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Environmental Science and Protection Technicians, Including Health vs Geological Technicians, Except Hydrologic Technicians: what changes?

Consider Environmental Science and Protection Technicians, Including Health if you want to perform laboratory and field tests to monitor the environment and investigate sources of pollution, including those that affect health, under the direction of an environmental scientist, engineer, or other…. Consider Geological Technicians, Except Hydrologic Technicians if you would rather assist scientists or engineers in the use of electronic, sonic, or nuclear measuring instruments in laboratory, exploration, and production activities to obtain data indicating resources such as metallic ore…. Both list associate's degree; compare training and prior experience separately.

Try this next: Compare three local entry-level postings for Environmental Science and Protection Technicians, Including Health and Geological Technicians, Except Hydrologic Technicians. List the duties, credentials, prior experience, and paid training each employer actually asks for. Try a supervised class or sample project from each field before choosing a program.

BLS 2025 wages and 2025–2035 projections. National medians are not starting offers. Occupation size is not a count of vacancies. View the BLS data.

Compare the practical differences
What this means in practice

The facts most likely to affect your decision

Start with earnings, the route into the job, training, available openings, and a day-to-day reality.

Environmental Science and Protection Technicians, Including Health

National median pay (2025)
$55,090
Route into the job
Associate's degree
Prior related experience
No prior related occupation is typically required; employer requirements vary.
Training and licensing
BLS does not list a separate on-the-job training requirement. Employers may still provide orientation and role-specific training.
Work to investigate
Collect samples of gases, soils, water, industrial wastewater, or asbestos products to conduct tests on pollutant levels or identify sources of pollution.
Annual openings (2025–2035)
5,300
Know before you choose

Deadline pressure is a recurring condition rather than an occasional emergency.

See the full Environmental Science and Protection Technicians, Including Health brief

Geological Technicians, Except Hydrologic Technicians

National median pay (2025)
$53,350
Route into the job
Associate's degree; More than one month and up to 12 months of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing
Prior related experience
No prior related occupation is typically required; employer requirements vary.
Training and licensing
More than one month and up to 12 months of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing.
Work to investigate
Test and analyze samples to determine their content and characteristics, using laboratory apparatus or testing equipment.
Annual openings (2025–2035)
1,000
Know before you choose

This is a small national occupation (7,300 jobs in 2025), so location and employer concentration can matter more than the national median suggests.

See the full Geological Technicians, Except Hydrologic Technicians brief
See scores, detailed data, and how the comparison works

How the national numbers differ

1

Environmental Science and Protection Technicians, Including Health has the edge on annual openings

Environmental Science and Protection Technicians, Including Health is at 5,300 annual openings, compared with 1,000 annual openings for Geological Technicians, Except Hydrologic Technicians.

2

Environmental Science and Protection Technicians, Including Health has the edge on projected growth

Environmental Science and Protection Technicians, Including Health is at 6.9% projected growth, compared with 3.6% projected growth for Geological Technicians, Except Hydrologic Technicians.

3

Environmental Science and Protection Technicians, Including Health has the edge on median pay

Environmental Science and Protection Technicians, Including Health is at $55,090, compared with $53,350 for Geological Technicians, Except Hydrologic Technicians.

53/ 100

Environmental Science and Protection Technicians, Including Health

vs
35.8/ 100

Geological Technicians, Except Hydrologic Technicians

Each available metric is ranked from 0 to 100 against the careers on ChooseField. The weighted average uses this profile: pay 30%, growth 25%, openings 30%, preparation level 15%. Missing values are not scored as zero; their weights are redistributed across available metrics. Occupation size has zero weight: employment is not accessible vacancies. Preparation categories do not measure admission difficulty or years without earnings. The score summarizes national measures; local opportunities and personal fit still need separate consideration.

Detailed evidence

Environmental Science and Protection Technicians, Including Health vs Geological Technicians, Except Hydrologic Technicians

DimensionEnvironmental Science and Protection Technicians, Including HealthGeological Technicians, Except Hydrologic Technicians
Median pay (2025)$55,090$53,350
Pay percentile39.8 percentile38.8 percentile
Projected growth (2025–2035)6.9%3.6%
Annual openings (2025–2035)5,3001,000
2025 employment36,4007,300
How you qualifyAssociate's degreeAssociate's degree; More than one month and up to 12 months of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing
O*NET preparation groupJob Zone 4Job Zone 4
Related work experienceNo prior related occupation is typically required; employer requirements vary.No prior related occupation is typically required; employer requirements vary.
On-the-job trainingBLS does not list a separate on-the-job training requirement. Employers may still provide orientation and role-specific training.More than one month and up to 12 months of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing.

The table reports national benchmarks and reviewed work descriptions. It does not rate personal suitability, job security, or physical safety.

Read Environmental Science and Protection Technicians, Including Health briefRead Geological Technicians, Except Hydrologic Technicians brief

Try another comparison

Environmental Science and Protection Technicians, Including Health vs Food Science Technicians

Compare pay, growth, education, and the tradeoffs that affect the decision.

Environmental Science and Protection Technicians, Including Health
$55,090 · 6.9% growth
Food Science Technicians
$52,130 · 4.8% growth
Compare careers →

Geological Technicians, Except Hydrologic Technicians vs Food Science Technicians

Compare pay, growth, education, and the tradeoffs that affect the decision.

Geological Technicians, Except Hydrologic Technicians
$53,350 · 3.6% growth
Food Science Technicians
$52,130 · 4.8% growth
Compare careers →
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