Hazardous Materials Removal Workers Salary
Construction and Extraction Occupations · 52K employed in the U.S.
Median annual
$49,450
Median hourly
$24
Average annual
$56,430
Typical range
$38,460–$82,410
Pay distribution
10th to 90th percentile, with the median marked.
What this role pays
The median annual salary for Hazardous Materials Removal Workers is $49,450 as of May 2025, based on the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey. That works out to about $24 an hour at a full-time schedule.
Identify, remove, pack, transport, or dispose of hazardous materials, including asbestos, lead-based paint, waste oil, fuel, transmission fluid, radioactive materials, or contaminated soil. Specialized training and certification in hazardous materials handling or a confined entry permit are generally required.
Most earn between $38,460 and $82,410 a year. There are roughly 52K people employed as hazardous materials removal workers in the United States. Use the state and metro pages below to see how pay changes by location, and the calculator to convert any hourly or annual figure.
Salary calculator
Convert your pay and see where it lands for Hazardous Materials Removal Workers.
- Hourly
- $23.77
- Daily
- $190
- Weekly
- $951
- Bi-weekly
- $1,902
- Monthly
- $4,121
- Annual
- $49,450
$49,450 a year is around the 50th percentile for Hazardous Materials Removal Workerss. The median is $49,450.
Highest-paying states
Median annual wage by state.
- 1New York$73,090
- 2Illinois$61,330
- 3Alaska$60,320
- 4District of Columbia$60,240
- 5North Dakota$60,160
- 6Washington$60,160
- 7Tennessee$60,090
- 8Colorado$59,920
- 9Missouri$59,120
- 10Minnesota$59,100
- 11Hawaii$58,440
- 12California$56,120
Top-paying metro areas
Median annual wage by metro area.
- 1Kennewick-Richland, WA$104,530
- 2Pueblo, CO$79,260
- 3Amarillo, TX$77,580
- 4Knoxville, TN$75,280
- 5New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ$74,060
- 6St. Louis, MO-IL$67,010
- 7Binghamton, NY$62,090
- 8Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN$61,330
- 9Warner Robins, GA$61,170
- 10Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY$60,390
- 11San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$60,390
- 12Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA$60,290
Related job titles
Employers advertise Hazardous Materials Removal Workers roles under these titles.
- Abatement Worker
- Asbestos Abatement Worker
- Asbestos Coverer
- Asbestos Handler
- Asbestos Hazard Abatement Worker
- Asbestos Remover
- Asbestos Technician
- Asbestos Worker
- Decontamination Worker
- Disaster Restoration Technician
- Hazard Waste Handler
- Hazardous Material Specialist
- Hazardous Materials Driver (Hazmat Driver)
- Hazardous Materials Handler
- Hazardous Materials Specialist
- Hazardous Waste Disposer
Related occupations
- Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand$40,240
- Highway Maintenance Workers$50,260
- Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators$60,020
- Septic Tank Servicers and Sewer Pipe Cleaners$49,880
- Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors$49,690
- Insulation Workers, Floor, Ceiling, and Wall$49,120
- Construction Laborers$47,120
- Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters$61,390
What a Hazardous Materials Removal Workers does
- Comply with prescribed safety procedures or federal laws regulating waste disposal methods.
- Load or unload materials into containers or onto trucks, using hoists or forklifts.
- Clean mold-contaminated sites by removing damaged porous materials or thoroughly cleaning all contaminated nonporous materials.
- Build containment areas prior to beginning abatement or decontamination work.
- Remove asbestos or lead from surfaces, using hand or power tools such as scrapers, vacuums, or high-pressure sprayers.
- Identify asbestos, lead, or other hazardous materials to be removed, using monitoring devices.
- Prepare hazardous material for removal or storage.
- Clean contaminated equipment or areas for reuse, using detergents or solvents, sandblasters, filter pumps, or steam cleaners.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a Hazardous Materials Removal Workers make?
- The median annual wage for Hazardous Materials Removal Workers is $49,450 ($24 per hour). Pay ranges from about $38,460 at the 10th percentile to $82,410 at the 90th percentile.
- What is the average salary for a Hazardous Materials Removal Workers?
- The average (mean) annual salary is $56,430, which is higher than the median because a small number of high earners pull the average up.
- Which state pays Hazardous Materials Removal Workerss the most?
- New York has the highest median annual wage for this occupation at $73,090.
- Is Hazardous Materials Removal Workers a growing occupation?
- BLS employment data for May 2025 counts about 52K people in this occupation. Projected growth is published separately in the BLS Employment Projections program.
- What does a Hazardous Materials Removal Workers do?
- Comply with prescribed safety procedures or federal laws regulating waste disposal methods.; Load or unload materials into containers or onto trucks, using hoists or forklifts.; Clean mold-contaminated sites by removing damaged porous materials or thoroughly cleaning all contaminated nonporous materials..