Environmental Scientist (government) in Illinois

$61,524 – $149,964

state pay plan range, a year

classes in the state plan

$81,590

median pay in IL, all employers

1,550

workers in IL (SOC 19-2041)

Sources: Illinois Department of Central Management Services, Illinois CMS Alphabetic Index of Position Titles (FY 2027, effective July 1, 2026, corrected edition); U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 — state estimates. Data captured September 30, 2026.

Illinois state pay plan Sourced

Published rates for each class, lowest first, effective July 1, 2026. These are the ranges Illinois 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 13821 Grade RC-062-14-B · RC-062 Technical Employees	$5,127.00 – $7,135.00 a month $61,524 – $85,620 a year 10 steps Step 1b: $5,127.00 a month Step 1a: $5,287.00 a month Step 1: $5,354.00 a month Step 2: $5,555.00 a month Step 3: $5,772.00 a month Step 4: $6,025.00 a month Step 5: $6,243.00 a month Step 6: $6,480.00 a month Step 7: $6,861.00 a month Step 8: $7,135.00 a month
Grade RC-062-14-Q · RC-062 Technical Employees	$5,342.00 – $7,452.00 a month $64,104 – $89,424 a year 10 steps Step 1b: $5,342.00 a month Step 1a: $5,510.00 a month Step 1: $5,582.00 a month Step 2: $5,790.00 a month Step 3: $6,030.00 a month Step 4: $6,290.00 a month Step 5: $6,526.00 a month Step 6: $6,776.00 a month Step 7: $7,167.00 a month Step 8: $7,452.00 a month
Grade RC-062-14-S · RC-062 Technical Employees	$5,439.00 – $7,571.00 a month $65,268 – $90,852 a year 10 steps Step 1b: $5,439.00 a month Step 1a: $5,608.00 a month Step 1: $5,684.00 a month Step 2: $5,906.00 a month Step 3: $6,135.00 a month Step 4: $6,403.00 a month Step 5: $6,645.00 a month Step 6: $6,890.00 a month Step 7: $7,282.00 a month Step 8: $7,571.00 a month
Grade MS-11-4 · Merit Compensation System salary ranges (MS)	$5,127.00 – $7,382.00 a month $61,524 – $88,584 a year
Environmental Protection Specialist II Class 13822 Grade RC-062-16-B · RC-062 Technical Employees	$5,572.00 – $7,898.00 a month $66,864 – $94,776 a year 10 steps Step 1b: $5,572.00 a month Step 1a: $5,746.00 a month Step 1: $5,826.00 a month Step 2: $6,085.00 a month Step 3: $6,354.00 a month Step 4: $6,618.00 a month Step 5: $6,893.00 a month Step 6: $7,168.00 a month Step 7: $7,594.00 a month Step 8: $7,898.00 a month
Grade RC-062-16-Q · RC-062 Technical Employees	$5,812.00 – $8,259.00 a month $69,744 – $99,108 a year 10 steps Step 1b: $5,812.00 a month Step 1a: $5,995.00 a month Step 1: $6,076.00 a month Step 2: $6,354.00 a month Step 3: $6,647.00 a month Step 4: $6,920.00 a month Step 5: $7,208.00 a month Step 6: $7,493.00 a month Step 7: $7,938.00 a month Step 8: $8,259.00 a month
Grade RC-062-16-S · RC-062 Technical Employees	$5,922.00 – $8,372.00 a month $71,064 – $100,464 a year 10 steps Step 1b: $5,922.00 a month Step 1a: $6,103.00 a month Step 1: $6,194.00 a month Step 2: $6,468.00 a month Step 3: $6,759.00 a month Step 4: $7,037.00 a month Step 5: $7,320.00 a month Step 6: $7,609.00 a month Step 7: $8,048.00 a month Step 8: $8,372.00 a month
Grade MS-14-4 · Merit Compensation System salary ranges (MS)	$5,572.00 – $7,898.00 a month $66,864 – $94,776 a year
