Sources: Virginia Department of Human Resource Management (DHRM), Virginia Classified Salary Structure and Career Group Role Descriptions; U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 — state estimates. Data captured September 30, 2026.
Virginia state pay plan Sourced
Published rates for each class, lowest first, effective July 25, 2026. These are the ranges Virginia sets for its own state employees; cities, counties and school districts have their own pay plans.
| Class and grade | Published rate |
|---|---|
| Environmental Specialist I Class 59031 · class description Grade 4 · Classified Salary Structure: Virginia Statewide Pay Area (SW) Pay Bands | $45,739 – $121,468 a year |
Grade 4 · Classified Salary Structure: Northern Virginia Pay Area (FP) Expanded Range Pay Bands | $45,739 – $154,947 a year |
| Environmental Specialist II Class 59032 · class description Grade 5 · Classified Salary Structure: Virginia Statewide Pay Area (SW) Pay Bands | $59,754 – $153,651 a year |
Grade 5 · Classified Salary Structure: Northern Virginia Pay Area (FP) Expanded Range Pay Bands | $59,754 – $196,785 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: Virginia Department of Human Resource Management (DHRM), Virginia Classified Salary Structure and Career Group Role Descriptions. Data captured September 30, 2026.
Pay in Virginia, all employers Sourced
Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health (SOC 19-2041) in Virginia, all employers combined: BLS state estimates do not separate government from private.
| Measure | VA |
|---|---|
| Workers | 2,850 |
| 10th percentile | $57,720 |
| Median | $82,230 |
| 90th percentile | $135,580 |
| 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.