17 Series · SOC 17-3025

Environmental Engineering Technologists and Technicians Salary

National pay, percentile range, growth outlook, and state-by-state detail from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey (May 2025).

$59,920
Median / year
$96,660
Top 10% earn
+1.2%
Growth '23–'33
12,190
US workers

Environmental Engineering Technologists and Technicians earn a median of $59,920 per year.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, the median annual wage is $59,920, based on the most recent survey of employers. Reported pay ranges from $39,910 (10th percentile) to $96,660 (90th percentile) nationally, across roughly 12,190 US workers. Washington pays the most ($100,050), since pay varies by state and metro area.

17 Series · Source: BLS OEWS Compare with another job →
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The pay verdict

Environmental Engineering Technologists and Technicians earn a median of $59,920, putting them below the typical US occupation and higher than 48% of the 825 occupations with a published BLS median. Within Architecture and Engineering, it ranks #35 of 36 by median pay. Employment is projected to grow 1.2% by 2033.

$59,920
Median annual wage
Top 52%
of 825 US occupations with published wages
#35 of 36
in Architecture and Engineering
2.4×
90th-to-10th pay spread

Highest-paying state: Washington at $100,050. Typical entry-level education: Associate's degree.

Environmental Engineering Technologists and Technicians (SOC 17-3025) pays a national median of $59,920 per year according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey released in May 2025. Full-range compensation stretches from $39,910 at the 10th percentile to $96,660 at the 90th, with a mean of $64,870 indicating a right-skew where top earners pull the average above the midpoint. An estimated 12,190 Americans work in this occupation across 45 reporting states and 74 metro areas.

BLS Employment Projections forecast a +1.2% change in employment from 2024 to 2034, which the agency classifies as slower than average relative to the 5% all-occupations baseline. About 1,100 openings are projected per year, combining new positions with replacement needs from retirements and occupation-switchers. Typical entry-level preparation is Associate's degree. The BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) and Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII) produce a workplace-safety grade of A for this role, with a fatality rate of 2 per 100,000 and injury rate of 0.5 per 100.

Geographic variation matters as much as the headline median. Washington pays the highest state median at $100,050, which is +67% above the national figure. The top metro is San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA at $105,250 - metro premiums typically reflect higher cost of living, industry concentration, or specialized employer demand. When using this page for negotiation or career planning, pair the national median with the state and metro rows below, remember that BLS wages exclude benefits, bonuses, and overtime, and revisit after each May OEWS release since percentiles shift with cost-of-living cycles and industry demand. See our methodology for exactly how these figures are sourced, computed, and verified.

BLS OEWS May 2025 12,190 jobs Median $59,920/yr

Median Salary

$59,920

per year

Median Hourly

$28.81/hr

per hour

Mean Salary

$64,870

average

Employment

12,190

jobs nationwide

How does this pay compare nationally?

Where Environmental Engineering Technologists and Technicians pay sits nationally

Median annual wage vs. 825 detailed BLS occupations with a published median

$59,920 Bottom 48% higher than 48% of 825 US occupations

$0–$20,000: 0 US occupations (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 98 US occupations (12%). Below this entry. $40,000–$60,000: 298 US occupations (36%). This entry sits in this band. $60,000–$80,000: 209 US occupations (25%). Above this entry. $80,000–$100,000: 82 US occupations (10%). Above this entry. $100,000–$120,000: 58 US occupations (7%). Above this entry. $120,000–$140,000: 32 US occupations (4%). Above this entry. $140,000–$160,000: 14 US occupations (2%). Above this entry. $160,000–$180,000: 9 US occupations (1%). Above this entry. $180,000–$200,000: 25 US occupations (3%). Above this entry. This job $0 $200,000 every BLS occupation, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US occupations. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS · May 2025

Does this job pay well and grow?

Each dot is a 17-series occupation, placed by projected 2024–2034 growth and median pay. The highlighted dot is Environmental Engineering Technologists and Technicians; the upper-right quadrant is the sweet spot (high pay + fast growth).

Among 24 17-series occupations with growth data, Environmental Engineering Technologists and Technicians sits on the slower-growing side at +1.2% growth and $59,920 median pay.

Among 24 17-series occupations with growth data, Environmental Engineering Technologists and Technicians sits on the slower-growing side at +1.2% growth and $59,920 median pay. Scatter plot of 24 data points. $0$50000$100000$150000$200000 -10%-5%0%5%10%15% Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) Median annual wage
Among 24 17-series occupations with growth data, Environmental Engineering Technologists and Technicians sits on the slower-growing side at +1.2% growth and $59,920 median pay.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS (wages, May 2025) and Employment Projections (2024–2034).

Job Outlook (2024–2034)

Projected Growth

+1.2%

Slower than average

Annual Openings

1,100

per year (projected)

Typical Education

Associate's degree

Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034

Workplace Safety

All safety ratings →
A

Very Safe

Safety Grade (BLS 2023)

Fatality Rate

2/100K

Injury Rate

0.5/100

Danger Index

3/100

Source: BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) & Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII), 2023

Career Intelligence

Skills, knowledge, and tasks most important for Environmental Engineering Technologists and Technicians roles, ranked by importance. Source: O*NET.

