U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics 1

Green Jobs: Sustainability

August 2012

Is a Sustainability Career on

Your Green Horizon?

James Hamilton

I

n addition to being vital to many people, protecting 

the environment has become an important goal for 

many organizations. A way to achieve this goal is to 

pursue sustainability, which is using resources to meet 

present needs without compromising future resources. 

Although sustainability most often is associated with 

environmental protection and conservation, it also has 

social and economic impacts. In fact, many companies 

adopt sustainability strategies to increase profits, and the 

environmental aspects become an added bonus.

Sustainability professionals help organizations 

achieve their goals by ensuring that their business 

practices are economically, socially, and environmentally sustainable. Sustainability is a diverse field that 

includes a wide variety of professionals. Sustainability 

professionals can be business managers, scientists, or 

engineers; or they can come from other backgrounds. 

Although their specific career paths might differ, sustainability professionals promote environmental protection, 

social responsibility, and profitability. 

This report provides information on careers in sustainability. The first section explains sustainability, with 

the next section detailing the reasons behind corporate 

sustainability. The final section profiles key occupations 

in sustainability. The information for each occupation 

includes a brief job description; the credentials such as 

education, training, and certification or licensure needed 

to work in these occupations; and wage data. 

What is sustainability?

The most common definition of sustainability comes 

from a 1987 United Nations (UN) conference. In a report, the UN defined sustainable development as “development that meets the needs of the present without 

compromising the ability of future generations to meet 

their own needs.”1

Alternately, according to a report from the National 

Association for Environmental Management, sustainability is “a term that describes a company’s strategies 

for acting as a responsible corporate citizen, ensuring its 

operations are financially sustainable and minimizing its 

James Hamilton is an economist in the Office of Occupational 

Statistics and Employment Projections, BLS. James is available at 

(202) 691-7877 or hamilton.james@bls.gov.

U.S. BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS

BLS

August 2012 — Report 7
Green Jobs: Sustainability

August 2012 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics 2

environmental footprint. Sustainability initiatives may 

include natural resource reduction, supply chain management, worker safety and health initiatives, stakeholder engagement and external reporting.”2

 External 

reporting involves reporting information on a company’s 

environmental and safety record to the general public, or 

to government agencies. 

The environmental aspect of sustainability focuses 

on the goals of protecting the environment and the 

conservation of natural resources. To accomplish these 

goals, sustainability professionals help organizations, 

such as businesses, government agencies, and non-profits implement policies to manage the resources consumed and the waste generated by an organization. For 

example, a sustainability professional might suggest that 

an organization reduce the amount of packaging it uses 

when it ships its products, and a reduction in packaging 

could help the company decrease the amount of raw material it consumes and as the environmental cost of shipping products. Less material used in packaging would 

cut down on materials cost, as well as weight and space 

taken up during transport. Since the products would take 

up less space, there would be fewer shipments. Fewer 

shipments mean less energy used for shipping products, 

as well as lower emissions. For example, fewer shipments made by trucks would reduce fuel consumption 

and lower the amount of exhaust emitted into the air.

To fulfill sustainability’s social aspect, sustainability 

professionals attempt to minimize the negative effects 

and to promote the positive effects of the organization’s 

activities on stakeholders. Stakeholders are persons or 

groups, such as employees, customers, and citizens of 

surrounding communities, who have an interest in the 

organization and its activities. Sustainability professionals work to ensure that the workplace is healthy for 

employees and that the products or services the organization provides are safe for consumers to use. Some 

sustainability initiatives affect more than one stakeholder. Many companies promote corporate responsibility where they will provide pro bono products and 

services to the needy, or make attempts to lessen their 

environmental impact. For example, although many 

companies are required by law to keep emissions below 

a certain level, a sustainability professional might help 

a utility company lower its smokestack emissions to an 

even lower level than required. This additional reduction 

would benefit the health of workers and local citizens, as 

well as provide the company with positive publicity to 

entice new customers and retain current ones. 

Sustainability can affect current and future profitability. Whether they work for private corporations, 

government agencies, or non-profits, sustainability professionals strive to ensure that the costs of implementing 

a sustainability program are worth the expected benefits. 

Because organizations would not knowingly implement 
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Green Jobs: Sustainability

August 2012

sustainability policies that could cause them to become 

financially unsound, sustainability professionals help a 

company’s leaders understand the benefits of implementing such techniques, by explaining future cost savings. 

For example, energy-saving techniques, such as installing motion detectors and changing light bulbs require an 

upfront investment, but result in future savings. 

