Senior Air Quality Specialist Salary in the United States

How much does a Senior Air Quality Specialist make in the United States?

As of October 01, 2026, the average salary for a Senior Air Quality Specialist in the United States is $67,392 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $32.

However, a Senior Air Quality Specialist's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $78,497
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $58,802 to $73,205
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $50,982

Key Factors That Influence Senior Air Quality Specialist Salaries

A Senior Air Quality Specialist's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location, education and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects Senior Air Quality Specialist Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Senior Air Quality Specialist's salary. As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases. Here's how the average salary grows at different career stages:

  • Entry-Level (less than 1 year): $67,988
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $82,648
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $100,029
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $124,790
  • Expert (over 8 years): $151,063
Levels Salary
Senior Ai... Level Senior Air Quality Specialist$67,988
Quality A... Level Senior Air Quality Specialist$82,648
Quality A... Level Senior Air Quality Specialist$100,029
Quality A... Level Senior Air Quality Specialist$124,790
Quality A... Level Senior Air Quality Specialist$151,063

How Do Senior Air Quality Specialist Salaries Vary from State to State?

Your salary can change significantly depending on where you work. States with a higher cost of living and strong industrial sectors often pay more to attract Senior Air Quality Specialists. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
  • District of Columbia: $74,616.
  • California: $74,333.
  • Massachusetts: $73,343.

Top Paying Cities for Senior Air Quality Specialists

Salaries can also vary between different cities. Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay. Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:

  • San Jose: $85,002
  • San Francisco: $84,071
  • Oakland: $82,299

What Skills Can Increase a Senior Air Quality Specialist's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Customer Service (Mentioned in 4.77% Job Postings): Customer service is the provision of service to customers before, during and after a purchase. The perception of success of such interactions is dependent on employees "who can adjust themselves to the personality of the guest". Customer service concerns the priority an organization assigns to customer service relative to components such as product innovation and pricing. In this sense, an organization that values good customer service may spend more money in training employees than the average organization or may proactively interview customers for feedback. From the point of view of an overall sales process engineering effort, customer service plays an important role in an organization's ability to generate income and revenue. From that perspective, customer service should be included as part of an overall approach to systematic improvement. One good customer service experience can change the entire perception a customer holds towards the organization.
  • SOP (Mentioned in 2.28% Job Postings): SOP is A standard operating procedure is a set of step-by-step instructions compiled by an organization to help workers carry out routine operations.
  • Auditing (Mentioned in 1.55% Job Postings): Auditing refers to the independent examination of financial information of any entity whether profit oriented or not. It is a safeguard measure that prevents corruption.
Skills Demand Percentage
Customer Service 4.77%
SOP 2.28%
Auditing 1.55%

What skills can make your compensation higher?

Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay. Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on a Senior Air Quality Specialist's salary.

  • Computer Science: Can increase your salary by up to 11%.
  • Project Management: Can increase your salary by up to 10%.
  • SQL: Can increase your salary by up to 10%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Computer Science $74,805
11%
Project Management $74,131
10%
SQL $74,131
10%

Senior Air Quality Specialist Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Senior Air Quality Specialist roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential by as much as 65% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the Biotechnology and Energy & Utilities sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 30% above the average. In contrast, Senior Air Quality Specialist positions in Transportation or Retail & Wholesale typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view Senior Air Quality Specialist as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industries for a Senior Air Quality Specialist

Industry Sector Average Annual Salary Average Hourly Rate Pay vs.Avg
Biotechnology$87,610$42.030%
Energy & Utilities$84,240$40.025%
Financial Services$80,870$39.020%
Pharmaceuticals$80,870$39.020%
Software & Networking$80,870$39.020%

How Education impacts a Senior Air Quality Specialist's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Senior Air Quality Specialists enter the field with a Associate's Degree degree, higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.

According to our 100% employer-reported salary data, the median salary for a Senior Air Quality Specialist with a Associate's Degree is between $63,731 and $67,850).

Senior Air Quality Specialist Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Senior Air Quality Specialist
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 0.9%
High School 19.2%
Associates 13.9%
Bachelors 54.5%
Masters 11.5%
Doctorate 0.0%

Senior Air Quality Specialist Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Senior Air Quality Specialist's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting. Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role. Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.

Last Updated on October 01, 2026
$58,802
Average $67,392/year
$73,205
$4,900
Average $5,616/month
$6,100
$1,131
Average $1,296/week
$1,408
$28
Average $32/hour
$35
Annual Salary Monthly Pay Weekly Pay Hourly Wage
75th Percentile $73,205 $6,100 $1,408 $35
Average $67,392 $5,616 $1,296 $32
25th Percentile $58,802 $4,900 $1,131 $28

Most common benefits for Senior Air Quality Specialist

  • Social Security
  • 401 (k)
  • Disability
  • Healthcare
  • Pension
  • Time Off (days)

Common company salaries for Senior Air Quality Specialist

Here are companies hiring for Senior Air Quality Specialist and their salaries, click below for more details.

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FAQ about Senior Air Quality Specialist

1. What industry pays the highest salary for Senior Air Quality Specialist?

The Biotechnology industry offers the highest average compensation for Senior Air Quality Specialist roles, with salaries approximately 30% above the market median.

Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.

We offer detailed salary information across multiple percentiles for your reference. (Click here to learn Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial for Achieving Pay Equity.)

With the most extensive online, real-time compensation data available, Salary.com helps you pinpoint your exact pay target.

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