Asbestos Abatement Worker Salary by StateBLS figures for hazardous materials removal workers, the broader group
BLS OEWS May 2025 · Broader BLS occupation: SOC 47-4041 Hazardous Materials Removal Workers
BLS publishes no separate wage for asbestos abatement workers.
All hazardous materials removal workers (SOC 47-4041 Hazardous Materials Removal Workers), the broader occupation used here, earned a median $49,450 a year ($23.78 an hour) in May 2025.
The middle half of that group earned between $44,720 and $61,530.
BLS counts asbestos abatement workers within hazardous materials removal workers (47-4041), which also includes lead, mold and hazmat removal crews.
OEWS covers payroll employees only.
BLS publishes one series for SOC 47-4041, so the lead abatement worker salary page shows the same BLS figures; neither is an asbestos abatement worker-only number.
Annual figures are BLS hourly wages × 2,080 hours. OEWS covers wage-and-salary workers only, so it leaves out owners, the self-employed (including 1099 subcontractors), overtime pay and most bonuses.
How pay spreads across Hazardous Materials Removal Workers
| Percentile | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $38,460 | $18.49 |
| 25th | $44,720 | $21.50 |
| 50th (median) | $49,450 | $23.78 |
| 75th | $61,530 | $29.58 |
| 90th | $82,410 | $39.62 |
| Mean (average) | $56,430 | $27.13 |
SOC 47-4041 Hazardous Materials Removal Workers, the broader occupation (not an asbestos abatement worker series): 51,710 wage-and-salary jobs, BLS OEWS May 2025.
Pay for Hazardous Materials Removal Workers by State
Median annual wage for SOC 47-4041 Hazardous Materials Removal Workers in each state, BLS OEWS May 2025, alphabetical. "vs. U.S." compares the state median with the national median of $49,450; it is not adjusted for living costs.
BLS has no state series for asbestos abatement workers; these are the figures for all hazardous materials removal workers, the broader group.
| State | Median | Hourly | 10th–90th | Jobs | vs. U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $38,610 | $18.56 | $34,450–$59,160 | 350 | −22% |
| Alaska | $60,320 | $29.00 | $46,130–$121,770 | 140 | +22% |
| Arizona | $50,530 | $24.29 | $34,410–$60,650 | 800 | +2% |
| Arkansas | $36,630 | $17.61 | $34,800–$108,620 | 440 | −26% |
| California | $56,120 | $26.98 | $41,660–$85,470 | 7,340 | +13% |
| Colorado | $59,920 | $28.81 | $44,800–$71,870 | 1,400 | +21% |
| Connecticut | $47,090 | $22.64 | $39,060–$64,150 | 750 | −5% |
| Delaware | $44,250 | $21.28 | $32,000–$63,120 | Not published | −11% |
| District of Columbia | $60,240 | $28.96 | $53,320–$85,160 | 50 | +22% |
| Florida | $42,350 | $20.36 | $34,960–$59,290 | 1,780 | −14% |
| Georgia | $48,960 | $23.54 | $35,640–$61,170 | 460 | −1% |
| Hawaii | $58,440 | $28.10 | $44,420–$77,270 | 340 | +18% |
| Idaho | $49,710 | $23.90 | $42,900–$103,850 | 600 | +1% |
| Illinois | $61,330 | $29.49 | $43,990–$98,970 | 1,980 | +24% |
| Indiana | $46,680 | $22.44 | $38,280–$62,860 | 990 | −6% |
| Iowa | $49,870 | $23.98 | $38,490–$61,150 | 270 | +1% |
| Kansas | $45,530 | $21.89 | $36,100–$56,330 | 480 | −8% |
| Kentucky | $47,640 | $22.91 | $40,160–$63,140 | 460 | −4% |
| Louisiana | $38,000 | $18.27 | $34,440–$50,120 | 880 | −23% |
| Maine | $47,280 | $22.73 | $39,920–$85,340 | 190 | −4% |
| Maryland | $48,640 | $23.39 | $45,590–$75,180 | 660 | −2% |
| Massachusetts | $49,620 | $23.86 | $46,220–$65,870 | 2,770 | +0% |
| Michigan | $46,380 | $22.30 | $36,610–$68,390 | 1,610 | −6% |
| Minnesota | $59,100 | $28.41 | $44,260–$92,150 | 730 | +20% |
| Mississippi | $39,440 | $18.96 | $33,600–$48,030 | 250 | −20% |
| Missouri | $59,120 | $28.42 | $37,280–$68,330 | 370 | +20% |
| Montana | $54,540 | $26.22 | $46,180–$62,930 | 250 | +10% |
| Nebraska | $48,540 | $23.34 | $37,770–$59,110 | 210 | −2% |
| Nevada | $47,520 | $22.85 | $37,870–$62,500 | 400 | −4% |
| New Hampshire | $55,310 | $26.59 | $47,840–$97,200 | 140 | +12% |
| New Jersey | $55,900 | $26.87 | $43,750–$107,570 | 2,250 | +13% |
| New Mexico | $53,440 | $25.69 | $37,010–$78,000 | 680 | +8% |
| New York | $73,090 | $35.14 | $47,600–$99,320 | 4,090 | +48% |
| North Carolina | $43,180 | $20.76 | $37,330–$58,720 | 1,250 | −13% |
| North Dakota | $60,160 | $28.92 | $20,930–$70,130 | 170 | +22% |
| Ohio | $46,620 | $22.41 | $39,090–$66,620 | 830 | −6% |
| Oklahoma | $44,300 | $21.30 | $37,590–$50,630 | 650 | −10% |
| Oregon | $49,720 | $23.90 | $41,660–$64,450 | 1,130 | +1% |
| Pennsylvania | $47,860 | $23.01 | $37,570–$72,800 | 1,590 | −3% |
| Rhode Island | $46,670 | $22.44 | $40,400–$79,710 | 330 | −6% |
| South Carolina | $49,170 | $23.64 | $37,840–$102,770 | 870 | −1% |
| South Dakota | $51,420 | $24.72 | $47,400–$58,030 | 190 | +4% |
| Tennessee | $60,090 | $28.89 | $39,460–$96,100 | 570 | +22% |
| Texas | $44,390 | $21.34 | $37,920–$60,460 | 4,450 | −10% |
| Utah | $49,240 | $23.67 | $36,870–$77,120 | 530 | −0% |
| Vermont | $46,780 | $22.49 | $44,860–$52,290 | 70 | −5% |
| Virginia | $45,320 | $21.79 | $37,140–$60,440 | 930 | −8% |
| Washington | $60,160 | $28.92 | $45,460–$104,530 | 3,250 | +22% |
| West Virginia | $46,390 | $22.30 | $37,530–$76,650 | 130 | −6% |
| Wisconsin | $47,750 | $22.96 | $38,890–$77,530 | 590 | −3% |
| Wyoming | $48,570 | $23.35 | $46,110–$58,240 | 30 | −2% |
Pay by employer industry
National median for all hazardous materials removal workers (SOC 47-4041) by the industry of the employer, BLS OEWS May 2025 industry estimates.