Sustainability issues facing

 companies today

Many organizations are implementing sustainability 

measures for a variety of reasons. Sustainability allows 

companies to increase profits, to manage risks, and to 

engage stakeholders, such as employees, the local community, and shareholders. By pursuing sustainability, 

many organizations are able to run more efficiently, improve corporate reputations, retain employees, and have 

a more positive impact on their communities. In addition, there are other benefits to practicing sustainability. 

These include minimizing the effects of rising costs for 

energy; complying with increased regulations at the federal, state, and local levels; and pleasing customers who 

expect organizations to be environmentally and socially 

responsible. 

Prices for oil, natural gas, coal, and other energy 

sources have been volatile over the past several decades. 

Most prices have been on an upward trend with significant fluctuations. Experts believe that U.S. energy prices 

will continue to climb, because of a limited supply of 

energy sources (due to a wide range of factors) and increased demand from other countries, particularly China.3

Increasing costs have led many firms to seek ways to 

cut back on the amount of energy used in everyday operations. Companies have been finding new ways to do more 

with less. This includes reducing the amount of energy 

used for production and other operations, in addition to 

finding alternative sources of energy. Alternatives include 

wind, solar, and biofuels (fuels derived from renewable 

sources, such as corn, grass, or algae). 

Federal and state governments have been enacting 

climate change regulations. The U. S. Environmental 

Protection Agency has recently been granted the authority 

to regulate greenhouse gas emissions,4

 and many states 

have enacted legislation to limit carbon emissions with 

the goal of reducing their carbon output. Companies in 

these states will be under increasing pressure to reduce 

their carbon footprint (the amount of carbon a company 

releases into the atmosphere), or face increased regulation and possible fines for their emissions. 

Consumers are increasingly paying attention to companies’ environmental records. Consumers base decisions 

on products or services to purchase at least partially on 

environmental factors. Companies that have a positive 

environmental record can appeal to these environmentally sensitive consumers. In addition to consumers, 

many environmentally conscious businesses and other 

organizations prefer to work with, or purchase, goods or 

services from organizations that also are conscious of the 
Green Jobs: Sustainability

August 2012 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics 4

environment. Thus, by implementing sustainability measures, companies will be able to appeal to more customers.

A study entitled “2009 Greening of Corporate America” surveyed large firms to find out about their sustainability practices. It was a follow-up to a 2006 study.5

 

Three quarters of respondents in 2009 reported that they 

were engaging in sustainability activities, double the 

percentage from the 2006 study. Sixty-one percent of 

respondents in 2009 reported having a person or team 

dedicated to sustainability. The 2009 study also found 

that 70 percent of firms employed three or more sustainable practices, with the most common being waste 

management and recycling. These findings illustrate 

that sustainability is adopted increasingly as corporate 

practice. Concerns about corporate impact on the environment and local and global communities are being 

incorporated into strategic business decisions. Sustainability is becoming part of how companies do business 

in the United States, rather than being viewed as a cost.

Who are sustainability 

professionals?

A job in sustainability encompasses the concept of 

stewardship―the responsible management of resources. 

Sustainability professionals seek to improve an organization’s environmental, social, and economic impact. 

Some have specific titles such as sustainability manager 

and director of corporate responsibility. Sustainability 

professionals in other roles may have had experience as 

industrial managers, logistics (transportation, storage, 

and distribution) managers, environmental scientists, 

civil engineers, or recycling coordinators, among others. 

Many of these workers are dedicated to sustainability, 

but some may have sustainability responsibilities, in addition to their primary job duties. These workers might 

implement corporate recycling programs, install equipment to increase efficiency, and monitor processes to 

ensure their proper function.

There is no set career path for jobs in sustainability; 

these jobs have varying responsibilities across different 

organizations. For many organizations, sustainability 

is ingrained in their cultures and is the responsibility 

of many employees. Thus, these organizations may not 

have dedicated sustainability staff, but still pursue sustainability. 

Many large corporations, some non-profit organizations, and some government agencies employ sustainability professionals. Some organizations do not employ 

their own sustainability professionals, but still seek 

advice on sustainability practices. Such organizations 

frequently hire consultants from sustainability firms to 

offer specialized skills and services, as well as additional 

temporary manpower for specific projects. 

