At a state agency, utility, or environmental program, you analyze environmental data and the quality of compliance reporting — air emissions, water discharges, waste manifests, monitoring records — surfacing trends and flagging the issues that need follow-up.
A typical week often involves data review, trend analysis, report drafting, and the steady cadence of cross-program coordination — reviewing facility submittals for completeness, running queries on emissions inventories, drafting findings for inspector follow-up, sitting in program meetings on emerging issues. You're often the analytical layer that turns raw monitoring data into something a decision-maker can act on. Reports reviewed and issues escalated are the visible measures.
The harder part is often the gap between submitted data and operational reality — facilities report what their systems produce, and the analyst sometimes has to read between the lines. Variance across employers is wide: at federal or large state agencies the data infrastructure is mature; at smaller agencies you may be building Excel-based analysis as you go.
The role rewards people who are analytically curious and patient with regulatory-data complexity. Environmental science degrees plus statistical training anchor the role. The trade-off is the desk-bound rhythm — most of the work happens in front of a screen, with fieldwork as the occasional break.
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Roles like this one sit within a broader occupational category. The numbers below reflect that full landscape — helpful for context, but your specific experience will depend on level, specialty, and where you work.
Roles with similar work and overlapping career paths
View all Business Operations roles →At a state agency, utility, or environmental program, you analyze environmental data and the quality of compliance reporting — air emissions, water discharges, waste manifests, monitoring records — surfacing trends and flagging the issues that need follow-up.
Median pay for an Environmental Quality Analyst is about $78K nationally, with the field ranging roughly from $46K to $130K depending on experience, employer, and metro (BLS).
Core skills for this role include Reading Comprehension, Critical Thinking, Writing, Speaking, and Active Listening.
Most people in this role hold a bachelor's degree.
Employment in this field is projected to grow about 3% through 2034, with roughly 397,770 people working in it today (BLS).
Closely related roles include Senior Environmental Quality Analyst, Quality Director, and Environmental Protection Specialist.
Turn your career record
into a springboard for growth.