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.](/environmental-health-practice/media/images/iStock-488892667-UNCOVER-EH-Key-Findings-16-9.jpg)
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
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.