60015
FY2025$74,480$64,986$81,91310
FY2026–––3

Cost of living

Washington's median entry-level Environmental Scientist salary of $72,000 is worth about $66,100 at national average prices.

Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Washington = 108.9).

Compared with all workers here

All Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health in the Washington, DC area earned a median of $108,160 in May 2025 (2,710 employed). The H-1B median here is $72,000, 33% lower.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS metropolitan area estimates. BLS wages include some incentive pay; H-1B figures are base salary.

Employers filing at this level

EmployerMedianFilings
University of Maryland College Parktoo few4
ICF Incorporatedtoo few2
Trinity Consultantstoo few2

Employers with at least 2 filings here. Median shown at 10+ filings.

By experience level

Wage levelMedianFilings
Entry-level · Level I $72,000 13
Mid-level · Level II $100,000 19
Senior · Level III too few 4
Expert · Level IV too few 4

Median shown when a level has at least 10 filings.

Minimum H-1B salary by level

Wage levelPrevailing wage (most common)Median offered salaryFilings
Entry-level · Level I$64,314$72,00013
Mid-level · Level II$93,246$100,00019

The prevailing wage is the minimum an employer must pay for this job and area. Amounts vary by county within a metro and by wage source.