BLS publishes no industry split for asbestos abatement workers alone; these rows are for the whole occupation.
BLS publishes no separate line for remediation services (NAICS 562910).
Remediation and other waste management services also includes materials recovery and septic and other waste services, so that row is not restoration company pay.
| Employer industry | Median | Hourly | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries (the national figure above) | $49,450 | $23.78 | 51,710 |
| Remediation and Other Waste Management Services | $48,900 | $23.51 | 32,210 |
| Construction | $49,610 | $23.85 | 2,810 |
| Other Specialty Trade Contractors | $64,720 | $31.12 | 340 |
Selected industries only; the first row covers every industry.
Job outlook for Hazardous Materials Removal Workers
BLS projects employment of all hazardous materials removal workers to change from about 52,700 in 2025 to 53,500 in 2035 (BLS Employment Projections 2025–35).
BLS projects no separate figure for asbestos abatement workers.
The projection counts include the self-employed (0.8% of the group in 2025) and come from a different BLS program, so they are not directly comparable with the OEWS payroll job count above.
Pay by restoration role
BLS publishes wages by occupation, not job title, and no restoration title has an occupation of its own.
Asbestos and lead abatement workers are counted in hazardous materials removal workers, and abatement supervisors are benchmarked against first-line construction supervisors, both broader groups.
The other titles borrow the closest available occupation, labelled in the last column.
Compare figures with the same basis only.
| Role | Median shown | What the number is |
|---|---|---|
| Restoration Project Manager | $114,990 | Closest available occupation (SOC 11-9021) |
| Asbestos Abatement Worker | $49,450 | Broader BLS occupation (SOC 47-4041) |
| Lead Abatement Worker | $49,450 | Broader BLS occupation (SOC 47-4041) |
| Restoration Crew Lead | $79,920 | Closest available occupation (SOC 47-1011) |
| Reconstruction Technician | $60,580 | Closest available occupation (SOC 47-2031) |
| Carpet Cleaning Technician | $44,040 | Closest available occupation (weak match) (SOC 37-2019) |
| Restoration Estimator | $78,740 | Closest available occupation (SOC 13-1051) |
| Abatement Supervisor | $79,920 | Broader BLS occupation (SOC 47-1011) |
Asbestos Abatement Worker salary questions
01How much do asbestos abatement workers make a year?
BLS publishes no separate wage for asbestos abatement workers.
The median annual wage for all hazardous materials removal workers (SOC 47-4041), the broader group BLS publishes, was $49,450 in May 2025 (BLS OEWS).
The 10th percentile was $38,460 and the 90th percentile $82,410.
02How much do asbestos abatement workers make an hour?
The median hourly wage for all hazardous materials removal workers was $23.78 in May 2025.
BLS converts between hourly and annual figures at 2,080 hours a year, so this is the same median per hour, before overtime or bonuses.
03Which state pays asbestos abatement workers the most?
For all hazardous materials removal workers, New York had the highest median in May 2025 at $73,090.
Arkansas had the lowest at $36,630.
These are not adjusted for living costs; the state table above lists every state BLS published.
04What is the average asbestos abatement worker salary?
BLS publishes no asbestos abatement worker average.
The mean (average) annual wage for all hazardous materials removal workers was $56,430 in May 2025, against a $49,450 median.
The median is the better guide to a typical salary, because a smaller number of high earners pull the average up.
05Is demand for asbestos abatement workers growing?
BLS projects employment of all hazardous materials removal workers to change +1.5% from 2025 to 2035, from about 52,700 to 53,500 jobs, with about 4,300 openings a year (BLS Employment Projections 2025–35).
Those projection counts include the self-employed and come from a different BLS program, so they are not directly comparable with the OEWS payroll job count on this page.
06Is this the same figure as lead abatement workers?
Yes.
BLS publishes one occupation, hazardous materials removal workers (SOC 47-4041), for workers who remove asbestos, lead-based paint, mold and other hazardous materials, so asbestos and lead abatement workers share the same figures.
BLS publishes no asbestos-only or lead-only wage.
07Where do hazardous materials removal workers work?
About 62% of them, 32,210 of 51,710 payroll jobs, were in remediation and other waste management services in May 2025, where the median was $48,900 ($23.51 an hour) against $49,450 across all industries (BLS OEWS industry estimates).
BLS publishes no separate figure for remediation contractors alone, so that is not restoration company pay.