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Sustainability Specialist

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Home › Business and Financial Operations › Sustainability Specialist
Average base salary
$97,500 / year
≈ $8,150 per month · $46.88 per hour

25th percentile
$65,000Average
$97,50075th percentile
$118,000
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025 (occupation group), with detailed role definition from O*NET, aged to 2026 using compounded market movement. State selections show BLS state-level figures where published. Actual pay varies with experience, industry, and organization size.
Sustainability Specialist salary by state
Alabama$110,000
Alaska$101,500
Arizona$95,000
Arkansas$73,000
California$105,500
Colorado$103,000
Connecticut$99,000
Delaware$109,000
District of Columbia$122,500
Florida$94,000
Georgia$94,500
Hawaii$99,000
Idaho$84,500
Illinois$93,000
Indiana$87,500
Iowa$90,000
Kansas$93,000
Kentucky$82,500
Louisiana$75,000
Maine$86,000
Maryland$111,000
Massachusetts$101,500
Michigan$91,500
Minnesota$89,000
Mississippi$87,000
Missouri$93,000
Montana$80,500
Nebraska$85,500
Nevada$78,500
New Hampshire$93,500
New Jersey$101,000
New Mexico$88,500
New York$96,500
North Carolina$92,000
North Dakota$90,000
Ohio$89,500
Oklahoma$100,500
Oregon$87,000
Pennsylvania$93,000
Rhode Island$97,000
South Carolina$95,500
South Dakota$94,500
Tennessee$92,000
Texas$92,500
Utah$89,000
Vermont$82,000
Virginia$98,500
Washington$110,000
West Virginia$80,000
Wisconsin$74,000
Wyoming$86,000
About this role

Sustainability Specialist is a professional role within the function in the Business and Financial Operations job family.

Pay for this title reflects both its level and its scope; see our Title Level and Organization Responsibility guides for how WePayFairly defines them.

What Sustainability Specialists do

Typical education: Bachelor's Degree

  • Develop sustainability project goals, objectives, initiatives, or strategies in collaboration with other sustainability professionals.
  • Monitor or track sustainability indicators, such as energy usage, natural resource usage, waste generation, and recycling.
  • Assess or propose sustainability initiatives, considering factors such as cost effectiveness, technical feasibility, and acceptance.
  • Provide technical or administrative support for sustainability programs or issues.
  • Review and revise sustainability proposals or policies.

Top skills: Writing Speaking Reading Comprehension Critical Thinking Active Listening Judgment and Decision Making

Includes information from O*NET OnLine by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (CC BY 4.0).
Sustainability Specialist pay by experience level
Entry level$49,500
Typical starting pay (about the 10th percentile)
Early career$65,000
A few years in (about the 25th percentile)
Experienced$86,000
Mid-career median pay
Senior$118,000
Seasoned professionals (about the 75th percentile)
Top earners$155,500
Highest earners (about the 90th percentile)
Experience tiers are derived from the BLS wage percentile distribution for this occupation, aged to 2026. Actual pay varies by employer, location, and specialization.
Job outlook
+3%
projected change in jobs, 2024–2034
108,200
projected openings per year
Growing about as fast as average
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program (2024–2034). Openings include growth and replacement needs.
Sustainability Specialist salary by industry
Federal, State, and Local Government, excluding State and Local Schools and Hospitals and USPS

287,270 workers

$104,500

Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation)

196,170 workers

$112,000

Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services

149,460 workers

$107,500

Educational Services

99,560 workers

$80,000

Management of Companies and Enterprises

64,250 workers

$100,500

Management of Companies and Enterprises

64,250 workers

$100,500

State Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation)

57,140 workers

$87,500

Administrative and Support Services

55,470 workers

$85,500

Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services

51,890 workers

$104,500

Educational Services, Local Government Owned

43,900 workers

$84,000

National sector-level figures, BLS OEWS May 2025, aged to 2026.
How this role compares

Sustainability Specialist pays 3% above the average across 47 roles in the Business and Financial Operations job family (family average $94,500).

Similar-paying roles in Business and Financial Operations
Business Continuity Planner$97,500
Financial Quantitative Analyst$97,000
Accountants and Auditors$98,000
Budget Analyst$100,000
Logistician$93,000
Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists$92,500
Labor Relations Specialist$102,000
Compliance Officer$91,500
Loan Officer$91,000
Credit Analyst$104,500
Careers related to Sustainability Specialist
Emergency Management Director$106,000
Project Management Specialist$114,500
Web Administrator$126,500
Financial Risk Specialist$129,000
Data Scientist$131,000
Compliance Manager$159,500
Related occupations from O*NET OnLine, U.S. Department of Labor.
Frequently asked questions

How much does a Sustainability Specialist make?

The average base salary for a Sustainability Specialist in the United States is $97,500 per year, or about $46.88 per hour.

What is the typical salary range?

Pay typically falls between $65,000 and $118,000 per year (25th to 75th percentile) depending on experience, location, industry, and organization size.

How does this compare with other Business and Financial Operations roles?

The Business and Financial Operations job family averages $94,500 across 47 roles tracked by WePayFairly.

Need a defensible market price for this role?
WePayFairly data is compiled from published survey sources and maintained by compensation professionals.

Explore Market DataOur Methodology

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