How much does a environmental engineer make?
Answer: A typical environmental engineer in the United States makes $107,110 a year (median, May 2025, US Bureau of Labor Statistics).
Line up 100 people; this is the one in the middle (median). about 38,000 people work in this job. Well above the US-wide typical pay ($50,980).
If 100 people had this job
Lowest at bottom-left, highest at top-rightHover over a person to see their yearly pay
Environmental engineer pay in the United States (May 2025, median and spread)
| Lower earner (10th from bottom) | Typical person (median) | Higher earner (10th from top) | People in this job |
|---|---|---|---|
| $69,990 | $107,110 | $162,220 | about 38,000 |
| State | Typical person (median) | People in this job |
|---|---|---|
| California | $130,410 | about 5,000 |
| Oregon | $127,100 | about 650 |
| Washington | $125,460 | about 2,000 |
| Texas | $123,060 | about 2,000 |
| Florida | $116,840 | about 2,000 |
Why does pay differ?
In the U.S., environmental engineers with more experience or a Professional Engineer license may earn more. Pay also varies by location, employer type, and the kind of work, such as water treatment or pollution cleanup.
What if you lived in a different state?
Pay varies a lot by state in the USTop 5 and bottom 3 states, typical (median) yearly pay.
What does a environmental engineer do?
Research, design, plan, or perform engineering duties in the prevention, control, and remediation of environmental hazards using various engineering disciplines. Work may include waste treatment, site remediation, or pollution control technology.
What's a typical day like?
They may visit a water-treatment plant or polluted site to inspect systems and check environmental conditions. In the office, they study data, plan pollution controls, and write reports.
How to get this job
In the U.S., earn a bachelor’s in environmental or related engineering; an internship can help. To become a licensed PE, typically pass the FE exam, gain about four years of engineering experience, and pass the PE exam; state rules vary.
Usually a bachelor's degree (preparation level 4 of 5)
Good for people who like figuring things out and building and doing.
Did you know?
Oregon State researchers are developing a way to turn wastewater into a product that can both water and fertilize crops.
Similar jobs
Jobs using similar skills (O*NET)Earn more in the same field
Architecture and Engineering jobs that pay a bit moreSources and data
Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025 (bls.gov); descriptions and related jobs from O*NET 31.0. Figures as of May 2025, full-time yearly pay (hourly × 2,080 hours). bls.gov/oes · O*NET OnLine
Pages used for the text
- www.bls.gov/ooh/architecture-and-engineering/environmental-engineers.htm
- www.onetonline.org/link/summary/17-2081.00
- ncees.org/licensure
- www.bls.gov/oes/2023/may/oes172081.htm
- engineering.oregonstate.edu/academics/discover-engineering/what-do-environmental
Data: US BLS OEWS, May 2025 · 1 USD = 150 JPY