Asbestos and lead abatement workers in California: licensing, jobs, pay and local data
7,950 people work as asbestos and lead abatement workers in California, and the median pay is $54,740 a year (US Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2024).
The Census Bureau counts 511 remediation service businesses with employees in California (2023 County Business Patterns).
That is 0.3 businesses per 10,000 homes, against 0.4 nationally.
California ranks 12 of 50 states for median pay in this trade.
It ranks 34 of 51 for businesses per 10,000 homes.
Figures last updated on .
- Jobs
- 7,950
- Median pay, a year
- $54,740
- Businesses with employees
- 511
Asbestos and lead abatement workers in California: businesses and jobs
| California | United States | |
|---|---|---|
| Businesses with employees | 511 | 5,826 |
| Their employees | 8,662 | 91,239 |
| Annual payroll | $722,741,000 | $7,057,102,000 |
| Payroll per employee | $83,438 | $77,347 |
| Businesses per 10,000 homes | 0.3 | 0.4 |
| Jobs | 7,950 | 50,570 |
| Jobs per 1,000 jobs | 0.44 | — |
| Location quotient (1.00 = the national share) | 1.34 | 1.00 |
A location quotient above 1 means the trade’s share of all jobs is larger here than nationally.
What asbestos and lead abatement workers earn in California
| California | United States | |
|---|---|---|
| Median pay, a year | $54,740 | $48,490 |
| Median pay, an hour | $26.32 | $23.31 |
| 10th percentile | $39,360 | $37,330 |
| 25th percentile | $45,340 | $42,710 |
| 75th percentile | $76,620 | $62,150 |
| 90th percentile | $88,430 | $82,480 |
| Average pay, a year | $61,240 | $55,740 |
Asbestos and lead abatement workers by county in California
| County | Businesses with employees | Their employees | Businesses per 10,000 homes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles County | 128 | 2,291 | 0.4 |
| Orange County | 60 | 1,030 | 0.5 |
| San Diego County | 48 | 679 | 0.4 |
| Alameda County | 33 | 909 | 0.5 |
| Riverside County | 30 | 274 | 0.3 |
| Contra Costa County | 24 | 390 | 0.6 |
| Sacramento County | 23 | 437 | 0.4 |
| Kern County | 19 | 485 | 0.6 |
| San Bernardino County | 19 | 313 | 0.3 |
| Santa Clara County | 13 | 122 | 0.2 |
| Ventura County | 12 | 176 | 0.4 |
| San Francisco County | 10 | 421 | 0.2 |
| San Joaquin County | 9 | 55 | 0.3 |
| Placer County | 9 | 143 | 0.5 |
| San Mateo County | 8 | 44 | 0.3 |
| Sonoma County | 6 | 72 | 0.3 |
| San Luis Obispo County | 6 | 40 | 0.5 |
| Santa Barbara County | 6 | 74 | 0.4 |
| Solano County | 6 | 83 | 0.4 |
| Stanislaus County | 5 | 22 | 0.3 |
| Fresno County | 5 | 150 | 0.1 |
| Monterey County | 4 | 104 | 0.3 |
| Santa Cruz County | 4 | 75 | 0.4 |
| Marin County | 3 | 39 | 0.3 |
| Shasta County | 3 | 13 | 0.4 |
The homes behind the work in California
| California | United States | |
|---|---|---|
| Homes built before 1940 | 8.9% (±0.1 points) | 11.7% |
| Homes built in the 1950s | 12.4% (±0.1 points) | 9.5% |
| Homes built in the 1960s | 12.5% (±0.1 points) | 9.9% |
| Homes built in the 1970s | 16.8% (±0.1 points) | 14.2% |
Licenses for asbestos and lead abatement workers in California
California sets its own licenses for this trade, and many cities and counties add their own; the US Department of Labor’s License Finder lists each license California requires and the agency that issues it.
Before work starts, the local building department says which permits the job needs and which license the person pulling them must hold.
Federal rules and model codes for asbestos and lead abatement workers
These federal rules apply to this work in every state, and the model codes below are adopted state by state; each is linked to its official text.
- EPA asbestos NESHAP for demolition and renovation (40 CFR part 61, subpart M)
- EPA asbestos accreditation (40 CFR part 763, subpart E)
- EPA lead-based paint activities: abatement, inspection and risk assessment (40 CFR part 745, subpart L)
- EPA Renovation, Repair and Painting Rule (40 CFR part 745, subpart E)
Business counts are establishments: a company with offices in two counties is counted in each.
Jobs and pay are for the occupation in every industry, so they include people employed by builders, property managers and governments as well as by contractors.
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Questions about California
How much do asbestos and lead abatement workers make in California?
The median pay for asbestos and lead abatement workers in California is $54,740 a year, against $48,490 nationally (US Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2024).
How many asbestos and lead abatement workers work in California?
7,950 people work as asbestos and lead abatement workers in California, by the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ May 2024 count of jobs.
How many remediation service businesses are in California?
The Census Bureau counts 511 remediation service businesses with employees in California (2023 County Business Patterns).
Do asbestos and lead abatement workers need a license in California?
California sets its own licenses for this trade, and many cities and counties add their own; the US Department of Labor’s License Finder lists each license California requires and the agency that issues it.
Sources
- US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2024
- US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns 2023
- License Finder: asbestos and lead abatement workers in California (US Department of Labor, CareerOneStop)
- EPA asbestos NESHAP for demolition and renovation (40 CFR part 61, subpart M)
- EPA asbestos accreditation (40 CFR part 763, subpart E)
- EPA lead-based paint activities: abatement, inspection and risk assessment (40 CFR part 745, subpart L)
- EPA Renovation, Repair and Painting Rule (40 CFR part 745, subpart E)
This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
Figures are published by the US Census Bureau and the US Bureau of Labor Statistics; Seayora reproduces them and does not adjust them. Rules are summarized from their official text, which governs; this page is not legal advice, and a state or city may add requirements of its own.
Figures last updated on .