Environmental Protection Specialist III Class 13823 Grade RC-062-18-B · RC-062 Technical Employees	$6,135.00 – $8,790.00 a month $73,620 – $105,480 a year 10 steps Step 1b: $6,135.00 a month Step 1a: $6,327.00 a month Step 1: $6,424.00 a month Step 2: $6,733.00 a month Step 3: $7,044.00 a month Step 4: $7,369.00 a month Step 5: $7,665.00 a month Step 6: $7,975.00 a month Step 7: $8,449.00 a month Step 8: $8,790.00 a month
Grade RC-062-18-Q · RC-062 Technical Employees	$6,404.00 – $9,187.00 a month $76,848 – $110,244 a year 10 steps Step 1b: $6,404.00 a month Step 1a: $6,602.00 a month Step 1: $6,710.00 a month Step 2: $7,039.00 a month Step 3: $7,367.00 a month Step 4: $7,700.00 a month Step 5: $8,016.00 a month Step 6: $8,336.00 a month Step 7: $8,835.00 a month Step 8: $9,187.00 a month
Grade RC-062-18-S · RC-062 Technical Employees	$6,507.00 – $9,307.00 a month $78,084 – $111,684 a year 10 steps Step 1b: $6,507.00 a month Step 1a: $6,712.00 a month Step 1: $6,821.00 a month Step 2: $7,153.00 a month Step 3: $7,480.00 a month Step 4: $7,817.00 a month Step 5: $8,132.00 a month Step 6: $8,454.00 a month Step 7: $8,944.00 a month Step 8: $9,307.00 a month
Grade MS-19-4 · Merit Compensation System salary ranges (MS)	$6,135.00 – $8,790.00 a month $73,620 – $105,480 a year
Environmental Protection Specialist IV Class 13824 Grade RC-062-23-B · RC-062 Technical Employees	$8,060.00 – $11,851.00 a month $96,720 – $142,212 a year 10 steps Step 1b: $8,060.00 a month Step 1a: $8,313.00 a month Step 1: $8,470.00 a month Step 2: $8,917.00 a month Step 3: $9,375.00 a month Step 4: $9,820.00 a month Step 5: $10,270.00 a month Step 6: $10,714.00 a month Step 7: $11,393.00 a month Step 8: $11,851.00 a month
Grade RC-062-23-Q · RC-062 Technical Employees	$8,421.00 – $12,379.00 a month $101,052 – $148,548 a year 10 steps Step 1b: $8,421.00 a month Step 1a: $8,688.00 a month Step 1: $8,854.00 a month Step 2: $9,323.00 a month Step 3: $9,799.00 a month Step 4: $10,261.00 a month Step 5: $10,738.00 a month Step 6: $11,202.00 a month Step 7: $11,904.00 a month Step 8: $12,379.00 a month
Grade RC-062-23-S · RC-062 Technical Employees	$8,528.00 – $12,497.00 a month $102,336 – $149,964 a year 10 steps Step 1b: $8,528.00 a month Step 1a: $8,796.00 a month Step 1: $8,971.00 a month Step 2: $9,436.00 a month Step 3: $9,915.00 a month Step 4: $10,378.00 a month Step 5: $10,852.00 a month Step 6: $11,321.00 a month Step 7: $12,020.00 a month Step 8: $12,497.00 a month
Grade MS-29-4 · Merit Compensation System salary ranges (MS)	$8,060.00 – $11,851.00 a month $96,720 – $142,212 a year

Rates are as the plan publishes them; "a year" figures are conversions. Classes are matched to this job by title (GovJobsWiki editorial rule).

Source: Illinois Department of Central Management Services, Illinois CMS Alphabetic Index of Position Titles (FY 2027, effective July 1, 2026, corrected edition). Data captured September 30, 2026.

Pay in Illinois, all employers Sourced

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

Measure	IL
Workers	1,550
10th percentile	$46,540
Median	$81,590
90th percentile	$153,150
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 Illinois

Illinois state pay plan Sourced

Pay in Illinois, all employers Sourced

More about this job

Environmental Scientist (government) in other states