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Occupations / Environmental Scientists

Environmental Scientists

Environmental Scientists study, develop, implement and advise on policies and plans for managing and protecting the environment, flora, fauna and other natural resources.

Agriculture & environmentANZSCO 2343
$1,953/wkMedian full-time pay
32kPeople employed
+17% ▲Growth to 2035
85%Work full time
39Median age
Source: ABS · JSA, 2025-26ABS (Australian Bureau of Statistics) Labour Force via Jobs and Skills Australia (JSA), February 2026; ABS Employee Earnings and Hours May 2025; JSA Employment Projections, May 2025 base. ANZSCO 2343.More about our sources: How we check our facts

What they do

The main tasks of this occupation, from the national occupation standard.

evaluating habitat, wildlife and fisheries needs, and formulating shortand long-term management goals and objectivesenforcing laws and regulations to conserve and protect fish and wildlifecarrying out environmental impact assessments for a wide range of development projectsproposing solutions to address negative environmental impactstudying the effects of factors, such as terrain, altitude, climatic and environmental change, sources of nutrition, predators and the impacts of humans, on animal and plant lifestudying and analysing pollution, atmospheric conditions, demographic characteristics, ecology, mineral, soil and water samples
Source: JSA occupation profileTask list from the Jobs and Skills Australia occupation profile for ANZSCO 2343 (ANZSCO task statements).More about our sources: How we check our facts

The outlook

Room for 5,300 more people in environmental scientists by 2035 ▲

The field grew 3.1% in the year to February 2026, adding about 1,000 workers. Most of the jobs are in NSW and VIC, with QLD third.

Source: JSA · ABS, 2025-26ABS (Australian Bureau of Statistics) Labour Force via Jobs and Skills Australia (JSA), February 2026; ABS Employee Earnings and Hours May 2025; JSA Employment Projections, May 2025 base. ANZSCO 2343.More about our sources: How we check our facts
31.5k2025
34.3k2030 PROJ.
36.8k2035 PROJ.

Getting in

8 in ten people here have a degree. You can still get in without one.

13% came through a VET qualification. These are the nationally recognised courses mapped to this occupation, with the number of registered training providers that offer each one.

Source: JSA · training.gov.auEducation split: JSA (Jobs and Skills Australia) occupation profile, using ABS (Australian Bureau of Statistics) Census data, ANZSCO 2343. Qualification mapping and provider counts: training.gov.au, the national register of vocational education, October 2026. Listed providers are current registered training providers (private providers and TAFE institutes).More about our sources: How we check our facts

Nationally recognised training · most offered first

AHC31424Certificate III

Certificate III in Conservation and Ecosystem Management

Agriculture, Horticulture and Conservation and Land Management Training Package.

See 36 providers
AHC51120Diploma

Diploma of Conservation and Ecosystem Management

Agriculture, Horticulture and Conservation and Land Management Training Package.

See 17 providers
AHC40924Certificate IV

Certificate IV in Conservation and Ecosystem Management

Agriculture, Horticulture and Conservation and Land Management Training Package.

See 10 providers
See all 11 mapped courses
AHC31424Certificate III in Conservation and Ecosystem Management · 36 providers
AHC51120Diploma of Conservation and Ecosystem Management · 17 providers
AHC40924Certificate IV in Conservation and Ecosystem Management · 10 providers
AHC31522Certificate III in On Country Management · 8 providers
AHC32522Certificate III in Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Cultural Sites Work · 4 providers
AHC60422Advanced Diploma of Conservation and Ecosystem Management · 1 provider
11246NATCertificate II in Marine Habitat Conservation and Restoration · 1 provider
11247NATCertificate III in Marine Habitat Conservation and Restoration · 1 provider
11078NATCertificate IV in Marine Habitat Conservation and Restoration · 1 provider
AHC51222Diploma of Community Group Coordination and Facilitation · 1 provider
11087NATDiploma of Marine Habitat Conservation and Restoration · 1 provider

Providers are shown in A-Z order on each course page. A listing is not a recommendation.

Jobs open right now

32k Australians do this work. See who is hiring this month.

Search job ads by state

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Source: ABS · JSA, 2025-26State chart shows people employed, not current job ads. ABS (Australian Bureau of Statistics) Labour Force via Jobs and Skills Australia (JSA), February 2026; ABS Employee Earnings and Hours May 2025; JSA Employment Projections, May 2025 base. ANZSCO 2343.More about our sources: How we check our facts

People employed by state, 2025-26

NSW6.5k
VIC6.3k
QLD6k
WA6k
SA1.7k
TAS1.2k
NT1k
ACT0.6k

Occupations near this one

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