Key Findings: UNCOVER EH

Key points

Explore findings uncovered by our landmark assessment. Understanding the Needs, Challenges, Opportunities, Vision, and Emerging Roles in Environmental Health (UNCOVER EH) surveyed more than 1,700 environmental health professionals.

Group of people sitting around a table with graphics of data on a white surface.

Food safety is the most common area where these professionals work

Many work in more than one area

  • Food safety and protection - 76%
  • Public swimming pools - 57%
  • Emergency preparedness and response - 47%
  • Schools - 46%
  • Onsite wastewater (septic systems) - 44%
  • Private or onsite drinking water - 43%
  • Hotels/motels - 39%
  • Vector control - 38%
  • Body art (tattoo) - 36%
  • Daycare/early child development facilities - 34%

Resource‎

Learn more about the UNCOVER EH data.

EH workforce has opportunities to become more racially and ethnically diverse

More than 8 in 10 EH professionals are white.

  • Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander - 1%
  • American Indian - 3%
  • Asian - 4%
  • Black or African American - 7%
  • White - 85%

6% of the EH workforce is Hispanic.

Women make up about half of the EH workforce.

  • Women - 49%
  • Men - 51%

The EH workforce is aging, presenting recruitment needs

1 in 4 EH professionals is over 55 years of age.

1 in 4 EH professionals plans to retire within 5 years.

The EH workforce is well educated

Despite the high levels of education of the workforce, professionals' degrees are not always in EH.

  • Doctoral - 3%
  • Master's - 30%
  • Bachelor's - 62%
  • Associate - 2%
  • None - 3%

Only 1 in 5 bachelor's degrees is in EH.

2 in 5 EH bachelor's degrees are from academic programs accredited by the National Environmental Health Science & Protection Accreditation Council, considered the gold standard.

REHS/RS is a common credential, and position titles vary

64% have the Registered Environmental Health Specialist/Registered Sanitarian (REHS/RS) credential.

1 out of 2 EH professionals has the title Environmental Health Specialist.

  • EH Specialist - 50%
  • Sanitarian - 20%
  • Other, varying titles - 30%