Hazardous Materials Removal Workers Salaries by State
Mean and median pay, wage percentiles, employment, and top-paying metro areas for hazardous materials removal workerss across the U.S. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 (data.bls.gov OEWS tool /OESServices/combo/table, all-occupation crawl by area).
Job Outlook, 2024–2034
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034.
Salary Map
Brighter tiles = higher average pay; dashed tiles have no data. Click a state for details.
💰 Top 5 Highest-Paying States
- New York$71,910
- Washington$67,890
- Alaska$67,850
- Idaho$67,320
- New Hampshire$66,500
📉 5 Lowest-Paying States
- Louisiana$40,830
- Mississippi$41,280
- Delaware$43,720
- Alabama$43,820
- Oklahoma$44,130
State Rankings
| # | State | Mean | Median | Hourly | vs. U.S. | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York | $71,910 | $73,090 | $35 | +27.4% | 4,090 |
| 2 | Washington | $67,890 | $60,160 | $33 | +20.3% | 3,250 |
| 3 | Alaska | $67,850 | $60,320 | $33 | +20.2% | 140 |
| 4 | Idaho | $67,320 | $49,710 | $32 | +19.3% | 600 |
| 5 | New Hampshire | $66,500 | $55,310 | $32 | +17.8% | 140 |
| 6 | Illinois | $65,490 | $61,330 | $31 | +16.1% | 1,980 |
| 7 | New Jersey | $64,790 | $55,900 | $31 | +14.8% | 2,250 |
| 8 | Minnesota | $64,410 | $59,100 | $31 | +14.1% | 730 |
| 9 | District of Columbia | $64,090 | $60,240 | $31 | +13.6% | 50 |
| 10 | Tennessee | $63,480 | $60,090 | $31 | +12.5% | 570 |
| 11 | California | $60,750 | $56,120 | $29 | +7.7% | 7,340 |
| 12 | South Carolina | $59,420 | $49,170 | $29 | +5.3% | 870 |
| 13 | Hawaii | $59,120 | $58,440 | $28 | +4.8% | 340 |
| 14 | Colorado | $58,230 | $59,920 | $28 | +3.2% | 1,400 |
| 15 | New Mexico | $55,550 | $53,440 | $27 | -1.6% | 680 |
| 16 | Maine | $55,330 | $47,280 | $27 | -1.9% | 190 |
| 17 | Missouri | $54,990 | $59,120 | $26 | -2.6% | 370 |
| 18 | North Dakota | $54,970 | $60,160 | $26 | -2.6% | 170 |
| 19 | Montana | $54,660 | $54,540 | $26 | -3.1% | 250 |
| 20 | Wisconsin | $53,410 | $47,750 | $26 | -5.4% | 590 |
| 21 | Utah | $53,340 | $49,240 | $26 | -5.5% | 530 |
| 22 | Rhode Island | $53,300 | $46,670 | $26 | -5.5% | 330 |
| 23 | Oregon | $53,230 | $49,720 | $26 | -5.7% | 1,130 |
| 24 | Maryland | $53,210 | $48,640 | $26 | -5.7% | 660 |
| 25 | Pennsylvania | $53,140 | $47,860 | $26 | -5.8% | 1,590 |
| 26 | Massachusetts | $52,820 | $49,620 | $25 | -6.4% | 2,770 |
| 27 | South Dakota | $52,210 | $51,420 | $25 | -7.5% | 190 |
| 28 | Kentucky | $51,980 | $47,640 | $25 | -7.9% | 460 |
| 29 | Wyoming | $51,590 | $48,570 | $25 | -8.6% | 30 |
| 30 | Connecticut | $50,740 | $47,090 | $24 | -10.1% | 750 |
| 31 | Iowa | $50,630 | $49,870 | $24 | -10.3% | 270 |
| 32 | Ohio | $50,610 | $46,620 | $24 | -10.3% | 830 |
| 33 | Georgia | $50,130 | $48,960 | $24 | -11.2% | 460 |
| 34 | Indiana | $50,130 | $46,680 | $24 | -11.2% | 990 |
| 35 | Nevada | $50,120 | $47,520 | $24 | -11.2% | 400 |
| 36 | West Virginia | $50,030 | $46,390 | $24 | -11.3% | 130 |
| 37 | Vermont | $49,460 | $46,780 | $24 | -12.4% | 70 |
| 38 | Michigan | $49,390 | $46,380 | $24 | -12.5% | 1,610 |
| 39 | Nebraska | $49,290 | $48,540 | $24 | -12.7% | 210 |
| 40 | Arizona | $49,090 | $50,530 | $24 | -13% | 800 |
| 41 | Texas | $47,590 | $44,390 | $23 | -15.7% | 4,450 |
| 42 | Virginia | $47,150 | $45,320 | $23 | -16.4% | 930 |
| 43 | Arkansas | $47,100 | $36,630 | $23 | -16.5% | 440 |
| 44 | Kansas | $45,710 | $45,530 | $22 | -19% | 480 |
