Sources: Iowa Department of Administrative Services, Iowa FY 2027 Classification Plan and Pay Plans; U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 — state estimates. Data captured September 30, 2026.
Iowa state pay plan Sourced
Published rates for each class, lowest first, effective June 19, 2026. These are the ranges Iowa sets for its own state employees; cities, counties and school districts have their own pay plans.
| Class and grade | Published rate |
|---|---|
| Environmental Specialist Class 04513 · class description Grade 27 | $54,350 – $81,973 a year |
| Environmental Specialist Senior Class 04519 · class description Grade 30 | $61,443 – $94,765 a year |
Schedule: 009 UE/IUP. Rates are as the plan publishes them; "a year" figures are conversions. Classes are matched to this job by title (GovJobsWiki editorial rule).
Source: Iowa Department of Administrative Services, Iowa FY 2027 Classification Plan and Pay Plans. Data captured September 30, 2026.
Pay in Iowa, all employers Sourced
Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health (SOC 19-2041) in Iowa, all employers combined: BLS state estimates do not separate government from private.
| Measure | IA |
|---|---|
| Workers | 690 |
| 10th percentile | $54,340 |
| Median | $78,780 |
| 90th percentile | $117,040 |
| 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.