Salaries

Sustainability Manager Salary.

Across 81 U.S. cities.

$137,000

estimated national base salary

$100,000 to $179,000. Last updated September 2026.

Orbyt prices 5 titles at this same figure, including Sustainability Manager, Legal Operations Manager, and Contracts Manager. Orbyt does not hold title-level wage data that would separate them.

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Government benchmark for this occupation

The US Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a median annual wage of $141,900 for Managers, All Other (SOC 11-9199) across the United States, based on 622,190 employed workers (May 2025 release).

10th percentile

$74,300

25th percentile

$102,880

Median

$141,900

75th percentile

$186,300

90th percentile

$238,270

Workers surveyed

622,190

What BLS published in each release

May 2024 release

$136,550

May 2025 release

$141,900

These are two separate published estimates, not a time series. The Bureau of Labor Statistics does not encourage the use of OEWS data for time-series analysis. Differences between releases reflect changes in occupational classification, survey methodology, and the three-year pooled sample as well as any change in pay, so the two figures should not be read as a rate of wage growth.

BLS publishes wages by occupation code, not by job title, so this figure covers every role mapped to Managers, All Other (SOC 11-9199) rather than Sustainability Manager specifically. The national range at the top of this page is Orbyt’s role-level estimate, which is a different thing and is labelled as such.

View the BLS source for SOC 11-9199

Highest Paying

$187,000

San Jose, CA

Best Purchasing Power

$143,000

Boston, MA

Lowest Paying

$108,000

Charleston, WV

The salary figures on this page are computed estimates, not observed wages. Each one is a national role baseline scaled by a Bureau of Economic Analysis Regional Price Parity cost-of-living multiplier (2025 index) and rounded to the nearest $1,000. No published wage percentile is consulted and no wage survey response enters the calculation, so an Orbyt estimate must not be cited as a Bureau of Labor Statistics figure or as measured pay. The published wage data Orbyt holds is Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, and Department of Labor H-1B Labor Condition Application filings, which record a filed minimum visa base wage rather than market pay. Where BLS publishes a wage for the occupation a role maps to, it is shown on that role's page as a separate benchmark, labelled with its occupation code, metro area and the number of employed workers it covers. Last updated September 2026. This role maps to BLS occupation code 11-9199. Full methodology.

Orbyt estimates the average Sustainability Manager salary in the United States at $137,000 in 2026, within a range of $100,000 to $179,000. These figures are Orbyt estimates, computed rather than measured, and must not be cited as Bureau of Labor Statistics figures; the published BLS wage for the occupation this role maps to is shown separately on this page. This figure is not specific to this title: Orbyt prices 5 titles at the same estimate. San Jose is the highest of the 81 cities at $187,000, while Boston offers the best purchasing power after cost-of-living adjustments. Industry sector, reporting framework expertise like GRI and SASB, and scope of responsibility create the widest pay gaps.

Sustainability Manager salary by city.