Top Skills

Reading Comprehension 3.9
Active Listening 3.9
Critical Thinking 3.9
Active Learning 3.8
Speaking 3.4
Science 3.4
Monitoring 3.4
Judgment and Decision Making 3.3
Writing 3.1
Complex Problem Solving 3.1

Knowledge Areas

Engineering and Technology 3.7
Mathematics 3.6
Customer and Personal Service 3.5
English Language 3.4
Chemistry 3.4
Mechanical 3.2
Physics 3.2
Public Safety and Security 3.1
Building and Construction 3.0
Education and Training 3.0

Key Tasks

  • Assist in the cleanup of hazardous material spills.
  • Maintain project logbook records or computer program files.
  • Record laboratory or field data, including numerical data, test results, photographs, or summaries of visual observations.
  • Perform environmental quality work in field or office settings.
  • Produce environmental assessment reports, tabulating data and preparing charts, graphs, or sketches.
  • Collect and analyze pollution samples, such as air or ground water.
  • Decontaminate or test field equipment used to clean or test pollutants from soil, air, or water.
  • Prepare and package environmental samples for shipping or testing.
  • Maintain process parameters and evaluate process anomalies.
  • Inspect facilities to monitor compliance with regulations governing substances, such as asbestos, lead, or wastewater.

Source: O*NET Online, National Center for O*NET Development. Data represents typical importance ratings for this occupation.

Salary Range

Annual Salary Distribution

$39,910$48,200$59,920$75,960$96,660
10th pct25thMedian75th90th pct

Hourly Rate Distribution

$19.19$23.18$28.81$36.52$46.47
10th pct25thMedian75th90th pct

10th Percentile

$39,910

25th Percentile

$48,200

Median

$59,920

75th Percentile

$75,960

90th Percentile

$96,660

Salary by State

View all 45 states →
# State Median Salary vs National
1 Washington $100,050 +67% above national
2 Oregon $80,770 +35% above national
3 Tennessee $80,100 +34% above national
4 Alaska $77,860 +30% above national
5 Nevada $75,330 +26% above national
6 Maryland $67,510 +13% above national
7 Massachusetts $66,860 +12% above national
8 Arizona $65,420 +9% above national
9 Maine $64,660 +8% above national
10 South Carolina $63,200 +5% above national
11 New York $62,540 +4% above national
12 Idaho $62,240 +4% above national
13 Oklahoma $61,900 +3% above national
14 Kentucky $61,470 +3% above national
15 New Mexico $61,170 +2% above national
16 Louisiana $60,840 +2% above national
17 Colorado $60,740 +1% above national
18 New Jersey $60,740 +1% above national
19 Georgia $60,500 +1% above national
20 Utah $60,410 +1% above national
21 Alabama $60,170 same as national
22 Minnesota $60,110 same as national
23 California $60,010 same as national
24 Pennsylvania $59,920 same as national
25 Kansas $59,420 1% below national
26 Montana $58,870 2% below national
27 Guam $58,770 2% below national
28 Iowa $58,690 2% below national
29 Texas $57,150 5% below national
30 Nebraska $54,690 9% below national
31 South Dakota $53,960 10% below national
32 North Carolina $53,660 10% below national
33 Indiana $53,110 11% below national
34 Virginia $52,330 13% below national
35 Florida $51,970 13% below national
36 Ohio $51,830 14% below national
37 Hawaii $51,810 14% below national
38 Illinois $51,540 14% below national
39 Michigan $50,800 15% below national
40 Wisconsin $49,190 18% below national
41 West Virginia $47,650 20% below national
42 Arkansas $45,290 24% below national
43 Puerto Rico $44,120 26% below national
44 New Hampshire $39,880 33% below national
45 Mississippi $36,680 39% below national