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) currently does 

not have data on the number of workers involved in 

sustainability activities. However, data on employment 

related to the use of environmentally friendly technologies and practices are available from the Green Technologies and Practices survey.6

 Although many different 

workers may be involved in carrying out day-to-day 

sustainability operations, the BLS definition of a green 

job involved in green technologies and practices is one 

whose primary duty is related to the use of environmentally friendly production processes. Workers must spend 

more than half their time involved in researching, developing, maintaining, installing and/or using technologies 

or practices to lessen the environmental impact of their 

establishment, or in training other workers in these technologies and practices to be considered in a green job.

Management Occupations

Sustainability managers come from diverse backgrounds, 

have different job titles, and perform a broad range of 

duties. Sustainability managers are responsible for developing and implementing an organization’s sustainability 
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics 5

Green Jobs: Sustainability

August 2012

plans and presenting these plans to senior staff. They 

might also be responsible for ensuring that an organization is in compliance with environmental, health, and 

safety regulations. Many sustainability managers rely on 

their public relations and communications skills to work 

with concerned citizens in local communities. 

Managers typically work in an office environment. 

Some may work long hours and travel frequently for 

meetings and other business operations.

Chief executives include high-level positions, such as 

chief sustainability officer, environmental vice president, 

and director of corporate responsibility. These executives 

develop and direct sustainability strategies. According 

to The New York Times, “The titles vary, mixing and 

matching “chief” and “vice president,” “sustainability” 

and “environmental,” making it impossible to track how 

many people fill the role. But whatever they are called, 

the new environmental chiefs—many of them named in 

the last 2 years—wield extraordinary power.”7

 However, 

certain models are becoming common. A chief sustainability officer is a stand-alone position that coordinates 

sustainability strategy and activities. A vice president 

of sustainability is a top leader that is responsible for 

reducing the environmental impact of a company, its operations, and its products. Some companies use a teambased approach where a cross-functional team addresses 

issues of sustainability.

General and operations managers work to ensure that 

sustainability strategies are implemented in day-to-day 

operations and that any sustainability measures are incorporated into the production process. 

Industrial production managers plan, direct, and coordinate the production activities required to produce a vast 

array of manufactured goods. These managers may also 

be responsible for improving the industrial production 

process and to find ways to reduce waste and improve 

efficiency, while remaining in budget.

Transportation, storage, and distribution managers are 

vital to finding ways to reduce waste and make movement of goods more sustainable, because transportation, 

storage, and distribution are very energy-intensive and 

require many resources. This could include changing the 

shipment of certain goods from trucks to trains, ships, or 

other more efficient methods of transportation. They may 

also improve the flow of goods to cut down on storage 

time, which lowers the need for warehouse space, and 

saves energy associated with storage. Logistics managers are included in this occupation. 

Credentials

Chief executives and industrial production managers 

typically have at least a bachelor’s degree. That degree 

can be in a variety of fields, but business management, 

environmental science, and engineering are the most 

common. Several newer programs offer degrees or certificates in sustainability or environmental management. 

Many larger organizations prefer that senior managers 

also have a graduate degree, such as a Master of Business Administration (MBA), or a master’s degree in the 

field in which the manager works. General and operations managers typically need an associate’s degree to 

enter the occupation, but transportation, storage, and 

distribution managers may enter with a high school 

diploma. In addition, these managers need several years’ 

experience working in their field before they become 

managers.

Wages

BLS does not have wage data specifically for sustainability occupations. The table below shows median 

annual wages in May 2011 for management occupations 

that include sustainability professionals. The wages 

shown are median annual wages for the United States as 

a whole; wages vary by employer and location.

Science Occupations

Scientists who work in sustainability devise technical solutions for reducing waste and cutting costs. 

They assist in the development of strategies to increase 

safety and to reduce the risk of illness and injury for a 

company’s employees. Some scientists often serve as 

advisors to sustainability managers and are involved in 

Selected management occupations Median annual 

wages, May 20111

Chief executives $166,910

General and operations managers 95,150

Industrial production managers 88,190

Transportation, storage, and 

distribution managers

 

 80,860

1 Occupational Employment Statistics data are available at 

www.bls.gov/oes. The data do not include benefits.
Green Jobs: Sustainability

August 2012 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics 6

performing research to minimize a company’s environmental impact. Many sustainability scientists also serve 

as consultants, working as technical experts at firms that 

specialize in providing sustainability services to companies that do not have their own sustainability staff, 

or those who need specialized knowledge to implement 

sustainability strategies.8

 Many people with a science 

background move into management positions and 

become top-level decision makers in the business community. They use their technical knowledge to guide an 

organization toward more sustainable practices and are 

frequently promoted to top-level management positions.