Salary comparison across 81 cities
CityMedianRangeCOLAdjustedRank
San Jose, CA$187,000$137,000 to $245,0001.38x$136,000#1903 of 3445
Honolulu, HI$185,000$135,000 to $242,0001.30x$142,000#1639 of 3445
San Francisco, CA$179,000$131,000 to $234,0001.35x$133,000#2212 of 3445
Washington DC, DC$176,000$129,000 to $230,0001.25x$141,000#1665 of 3445
New York, NY$175,000$128,000 to $229,0001.28x$137,000#1803 of 3445
Boston, MA$174,000$127,000 to $227,0001.22x$143,000#1636 of 3445
Arlington, VA$170,000$124,000 to $223,0001.22x$139,000#1676 of 3445
Seattle, WA$165,000$120,000 to $215,0001.24x$133,000#2093 of 3445
San Diego, CA$160,000$117,000 to $209,0001.17x$137,000#1774 of 3445
Princeton, NJ$159,000$116,000 to $208,0001.15x$138,000#1690 of 3445
Jersey City, NJ$158,000$115,000 to $206,0001.20x$132,000#2201 of 3445
Los Angeles, CA$155,000$113,000 to $203,0001.18x$131,000#2199 of 3445
Newark, NJ$155,000$113,000 to $203,0001.18x$131,000#2213 of 3445
Miami, FL$153,000$112,000 to $200,0001.12x$137,000#1804 of 3445
Anchorage, AK$152,000$111,000 to $198,0001.13x$135,000#1983 of 3445
Hartford, CT$152,000$111,000 to $199,0001.08x$141,000#1660 of 3445
Boulder, CO$151,000$110,000 to $198,0001.15x$131,000#2216 of 3445
Baltimore, MD$149,000$109,000 to $195,0001.08x$138,000#1696 of 3445
Chicago, IL$148,000$108,000 to $193,0001.07x$138,000#1688 of 3445
Portland, OR$148,000$108,000 to $193,0001.10x$135,000#1982 of 3445
Minneapolis, MN$148,000$108,000 to $194,0001.05x$141,000#1665 of 3445
Burlington, VT$147,000$107,000 to $192,0001.06x$139,000#1688 of 3445
Philadelphia, PA$146,000$107,000 to $191,0001.09x$134,000#2009 of 3445
Sacramento, CA$146,000$107,000 to $191,0001.10x$133,000#2118 of 3445
Austin, TX$145,000$106,000 to $190,0001.03x$141,000#1658 of 3445
Manchester, NH$145,000$106,000 to $190,0001.06x$137,000#1814 of 3445
Dallas, TX$144,000$105,000 to $188,0001.01x$143,000#1638 of 3445
Portland, ME$144,000$105,000 to $188,0001.05x$137,000#1805 of 3445
Denver, CO$142,000$104,000 to $186,0001.08x$131,000#2206 of 3445
Providence, RI$142,000$104,000 to $186,0001.04x$137,000#1822 of 3445
Atlanta, GA$141,000$103,000 to $184,0001.02x$138,000#1688 of 3445
Nashville, TN$141,000$103,000 to $184,0001.00x$141,000#1656 of 3445
Richmond, VA$141,000$103,000 to $184,0001.01x$140,000#1667 of 3445
Wilmington, DE$137,000$100,000 to $179,0001.02x$134,000#2007 of 3445
Ann Arbor, MI$136,000$99,000 to $177,0001.02x$133,000#2102 of 3445
Houston, TX$134,000$98,000 to $175,0000.97x$138,000#1690 of 3445
Salt Lake City, UT$134,000$98,000 to $175,0000.98x$137,000#1797 of 3445
Charleston, SC$134,000$98,000 to $175,0000.98x$137,000#1821 of 3445
Columbus, OH$133,000$97,000 to $173,0000.93x$143,000#1634 of 3445
Albany, NY$133,000$97,000 to $174,0000.96x$139,000#1690 of 3445
Orlando, FL$133,000$97,000 to $173,0000.95x$140,000#1664 of 3445
Raleigh, NC$132,000$96,000 to $172,0000.99x$133,000#2086 of 3445
Las Vegas, NV$132,000$96,000 to $172,0000.96x$138,000#1787 of 3445
Virginia Beach, VA$132,000$96,000 to $172,0000.98x$135,000#1987 of 3445
Kansas City, MO$130,000$95,000 to $170,0000.93x$140,000#1676 of 3445
Reno, NV$130,000$95,000 to $170,0000.96x$135,000#1893 of 3445
North Charleston, SC$130,000$95,000 to $170,0000.94x$138,000#1694 of 3445
Charlotte, NC$128,000$93,000 to $167,0000.97x$132,000#2190 of 3445
Tampa, FL$128,000$93,000 to $167,0000.96x$133,000#2104 of 3445
Phoenix, AZ$126,000$92,000 to $165,0000.96x$131,000#2209 of 3445
Indianapolis, IN$126,000$92,000 to $165,0000.91x$138,000#1680 of 3445
New Orleans, LA$126,000$92,000 to $165,0000.92x$137,000#1813 of 3445
Madison, WI$126,000$92,000 to $165,0000.95x$133,000#2104 of 3445
Columbia, SC$126,000$92,000 to $164,0000.90x$140,000#1668 of 3445
Knoxville, TN$126,000$92,000 to $164,0000.89x$142,000#1651 of 3445
Pittsburgh, PA$125,000$91,000 to $163,0000.92x$136,000#1896 of 3445
Boise, ID$125,000$91,000 to $163,0000.95x$132,000#2215 of 3445
San Antonio, TX$125,000$91,000 to $163,0000.91x$137,000#1804 of 3445
Baton Rouge, LA$125,000$92,000 to $164,0000.88x$142,000#1651 of 3445
Columbus, OH$124,000$90,000 to $161,0000.93x$133,000#2084 of 3445
Omaha, NE$123,000$90,000 to $161,0000.88x$140,000#1669 of 3445
Albuquerque, NM$123,000$90,000 to $161,0000.88x$140,000#1676 of 3445
Des Moines, IA$123,000$89,000 to $160,0000.86x$143,000#1637 of 3445
Milwaukee, WI$122,000$89,000 to $160,0000.91x$134,000#1992 of 3445
Cheyenne, WY$122,000$89,000 to $159,0000.87x$140,000#1660 of 3445
Cincinnati, OH$121,000$88,000 to $158,0000.90x$134,000#2007 of 3445
Spokane, WA$121,000$88,000 to $158,0000.92x$132,000#2192 of 3445
Detroit, MI$120,000$87,000 to $156,0000.90x$133,000#2095 of 3445
Fargo, ND$119,000$87,000 to $155,0000.85x$140,000#1667 of 3445
St. Louis, MO$118,000$86,000 to $155,0000.90x$131,000#2311 of 3445
Birmingham, AL$117,000$86,000 to $153,0000.84x$139,000#1682 of 3445
Little Rock, AR$117,000$85,000 to $153,0000.82x$143,000#1644 of 3445
Louisville, KY$117,000$85,000 to $153,0000.88x$133,000#2108 of 3445
Tulsa, OK$115,000$84,000 to $150,0000.83x$139,000#1690 of 3445
Sioux Falls, SD$114,000$83,000 to $149,0000.85x$134,000#2004 of 3445
Des Moines, IA$113,000$83,000 to $148,0000.86x$131,000#2210 of 3445
Oklahoma City, OK$113,000$82,000 to $147,0000.84x$135,000#2004 of 3445
Lexington, KY$113,000$83,000 to $148,0000.86x$131,000#2208 of 3445
Jackson, MS$111,000$81,000 to $146,0000.79x$141,000#1652 of 3445
Wichita, KS$110,000$80,000 to $144,0000.82x$134,000#1989 of 3445
Charleston, WV$108,000$79,000 to $141,0000.78x$138,000#1690 of 3445