Salary by Metro Area

View all 74 metro areas →
# Metro Area Median Salary vs National
1 San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA $105,250 +76% above national
2 Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA $105,070 +75% above national
3 Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV $92,230 +54% above national
4 Knoxville, TN $91,440 +53% above national
5 Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA $88,790 +48% above national
6 San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $85,780 +43% above national
7 Albuquerque, NM $79,700 +33% above national
8 Worcester, MA $77,180 +29% above national
9 Pittsburgh, PA $77,130 +29% above national
10 Fresno, CA $76,240 +27% above national
11 Memphis, TN-MS-AR $76,210 +27% above national
12 Greeley, CO $75,020 +25% above national
13 Eastern and Southern Colorado nonmetropolitan area $74,600 +24% above national
14 Chattanooga, TN-GA $72,860 +22% above national
15 Charleston-North Charleston, SC $72,090 +20% above national
16 Huntsville, AL $71,280 +19% above national
17 Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN $71,040 +19% above national
18 Kansas City, MO-KS $67,560 +13% above national
19 Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ $67,020 +12% above national
20 Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD $66,200 +10% above national
21 New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ $65,790 +10% above national
22 Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN $65,760 +10% above national
23 Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH $63,720 +6% above national
24 Baton Rouge, LA $62,960 +5% above national
25 Oklahoma City, OK $62,920 +5% above national
26 Salt Lake City-Murray, UT $62,880 +5% above national
27 Columbus, OH $62,600 +4% above national
28 Columbia, SC $62,320 +4% above national
29 Madison, WI $62,080 +4% above national
30 Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI $62,050 +4% above national
31 Tulsa, OK $61,900 +3% above national
32 Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA $61,560 +3% above national
33 Dover, DE $60,850 +2% above national
34 Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO $60,740 +1% above national
35 St. Louis, MO-IL $60,610 +1% above national
36 Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA $60,500 +1% above national
37 Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA $59,340 1% below national
38 Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC $59,170 1% below national
39 Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA $58,830 2% below national
40 Jacksonville, FL $58,440 2% below national
41 San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA $58,020 3% below national
42 Trenton-Princeton, NJ $57,850 3% below national
43 Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL $57,710 4% below national
44 Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX $57,150 5% below national
45 Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD $57,110 5% below national
46 Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX $56,950 5% below national
47 Rochester, NY $55,300 8% below national
48 San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX $55,200 8% below national
49 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV $54,390 9% below national
50 Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX $53,080 11% below national
51 Bakersfield-Delano, CA $53,030 11% below national
52 Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY $52,190 13% below national
53 Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN $51,830 14% below national
54 Urban Honolulu, HI $51,810 14% below national
55 Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN $51,540 14% below national
56 Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI $50,800 15% below national
57 Akron, OH $50,460 16% below national
58 Lexington-Fayette, KY $50,260 16% below national
59 Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC $49,430 18% below national
60 Eastern Ohio nonmetropolitan area $49,420 18% below national
61 Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI $49,360 18% below national
62 Fort Collins-Loveland, CO $48,500 19% below national
63 Richmond, VA $48,200 20% below national
64 Cleveland, OH $48,180 20% below national
65 Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL $47,750 20% below national
66 Southern Ohio nonmetropolitan area $47,230 21% below national
67 Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN $46,660 22% below national
68 Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR $45,640 24% below national
69 Appleton, WI $45,390 24% below national
70 Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH $44,960 25% below national
71 Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL $44,610 26% below national
72 San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR $44,120 26% below national
73 Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR $43,540 27% below national
74 North Coast Region of California nonmetropolitan area $39,070 35% below national

Similar Occupations in the Same Category

Other roles in SOC major group 17 (architecture and engineering) with comparable pay and career paths.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does a Environmental Engineering Technologists and Technicians make?
The median annual salary for Environmental Engineering Technologists and Technicians is $59,920 ($28.81/hour). The salary range spans from $39,910 at the 10th percentile to $96,660 at the 90th percentile.
What state pays Environmental Engineering Technologists and Technicians the most?
Washington pays the highest median salary for Environmental Engineering Technologists and Technicians at $100,050/year, which is +67% above the national median.
What education do you need to become a Environmental Engineering Technologists and Technicians?
The typical entry-level education for Environmental Engineering Technologists and Technicians is Associate's degree.
How dangerous is being a Environmental Engineering Technologists and Technicians?
Environmental Engineering Technologists and Technicians has a safety grade of A (Very Safe) based on BLS data. The fatality rate is 2 per 100,000 workers and the injury rate is 0.5 per 100 workers.
Is Environmental Engineering Technologists and Technicians a good career?
Employment for Environmental Engineering Technologists and Technicians is projected to grow 1.2% from 2024 to 2034, which is slower than average. About 1,100 openings are projected each year.
How does Environmental Engineering Technologists and Technicians pay vary by state?
Environmental Engineering Technologists and Technicians salaries vary significantly by state. The highest-paying state is Washington at $100,050/year, while West Virginia pays the least at $47,650/year. BLS data covers 45 states and territories.
Which metro areas pay the most for Environmental Engineering Technologists and Technicians?
The highest-paying metro area for Environmental Engineering Technologists and Technicians is San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA at $105,250/year. BLS reports wage data for 74 metro areas for this occupation, with pay varying based on local demand and cost of living.

What to do with this data

How to use Environmental Engineering Technologists and Technicians pay figures in a real decision

  • For an experienced offer, anchor on the 75th percentile (about $75,960/year), not the median. The median marks the middle worker; the upper quartile is the realistic target with strong experience. Salary calculator
  • Location moves pay significantly: Washington leads at $100,050/year for this role. Weigh state pay against local cost of living before relocating or negotiating remote. Pay by state
  • Compare this occupation against similar roles before you decide, so you are reading the pay band in context rather than in isolation. Compare jobs

These are BLS survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. Your pay depends on experience, employer, exact role, and location.

Data as of May 2025. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 annual release. Employment projections from BLS Employment Projections program, 2024–2034. Data reflects cross-industry estimates for all ownership types.

These are survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. See how to use them.

Every figure on WageDex is rendered directly from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, no number is typed in by an editor. This occupation's figures are computed directly from the BLS OEWS and Employment Projections datasets, nothing is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of May 2025.

This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or career advice. Actual pay for a specific role, employer, or offer may differ from these national/state figures, consult a qualified career counselor, recruiter, or financial advisor before making decisions based on this data.