Occupations in scientific research and development 

have become increasingly interdisciplinary, and as a 

result, it is common for biological scientists, chemists, 

materials scientists, and engineers to work together 

as part of a team. Most scientists work in an office or 

laboratory and also spend some time in manufacturing facilities with engineers and other specialists. Some 

scientists, such as environmental scientists or conservation scientists spend a large portion of their time working 

outdoors, studying the natural environment.

Atmospheric scientists study the effects of air pollution 

and the effects of a company’s operations on the overall 

environment. 

Biochemists and biophysicists study the chemical 

makeup of organisms. They may also study the effects 

of pollution on these organisms and determine ways to 

reduce the impact of pollution, as well as ways to reduce 

its effects.

Chemists and materials scientists develop new chemicals or materials that have a lower environmental impact 

than materials used in current operations.

Conservation scientists manage the use and development of natural resources. They advise landowners on 

the use and management of their land and may design 

and implement programs that make the land healthier 

and more productive. Some will work to conserve and 

restore public and private lands.

Environmental scientists use their knowledge of the natural sciences to protect the environment by identifying 

problems and finding solutions that minimize hazards to 

the health of the environment and the population. They 

analyze measurements of air, food, water, and soil to determine the way to clean and preserve the environment.

Microbiologists study microscopic organisms, such as 

bacteria and viruses. Many bacteria or other microscopic 

organisms can be used to clean up pollution, or using 

bacteria, yeast, or other microbes to develop new biofuels, the need to use fossil fuels can be reduced.

Natural sciences managers are both managers and lead 

scientists. They oversee the efforts of scientists working 

on sustainability issues. For example, if there are multiple scientists, such as a chemist, atmospheric scientist, 

and an environmental scientist working on a large project, the science manager will oversee and coordinate the 

efforts of the other scientists.

Soil and plant scientists study local plants and the soil 

that supports them. They look for diseases or chemicals 

present in the plants and soil that results from pollutants 

and study ways to remove these pollutants and to prevent 

further pollution.
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Green Jobs: Sustainability

August 2012

Credentials

The typical entry-level education for the scientist occupations above is a bachelor’s degree, except for 

biochemists and biophysicists, who typically need a 

doctoral degree to enter the occupation. Also, although a 

bachelor’s degree may be sufficient to enter many of the 

scientist occupations, a master’s or Ph.D. may be needed 

to conduct research and develop new products. Scientists working in sustainability frequently have degrees in 

environmental science, chemistry, or one of the biological sciences.

Wages

BLS does not have wage data specifically for sustainability occupations. The table below shows median 

annual wages in May 2011 for scientist occupations that 

include sustainability professionals. The wages shown 

are median annual wages for the United States as a 

whole; wages vary by employer and location.

Engineering Occupations

Engineers who work in sustainability devise technical 

solutions for reducing waste and cutting costs. They also 

might be responsible for developing methods to increase 

safety and to reduce the risk of illness and injury for a 

company’s employees.

Engineers are employed by a variety of organizations, including manufacturers, government agencies, 

and consulting firms. Most engineers work in offices 

or laboratories; but they may travel frequently to other 

worksites, such as industrial plants and construction 

sites.

Chemical engineers work to minimize the environmental 

impact of chemicals used by a company in production 

processes. These engineers may focus on using renewable resources to produce chemicals that are not derived 

from fossil fuels, or on developing chemicals that are 

biodegradable and do not result in pollution of the environment.

Civil engineers are involved in green building and 

designing structures that will operate efficiently, reduce 

pollution, and decrease carbon output.9

 They also design 

water supply and sewage treatment facilities.

Environmental engineers use the principles of biology 

and chemistry to develop solutions to environmental 

problems. They are involved in water and air pollution 

control, recycling, waste disposal, and public health issues. 

Health and safety engineers strive to prevent harm to 

people, property, and the environment by applying their 

knowledge of systems engineering and workplace health 

and safety factors. Using this specialized knowledge, 

they identify and measure potential hazards, such as the 

risk of fires and the dangers involved in handling toxic 

chemicals. They also recommend appropriate loss-prevention measures, according to the probability of harm 

and potential damage.