Skills that increase Sustainability Manager pay.

The premiums below are Orbyt's modelled scenarios for Sustainability Managers, not effects measured from job postings: each is a fixed percentage applied to the estimated base. At the top premium that works out to $19,180 a year.

LLM Fine-Tuning+14%

≈ +$19,180 per year

Reinforcement Learning+13%

≈ +$17,810 per year

CUDA+12%

≈ +$16,440 per year

RAG (Retrieval-Augmented Generation)+11%

≈ +$15,070 per year

Kubernetes+11%

≈ +$15,070 per year

Transformers+10%

≈ +$13,700 per year

Rust+10%

≈ +$13,700 per year

PyTorch+9%

≈ +$12,330 per year

What you should know.

Industry sector, reporting framework expertise like GRI and SASB, and scope of responsibility create the widest pay gaps. Managers at Fortune 500 companies overseeing enterprise-wide sustainability programs with regulatory compliance earn 25 to 40% more than those at smaller organizations.

Sustainability Coordinators start at $80,000 to $90,000. Managers leading programs and teams earn $100,000 to $120,000. Senior Directors of Sustainability reach $125,000 to $160,000, while Chief Sustainability Officers at major corporations command $180,000 to $300,000 in total compensation.

Annual bonuses of 10 to 20% tied to ESG metric achievement are common at large corporations. RSUs at public companies can add $15,000 to $40,000. Many roles include budgets for professional certifications and conference attendance.

Total compensation breakdown.

Base Salary
$137,000
Equity / Year
$13,000
Annual Bonus
8%
$11,000
Total Comp
$161,000

Salary by company size

Startup
< 50 employees
$116,000
Growth
50-500 employees
$127,000
Scale-up
500-5K employees
$137,000
Public
5K+ employees
$162,000

Remote salary adjustment

Remote Sustainability Managers typically earn $123,000 (10% less than on-site). This reflects location-adjusted pay policies at companies using geographic salary bands. Some companies pay flat national rates regardless of location.

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Related.

Common questions about Sustainability Manager pay.

Orbyt estimates the national median Sustainability Manager salary at $137,000 in 2026, within a range of $100,000 to $179,000. This is a computed estimate, not a measured wage. Where you land depends on your experience, skills, the company's size, and your location.

Entry level Sustainability Managers (0 to 2 years) typically earn $89,000 to $110,000. Mid level (3 to 5 years) run $116,000 to $144,000. Senior (6 to 9 years) reach $151,000 to $178,000, and lead level (10 plus years) $171,000 to $212,000.

Annual bonuses of 10 to 20% tied to ESG metric achievement are common at large corporations. RSUs at public companies can add $15,000 to $40,000. Many roles include budgets for professional certifications and conference attendance.

Entry level Sustainability Manager roles start around $89,000 to $110,000. Candidates with strong internships, certifications, or portfolio work often negotiate toward the national median of $137,000.

With a national median of $137,000 and senior pay reaching $178,000 to $212,000, Sustainability Manager is a well compensated field. Pay varies by city, so compare cost of living adjusted numbers before judging any single offer.

Anchor your ask near the top of the range at $179,000 so you have room to settle around the $137,000 median. Bring specific data about your impact, and never accept the first number without a conversation.

You have the data.

Now own the conversation.

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