| 45 | Florida | $45,130 | $42,350 | $22 | -20% | 1,780 |
| 46 | North Carolina | $45,090 | $43,180 | $22 | -20.1% | 1,250 |
| 47 | Oklahoma | $44,130 | $44,300 | $21 | -21.8% | 650 |
| 48 | Alabama | $43,820 | $38,610 | $21 | -22.3% | 350 |
| 49 | Delaware | $43,720 | $44,250 | $21 | -22.5% | — |
| 50 | Mississippi | $41,280 | $39,440 | $20 | -26.8% | 250 |
| 51 | Louisiana | $40,830 | $38,000 | $20 | -27.6% | 880 |
Top-Paying Metro Areas
Highest median pay among 162 metro areas.
| # | Metro area | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kennewick-Richland, WA | $104,530 | $88,030 | 720 |
| 2 | Pueblo, CO | $79,260 | $66,180 | 70 |
| 3 | Amarillo, TX | $77,580 | $78,080 | 120 |
| 4 | Knoxville, TN | $75,280 | $76,130 | 230 |
| 5 | New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $74,060 | $73,680 | 3,770 |
| 6 | St. Louis, MO-IL | $67,010 | $61,520 | 300 |
| 7 | West North Dakota nonmetropolitan area | $63,960 | $61,550 | — |
| 8 | Alaska nonmetropolitan area | $63,310 | $68,030 | — |
| 9 | Binghamton, NY | $62,090 | $70,370 | 50 |
| 10 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $61,330 | $65,400 | 1,580 |
Pay by Industry
Highest-paying industries employing hazardous materials removal workerss (BLS OEWS, by median).
| # | Industry | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Utilities | $108,620 | $102,910 | 150 |
| 2 | Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution | $108,620 | $102,950 | 130 |
| 3 | Nuclear Electric Power Generation | $108,620 | $105,430 | 120 |
| 4 | Sector 22 - Utilities | $108,620 | $102,910 | 150 |
| 5 | Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services | $104,530 | $92,730 | 740 |
| 6 | Engineering Services | $104,530 | $95,600 | 680 |
| 7 | Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing | $84,590 | $85,200 | 40 |
| 8 | Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) | $74,080 | $77,220 | 510 |
| 9 | Federal Government, including the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) | $74,080 | $77,220 | 510 |
| 10 | State Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $70,310 | $69,080 | 60 |
| 11 | Scientific Research and Development Services | $68,170 | $81,350 | 120 |
| 12 | Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences | $68,170 | $81,350 | 120 |
Workforce Deep-Dive
Distribution and demographics from Census ACS (2023, self-reported). Wage figures here are ACS averages and run lower than the authoritative BLS wages above; use them for shape, not exact pay.
Annual wage distribution
Pay by age band
Education level
Full-time vs part-time
Race / ethnicity
Top fields of study
Top Skills
Most important skills for this role (O*NET importance, 1–5 scale).
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do hazardous materials removal workers make in the U.S.?
The median hazardous materials removal workers salary in the United States is $49,450 per year (mean $56,430), and about 80% earn between $38,460 and $82,410.
How much do hazardous materials removal workers make per hour?
Roughly $27 per hour, based on a mean annual wage of $56,430 and 2,080 work hours per year.
Which state pays hazardous materials removal workers the most?
New York has the highest average pay for hazardous materials removal workers at $71,910 per year (median $73,090).
What is the job outlook for hazardous materials removal workers?
Employment is projected to change +1% from 2024 to 2034 (Slower than average), with about 5,000 openings per year.