Selected science occupations Median annual 

wages, May 20111

Atmospheric and space scientists $89,790

Biochemists and biophysicists 79,230

Chemists 69,760

Conservation scientists 59,530

Environmental scientists and 

specialists, including health 62,920

Materials scientists 84,600

Microbiologists 65,230

Natural sciences managers 114,770

Soil and plant scientists 58,940

1 Occupational Employment Statistics data are available at 

www.bls.gov/oes. The data do not include benefits.
Green Jobs: Sustainability

August 2012 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics 8

Industrial engineers determine the most effective ways 

to use the basic factors of production–people, machines, 

materials, information, and energy–to make a product 

or provide a service. Industrial engineers look for ways 

to improve efficiency, and implement these strategies to 

make a company produce more with less. 

Credentials

Engineers usually have a bachelor’s degree in an engineering field. Engineers that focus on sustainability usually have work experience in fields that can be applied 

to sustainability programs. Licensure as a professional 

engineer (PE) is desirable and often required, depending 

on an engineer’s specialty. Entry-level engineers work 

under the close supervision of senior or supervisory engineers and may assist senior engineers on sustainability 

projects. 

Wages

BLS does not have wage data specifically for sustainability occupations. The table below shows median 

annual wages in May 2011 for engineering occupations 

that include sustainability professionals. The wages 

shown are median annual wages for the United States as 

a whole; wages vary by employer and location. 

Other sustainability occupations

In addition to managers, scientists, and engineers, many 

other occupations are involved in the sustainability field. 

These include accountants and auditors, business operations specialists, and compliance officers. 

Occupations in this group work mostly in an office environment but may travel to worksites to conduct 

inspections and to make cost estimates.

Accountants and auditors measure the impacts of sustainability programs. They determine the monetary savings and costs associated with these programs and may 

measure non-monetary aspects, such as environmental 

performance and the amount of waste reduction.

Business operations specialists is a broad category that 

includes recycling coordinators and energy auditors. 

Recycling coordinators coordinate recycling programs 

for governments and private firms. Firms recycle many 

of the materials used in production and operations, such 

as excess packaging, office paper, used chemicals, and 

scrap metal.10 Energy auditors, also known as energy 

raters or energy consultants, help prevent energy waste 

by inspecting buildings to find areas of air leakage and 

advising customers on how to fix and prevent leaks.11

Compliance officers examine, evaluate, and investigate 

eligibility for or conformity with laws and regulations. 

They ensure that organizations are in compliance with 

environmental, health, and safety regulations and may 

prepare reports or recommendations as to how a company can comply with proposed regulations or meet higher 

standards than regulations require. 

Cost estimators accurately forecast the cost, size, and 

duration of sustainability projects. They develop the cost 

information that business owners and managers need to 

decide on the profitability of sustainability projects.

Human resources specialists are responsible for the 

workforce needs of an organization. They may keep 

track of how workers are complying with sustainability 

practices. They may be responsible for producing training programs on corporate sustainability.

Logisticians analyze and coordinate an organization’s 

supply chain–the system that moves a product from supplier to consumer. They find ways to reduce the amount 

of waste in the process of storing and transporting goods. 

Increased efficiency in these areas will reduce waste, 

emissions, and costs.

Occupational health and safety specialists and technicians help prevent harm to workers, property, the 

environment, and the general public. They may design 

safe work spaces, inspect machines, and test air quality. In addition, they may look for chemical, physical, 

Selected engineering occupations Median annual 

wages, May 20111

Chemical engineers $92,930

Civil engineers 77,990

Environmental engineers 79,050

Health and safety engineers, except 

mining safety engineers and inspectors 75,470

Industrial engineers 77,240

1 Occupational Employment Statistics data are available at 

www.bls.gov/oes. The data do not include benefits.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics 9

Green Jobs: Sustainability

August 2012

ance officers must be familiar with many local, state, and 

federal regulations and laws.

Cost estimators can have a bachelor’s degree in a 

variety of fields, including construction management, 

business management, engineering, and information 

technology. A cost estimator is typically promoted to this 

position with several years of work experience in construction, business, or manufacturing. Expertise gained 

through experience is used to make judgments about 

how much projects or processes should cost.

Human resources specialists should have a bachelor’s degree in human resources or a related business 

field. There are many professional organizations that 

specialize in human resources that offer courses and 

some certification programs.

Logisticians can qualify for positions with an associate’s degree, but most organizations prefer to hire workers who have a bachelor’s degree. Logisticians typically 

need work experience in a field related to logistics or 

business.

Occupational health and safety specialists need at 

least a bachelor’s degree in occupational health, safety, 

or a related field; some positions require advanced 

degrees. All specialists are trained in applicable laws 

and inspection procedures through some combination of 

classroom and on-the-job training. Certification is often 

voluntary through several organizations, including the 

Board of Certified Safety Professionals. Some employers 

radiological, and biological hazards. They communicate 

frequently with management about the status of health, 

safety, and environmental programs. Occupational health 

and safety specialists typically have more responsibility than technicians. Technicians may be responsible for 

small aspects of occupational safety and health, or they 

may assist specialists with their duties.

