Environmental Engineers: salary, outlook & degrees
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.
Middle half $83,570–$134,420. 38,340 jobs.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025
93% hold a bachelor's or higher. Those with one: $84,266.
Census ACS 2020-2024 microdata, workers with at least a high school diploma; EducationGuide calculation
About 2,300 openings a year, including replacements.
BLS Employment Projections 2025-35
Considerable preparation (usually a bachelor's).
BLS; O*NET 31.0 job zone
Degrees that lead to this career
What workers ages 25-34 in this job studied, among those with a bachelor's or higher. This is what people actually did, not a requirement.
| Field of bachelor's degree | Share | Degree pages |
|---|---|---|
| Environmental Engineering | 20% | Environmental Engineering |
| Civil Engineering | 13% | Civil Engineering |
| Chemical Engineering | 11% | Chemical Engineering |
| Environmental Science | 6% | Environmental Science / Conservation |
| Mechanical Engineering | 5% | Mechanical Engineering |
| Biological Engineering | 5% | Agricultural Engineering |
| General Engineering | 5% | Engineering |
| Multi-Disciplinary Or General Science | 4% | Biological and Physical Sciences |
| Geology And Earth Science | 3% | — |
| Biology | 2% | Biology |
Census ACS 2020-2024 microdata (ages 25-34, employed, bachelor's or higher; top 10 fields); EducationGuide calculation.
Education workers say the job requires
O*NET 31.0 survey of workers (“required level of education”); small samples, so treat shares as approximate.
Pay by state and metro
| State | Median wage |
|---|---|
| Louisiana | $130,510 |
| California | $130,410 |
| Oregon | $127,100 |
| Washington | $125,460 |
| Texas | $123,060 |
| Nebraska | $120,620 |
| Idaho | $117,520 |
| Florida | $116,840 |
| Massachusetts | $115,800 |
| Minnesota | $115,750 |
| Connecticut | $114,710 |
| Ohio | $113,180 |
| Alaska | $110,220 |
| Nevada | $109,720 |
| New Mexico | $108,360 |
| Illinois | $107,990 |
| Hawaii | $107,880 |
| Kentucky | $107,520 |
| Colorado | $106,890 |
| Wyoming | $106,330 |
| Michigan | $105,080 |
| Virginia | $104,940 |
| Utah | $103,380 |
| Pennsylvania | $103,330 |
| Alabama | $102,650 |
| New Jersey | $102,630 |
| New York | $101,270 |
| Rhode Island | $101,140 |
| Montana | $100,140 |
| North Carolina | $99,440 |
| South Dakota | $98,890 |
| Missouri | $98,170 |
| Maryland | $97,570 |
| Tennessee | $97,190 |
| Georgia | $96,530 |
| South Carolina | $96,140 |
| Delaware | $95,720 |
| Iowa | $94,830 |
| Kansas | $94,070 |
| Arizona | $93,970 |
| Maine | $93,930 |
| Vermont | $92,580 |
| Indiana | $92,460 |
| Oklahoma | $92,090 |
| North Dakota | $91,370 |
| Mississippi | $91,100 |
| Wisconsin | $89,990 |
| New Hampshire | $88,610 |
| Arkansas | $85,280 |
| West Virginia | $83,200 |
| PR | $77,560 |
Florida metro areas
- Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach$99,600
- Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford$82,500
- Jacksonville$115,210
- Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville$107,930
- Cape Coral-Fort Myers$142,700
- Gainesville$126,440
- North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota$111,630
- Tallahassee$121,390
Virginia metro areas
- Washington-Arlington-Alexandria$120,580
- Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk$102,110
- Richmond$100,760
California metro areas
- Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom$133,240
- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim$127,900
- San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont$138,840
- San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad$119,390
- Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario$117,360
- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara$125,550
- Fresno$119,400
- Santa Rosa-Petaluma$141,560
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025: median annual wage, all workers in the job. Metro areas: the largest by employment.
What the work takes
Top skills
- Reading Comprehension
- Active Listening
- Writing
- Speaking
- Critical Thinking
Knowledge used
- Engineering and Technology
- Design
- Chemistry
- Mathematics
- Building and Construction
Work styles
- Attention to Detail
- Dependability
- Cautiousness
- Innovation
- Intellectual Curiosity
People in this job tend to have Investigative (analytical), Realistic (hands-on), Conventional (organizing) interests.
O*NET 31.0 (U.S. Department of Labor, CC BY 4.0): skills and knowledge by importance; work styles; interest high points.
Environmental Engineers: questions
How much do environmental Engineers make?
Environmental Engineers earn a U.S. median $107,110 a year; the middle half earn $83,570 to $134,420 (BLS, May 2025). Workers ages 25-34 in this job earn a median $83,958 (Census ACS 2020-2024).
Is environmental Engineers a growing field?
BLS projects growth of 6.3% from 2025 to 2035, with about 2,300 openings a year, including replacements.
What degree do you need to be an environmental Engineer?
BLS lists the typical entry education as bachelor's degree. In O*NET's survey, 95% of workers say a bachelor's or higher is required. Among workers ages 25-34 with a bachelor's, the most common field of degree is environmental Engineering (20%).
How much do environmental Engineers make in Florida?
The median in Florida is $116,840 a year (BLS, May 2025), compared with $107,110 nationally.
Sources: Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35); O*NET 31.0 (U.S. Department of Labor, CC BY 4.0); U.S. Census Bureau ACS microdata. SOC 17-2081. Method
Data: JSON · Markdown · all careers
Cite this: “Environmental Engineers: salary, outlook and degrees,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/careers/environmental-engineers.