H-1B Hiring for Environmental Scientists and Specialists Surges, Led by California
Explore H-1B visa filings for Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health. View sponsoring employers, salary data from 100 filings, and approval rates from DOL public records.
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Total H-1B Petitions | 100 |
| Approval Rate | 93% |
| Average Salary | $98,685 |
| Salary Range | $55,557 - $220,000 |
| Top Sponsor | Battelle Memorial Institute |
| Primary Location | California |
Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health is one of the H-1B visa categories with 102 filings and an average salary of $110,898. Hiring for Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health, has seen a significant surge in recent fiscal years, particularly in FY2025. California leads in H-1B hiring for this role, followed by Washington and Texas. The average salary offered for this role is considerably higher than the median salary, suggesting a demand for experienced professionals. The number of H-1B petitions filed is substantially higher than the number of approved petitions, indicating a competitive landscape.
| Total Filings | 100 |
| Approval Rate | 93% |
| Average Salary | $98,685 |
| Median Salary | $90,598 |
| 25th Percentile | $72,000 |
| 75th Percentile | $115,357 |
| Minimum Salary | $55,557 |
| Maximum Salary | $220,000 |
| 10th Percentile | $62,760 |
| 25th Percentile | $72,000 |
| Median (50th) | $90,598 |
| 75th Percentile | $115,357 |
| 90th Percentile | $145,400 |
| Average | $98,685 |
| Sample Size | 99 |
| Visa Class | Filings |
|---|---|
| H-1B | 91 |
| E-3 AUSTRALIAN | 6 |
| H-1B1 CHILE | 3 |
| Education Level | Filings |
|---|---|
| Not Specified | 100 |
| Employer | Filings | Avg Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Battelle Memorial Institute | 6 | $127k |
| The International Council on Clean Transportation | 5 | $110k |
| Trinity Consultants, Inc. | 4 | $109k |
| State of Washington Department of Ecology | 4 | $78k |
| California Air Resources Board | 3 | $119k |
| Global Energy Monitor | 3 | $78k |
| Specto Technology, LLC | 2 | $135k |
| THE OCEAN FOUNDATION | 2 | $175k |
| Cummins Inc. | 2 | $92k |
| Hillmann Consulting, LLC | 2 | $88k |
| State | Filings |
|---|---|
| California | 34 |
| Washington | 11 |
| Texas | 6 |
| New Jersey | 5 |
| New York | 5 |
| District of Columbia | 4 |
| Arizona | 4 |
| Michigan | 4 |
| Massachusetts | 4 |
| Indiana | 3 |
Focus on developing specialized skills and highlighting experience in high-demand areas like environmental health and sustainability to stand out in the competitive H-1B application process for environmental scientist roles.
The average H-1B salary for Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health is $110,898, with a median of $86,500. The 25th-75th percentile range is $70,040 to $105,000.
Top H-1B sponsors for Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health include Trinity Consultants, Inc., Battelle Memorial Institute, The International Council on Clean Transportation, California Air Resources Board, State of Washington Department of Ecology. A total of 72 employers have filed for this role.
There are 102 H-1B filings on record for Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health positions. 95.1% were certified.
The top states for H-1B Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health positions are California (32), Washington (11), Texas (7), New Jersey (4), Virginia (4).
Yes, Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health is a qualifying occupation for H-1B visa sponsorship. There are 102 approved H-1B petitions for this role in the database.
H-1B Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health salaries range from $45,469 to $1,980,000. The median salary is $86,500.
The approval rate for Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health H-1B petitions is 95.1%. The number of H-1B petitions filed (102) significantly exceeds the number of approved petitions (97).
The average salary (SA: $110,898) is notably higher than the median salary (SM: $86,500).
Focus on developing specialized skills and highlighting experience in high-demand areas like environmental health and sustainability to stand out in the competitive H-1B application process for environmental scientist roles.
California is the dominant state for H-1B hiring in this field, accounting for 32 petitions.
The Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health occupation (SOC code 19-204100) is classified under the Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) system maintained by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The SOC system groups workers into occupational categories based on the type of work performed, providing a standardized framework for comparing wages, employment levels, and workforce trends across the United States.
Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health positions fall within the specialty occupation category required for H-1B visa sponsorship, meaning they typically require the theoretical and practical application of a body of highly specialized knowledge and at minimum a bachelor's degree or its equivalent in the specific specialty. Based on H-1B filing data, the most common education requirement for Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health positions is Not Specified (100 filings), followed by other degree levels.
Across 100 LCA filings tracked by H1BSalaryCheck, Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health positions show an average offered salary of $98,685, with a range from $55,557 at the entry level to $220,000 for senior positions. The largest concentration of H-1B filings for this role is in California (34 filings) and Washington (11 filings).
Career outlook for Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health professionals is closely tied to industry demand for specialized skills. Employers sponsoring H-1B workers for this role are demonstrating that they could not find sufficient qualified U.S. workers to fill these positions, which often signals strong demand and competitive compensation. Workers in this occupation may also be eligible for other visa categories including L-1 intracompany transfers, O-1 extraordinary ability visas, or employment-based green card sponsorship through the PERM process.
To sponsor a foreign worker for an H-1B visa in a Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health role, U.S. employers must satisfy several requirements established by the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) and enforced by both the Department of Labor (DOL) and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS):
The position must qualify as a "specialty occupation," meaning it requires the theoretical and practical application of a body of highly specialized knowledge and at minimum a bachelor's degree or its equivalent in a specific specialty directly related to the position. For Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health roles, H-1B filings indicate that employers most commonly require a Not Specified degree. USCIS evaluates whether the position itself, not just the employer's preference, genuinely requires specialized education.
Employers must pay H-1B workers at least the prevailing wage for the occupation in the geographic area of employment, as determined by the DOL. The prevailing wage is based on four skill levels (Level 1 through Level 4) that reflect the complexity of the job duties and required experience. For Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health positions, the average offered salary of $98,685 exceeds prevailing wages by an average of 18.9%, with 76% of filings offering above the prevailing wage.
Before filing the H-1B petition, employers must obtain a certified LCA from the DOL. The LCA requires employers to attest to four conditions: (1) paying at least the prevailing wage or actual wage, whichever is higher; (2) providing working conditions that do not adversely affect similarly employed U.S. workers; (3) no strike or lockout at the worksite; and (4) proper notice of the filing to workers. The overall LCA approval rate for Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health positions is 93%.
The annual H-1B cap is set at 65,000 regular visas plus 20,000 for beneficiaries with U.S. master's degrees or higher (the "master's cap"). Certain employers, including institutions of higher education, nonprofit research organizations, and government research organizations, are exempt from the cap. Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health positions at cap-exempt employers can be filed at any time during the year, while cap-subject employers must participate in the annual H-1B lottery, typically held in March for the following fiscal year.
H-1B visas are initially granted for up to three years and can be extended for a maximum of six years total. Workers who have an approved I-140 immigrant petition (part of the green card process) may be eligible for extensions beyond the six-year limit under the American Competitiveness in the Twenty-First Century Act (AC21). The average contract duration for Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health H-1B filings is approximately 32 months.
Cities with the most H-1B filings for Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health positions.