Credentials

Accountants and auditors need at least a bachelor’s degree in accounting or a related field. Certification within 

a specific field of accounting is desirable, and most 

organizations expect accountants to be Certified Public 

Accountants (CPAs).

Recycling coordinators typically need at least a 

bachelor’s degree in a field related to recycling, such as 

environmental resources management or environmental 

education to enter the occupation. In some states, for 

example, New Jersey, recycling coordinators must be 

certified; in others, optional certification is available. 

There are no formal education or training requirements 

for energy auditors, but some states require prospective 

energy auditors to take specific courses or earn certification. 

Compliance officers typically have a bachelor’s 

degree in any number of fields, and some may have a 

law degree. Compliance officers also need a period of 

on-the-job training that may last up to 1 year. Compli-
Green Jobs: Sustainability

August 2012 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics 10

may require that occupational health and safety specialists be certified.

Occupational health and safety technicians typically 

need a high school diploma to enter the occupation. 

They usually receive on-the-job training, along with 

formal education on how to conduct the correct tests and 

to recognize common problems.

Wages

BLS does not have wage data specifically for sustainability occupations. The table below shows median 

annual wages in May 2011 for the other sustainability 

occupations listed above. Wages shown are median annual wages for the United States as a whole; wages vary 

by employer and location. 

Conclusion

This article has examined various occupations in sustainability. If the growth of sustainability continues, more 

organizations will employ sustainability professionals. 

The benefits of this growth should be noticeable in many 

sectors of U.S. industries, from services, such as finance 

and health care, to manufacturing and construction. 

Sustainability professionals have a broad range 

of education and experience levels, mainly in science, 

engineering, and business management. Although many 

of the occupations with sustainability responsibilities require at least a bachelor’s degree, there are opportunities 

for individuals with a wide variety of work experience 

and knowledge.

As sustainability becomes more widespread, new 

opportunities to contribute to the field will arise. A new 

market focused on sustainability should build job prospects for more future workers.

Notes

1  Our Common Future: Report of the World Commission on Environment and Development (United Nations, 1987), http://www.

un-documents.net/ocf-02.htm#I.

2  Driving ESG Reporting Progress through Dialogue: Key insights 

from NAEM’s Measuring Corporate Sustainability Conference p. 4 

(National Association for Environmental Management, June 2011), 

http://www.naem.org/resource/resmgr/Docs/cp-2011-naemdriving-esg-rep.pdf.

3  Winston, Andrew, Green Recovery (Harvard Business Press, 2009), 

p. 21-25.

4 Advance Notices of Proposed Rulemaking: Regulating Greenhouse 

Gas Emissions Under the Clean Air Act” (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2011), http://epa.gov/climatechange/anpr.html.

5 “2009 Greening of Corporate America” (New York, McGraw-Hill 

Construction, 2009), p. 2-5 http://analyticsstore.construction.com/

index.php/2009-greening-of-corporate-america.html.

6  For more information on the BLS Green Technologies and Practices 

Survey, see www.bls.gov/gtp.

7  “Companies Giving Green an Office,” The New York Times, July 3, 

2007, www.nytimes.com/2007/07/03/business/03sustain.html.

8  For more information on scientists and engineers working on 

environmental issues, see BLS article from Occupational Outlook 

Quarterly, Summer 2009, www.bls.gov/opub/ooq/2009/summer/

art01.pdf.

9  For more information on careers in green construction, see www.

bls.gov/green/construction/.

10 For more information on recycling coordinators, see BLS Occupational Outlook Quarterly, Winter 2010-11, www.bls.gov/opub/

ooq/2010/winter/yawhat.htm.

11 For more information on energy auditors, see www.bls.gov/

green/energy_auditors/energy_auditors.pdf.

Selected occupations in the sustainability 

field

Median annual 

wages, May 20111

Accountants and auditors $62,850

Business operations specialists, all other 64,030

Compliance officers 60,740

Cost estimators 58,460

Human resources, training, and labor 

relations specialists, all other 54,310

Logisticians 71,910

Occupational health and safety 

specialists

 66,270

Occupational health and safety 

technicians 46,030

1 Occupational Employment Statistics data are available at 

www.bls.gov/oes. The data do not include benefits.