Environmental Scientist (government) in Colorado

$66,396 – $167,748

state pay plan range, a year

classes in the state plan

$85,990

median pay in CO, all employers

2,580

workers in CO (SOC 19-2041)

Sources: Colorado Department of Personnel & Administration, Division of Human Resources (DHR), State of Colorado Pay Plan FY 2026-27 — Pay Plan with Steps, State Troopers and Medical Pay Plan; U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 — state estimates. Data captured September 30, 2026.

Colorado state pay plan Sourced

Published rates for each class, lowest first, effective July 1, 2026. These are the ranges Colorado sets for its own state employees; cities, counties and school districts have their own pay plans.

Class and grade	Published rate
Environmental Protection Specialist I Class I3A2T · class description Grade I09	$5,533.00 – $8,174.00 a month $66,396 – $98,088 a year 31 steps Minimum: $5,533.00 a month Year 1: $5,533.00 a month Year 2: $5,533.00 a month Year 3: $5,810.00 a month Year 4: $5,810.00 a month Year 5: $6,101.00 a month Year 6: $6,101.00 a month Year 7: $6,101.00 a month Year 8: $6,406.00 a month Year 9: $6,406.00 a month Year 10: $6,640.00 a month Year 11: $6,640.00 a month Year 12: $6,773.00 a month Year 13: $6,773.00 a month Year 14: $6,773.00 a month Year 15: $6,908.00 a month Year 16: $6,908.00 a month Year 17: $6,908.00 a month Year 18: $6,908.00 a month Year 19: $6,908.00 a month Year 20: $7,046.00 a month Year 21: $7,046.00 a month Year 22: $7,046.00 a month Year 23: $7,046.00 a month Year 24: $7,046.00 a month Year 25: $7,187.00 a month Year 26: $7,187.00 a month Year 27: $7,187.00 a month Year 28: $7,187.00 a month Year 29: $7,187.00 a month Year 30: $7,187.00 a month
Environmental Protection Specialist II Class I3A3 · class description Grade I12	$6,405.00 – $9,461.00 a month $76,860 – $113,532 a year 31 steps Minimum: $6,405.00 a month Year 1: $6,405.00 a month Year 2: $6,405.00 a month Year 3: $6,725.00 a month Year 4: $6,725.00 a month Year 5: $7,062.00 a month Year 6: $7,062.00 a month Year 7: $7,062.00 a month Year 8: $7,415.00 a month Year 9: $7,415.00 a month Year 10: $7,686.00 a month Year 11: $7,686.00 a month Year 12: $7,840.00 a month Year 13: $7,840.00 a month Year 14: $7,840.00 a month Year 15: $7,997.00 a month Year 16: $7,997.00 a month Year 17: $7,997.00 a month Year 18: $7,997.00 a month Year 19: $7,997.00 a month Year 20: $8,156.00 a month Year 21: $8,156.00 a month Year 22: $8,156.00 a month Year 23: $8,156.00 a month Year 24: $8,156.00 a month Year 25: $8,320.00 a month Year 26: $8,320.00 a month Year 27: $8,320.00 a month Year 28: $8,320.00 a month Year 29: $8,320.00 a month Year 30: $8,320.00 a month
Environmental Protection Specialist III Class I3A4 · class description Grade I15	$7,415.00 – $10,953.00 a month $88,980 – $131,436 a year 31 steps Minimum: $7,415.00 a month Year 1: $7,415.00 a month Year 2: $7,415.00 a month Year 3: $7,786.00 a month Year 4: $7,786.00 a month Year 5: $8,175.00 a month Year 6: $8,175.00 a month Year 7: $8,175.00 a month Year 8: $8,584.00 a month Year 9: $8,584.00 a month Year 10: $8,898.00 a month Year 11: $8,898.00 a month Year 12: $9,076.00 a month Year 13: $9,076.00 a month Year 14: $9,076.00 a month Year 15: $9,257.00 a month Year 16: $9,257.00 a month Year 17: $9,257.00 a month Year 18: $9,257.00 a month Year 19: $9,257.00 a month Year 20: $9,443.00 a month Year 21: $9,443.00 a month Year 22: $9,443.00 a month Year 23: $9,443.00 a month Year 24: $9,443.00 a month Year 25: $9,631.00 a month Year 26: $9,631.00 a month Year 27: $9,631.00 a month Year 28: $9,631.00 a month Year 29: $9,631.00 a month Year 30: $9,631.00 a month
Environmental Protection Specialist IV Class I3A5 · class description Grade I18	$8,583.00 – $12,679.00 a month $102,996 – $152,148 a year 31 steps Minimum: $8,583.00 a month Year 1: $8,583.00 a month Year 2: $8,583.00 a month Year 3: $9,013.00 a month Year 4: $9,013.00 a month Year 5: $9,463.00 a month Year 6: $9,463.00 a month Year 7: $9,463.00 a month Year 8: $9,936.00 a month Year 9: $9,936.00 a month Year 10: $10,300.00 a month Year 11: $10,300.00 a month Year 12: $10,506.00 a month Year 13: $10,506.00 a month Year 14: $10,506.00 a month Year 15: $10,716.00 a month Year 16: $10,716.00 a month Year 17: $10,716.00 a month Year 18: $10,716.00 a month Year 19: $10,716.00 a month Year 20: $10,930.00 a month Year 21: $10,930.00 a month Year 22: $10,930.00 a month Year 23: $10,930.00 a month Year 24: $10,930.00 a month Year 25: $11,149.00 a month Year 26: $11,149.00 a month Year 27: $11,149.00 a month Year 28: $11,149.00 a month Year 29: $11,149.00 a month Year 30: $11,149.00 a month
Environmental Protection Specialist V Class I3A6 · class description Grade I20	$9,463.00 – $13,979.00 a month $113,556 – $167,748 a year 31 steps Minimum: $9,463.00 a month Year 1: $9,463.00 a month Year 2: $9,463.00 a month Year 3: $9,937.00 a month Year 4: $9,937.00 a month Year 5: $10,433.00 a month Year 6: $10,433.00 a month Year 7: $10,433.00 a month Year 8: $10,955.00 a month Year 9: $10,955.00 a month Year 10: $11,356.00 a month Year 11: $11,356.00 a month Year 12: $11,583.00 a month Year 13: $11,583.00 a month Year 14: $11,583.00 a month Year 15: $11,815.00 a month Year 16: $11,815.00 a month Year 17: $11,815.00 a month Year 18: $11,815.00 a month Year 19: $11,815.00 a month Year 20: $12,051.00 a month Year 21: $12,051.00 a month Year 22: $12,051.00 a month Year 23: $12,051.00 a month Year 24: $12,051.00 a month Year 25: $12,292.00 a month Year 26: $12,292.00 a month Year 27: $12,292.00 a month Year 28: $12,292.00 a month Year 29: $12,292.00 a month Year 30: $12,292.00 a month

Schedule: State of Colorado Pay Plan FY 2026-27. Rates are as the plan publishes them; "a year" figures are conversions. Classes are matched to this job by title (GovJobsWiki editorial rule).

Source: Colorado Department of Personnel & Administration, Division of Human Resources (DHR), State of Colorado Pay Plan FY 2026-27 — Pay Plan with Steps, State Troopers and Medical Pay Plan. Data captured September 30, 2026.

Pay in Colorado, all employers Sourced

Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health (SOC 19-2041) in Colorado, all employers combined: BLS state estimates do not separate government from private.

Measure	CO
Workers	2,580
10th percentile	$65,260
Median	$85,990
90th percentile	$140,340
National median, government employers	$82,730

Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 — state estimates; U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 — national estimates by ownership. Data captured September 30, 2026.

More about this job

Requirements, hiring process, training, schedule and day-to-day work are on the national Environmental Scientist (government) page.

Environmental Scientist (government) in Colorado

Colorado state pay plan Sourced

Pay in Colorado, all employers Sourced

More about this job

Environmental Scientist (government) in other states