17 Series · SOC 17-2081
Environmental Engineers Salary
National pay, percentile range, growth outlook, and state-by-state detail from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey (May 2025).
- $107,110
- Median / year
- $162,220
- Top 10% earn
- +3.9%
- Growth '23–'33
- 38,340
- US workers
Environmental Engineers earn a median of $107,110 per year.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, the median annual wage is $107,110, based on the most recent survey of employers. Reported pay ranges from $69,990 (10th percentile) to $162,220 (90th percentile) nationally, across roughly 38,340 US workers. Louisiana pays the most ($130,510), since pay varies by state and metro area.
The pay verdict
Environmental Engineers earn a median of $107,110, putting them among the better-paid US occupations and higher than 88% of the 825 occupations with a published BLS median. Within Architecture and Engineering, it ranks #13 of 36 by median pay. Employment is projected to grow 3.9% by 2033.
- $107,110
- Median annual wage
- Top 12%
- of 825 US occupations with published wages
- #13 of 36
- in Architecture and Engineering
- 2.3×
- 90th-to-10th pay spread
Highest-paying state: Louisiana at $130,510. Typical entry-level education: Bachelor's degree.
Environmental Engineers (SOC 17-2081) pays a national median of $107,110 per year according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey released in May 2025. Full-range compensation stretches from $69,990 at the 10th percentile to $162,220 at the 90th, with a mean of $112,910 indicating a right-skew where top earners pull the average above the midpoint. An estimated 38,340 Americans work in this occupation across 51 reporting states and 174 metro areas.
BLS Employment Projections forecast a +3.9% change in employment from 2024 to 2034, which the agency classifies as slower than average relative to the 5% all-occupations baseline. About 3,000 openings are projected per year, combining new positions with replacement needs from retirements and occupation-switchers. Typical entry-level preparation is Bachelor'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. Louisiana pays the highest state median at $130,510, which is +22% above the national figure. The top metro is Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL at $142,700 - 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.
Median Salary
$107,110
per year
Median Hourly
$51.50/hr
per hour
Mean Salary
$112,910
average
Employment
38,340
jobs nationwide
How does this pay compare nationally?
Where Environmental Engineers pay sits nationally
Median annual wage vs. 825 detailed BLS occupations with a published median
$107,110 Top 12% higher than 88% of 825 US occupations
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 Engineers; the upper-right quadrant is the sweet spot (high pay + fast growth).
Among 23 17-series occupations with growth data, Environmental Engineers sits on the slower-growing side at +3.9% growth and $107,110 median pay.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS (wages, May 2025) and Employment Projections (2024–2034).
Job Outlook (2024–2034)
Projected Growth
+3.9%
Slower than average
Annual Openings
3,000
per year (projected)
Typical Education
Bachelor's degree
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034
Workplace Safety
All safety ratings →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 Engineers roles, ranked by importance. Source: O*NET.
Top Skills
Knowledge Areas
Key Tasks
- ▸ Design, or supervise the design of, systems, processes, or equipment for control, management, or remediation of water, air, or soil quality.
- ▸ Assess the existing or potential environmental impact of land use projects on air, water, or land.
- ▸ Collaborate with environmental scientists, planners, hazardous waste technicians, engineers, experts in law or business, or other specialists to address environmental problems.
- ▸ Advise corporations or government agencies of procedures to follow in cleaning up contaminated sites to protect people and the environment.
- ▸ Develop proposed project objectives and targets and report to management on progress in attaining them.
- ▸ Monitor progress of environmental improvement programs.
- ▸ Prepare, review, or update environmental investigation or recommendation reports.
- ▸ Prepare, maintain, or revise quality assurance documentation or procedures.
- ▸ Develop site-specific health and safety protocols, such as spill contingency plans or methods for loading or transporting waste.
- ▸ Provide technical support for environmental remediation or litigation projects, including remediation system design or determination of regulatory applicability.
Source: O*NET Online, National Center for O*NET Development. Data represents typical importance ratings for this occupation.
Salary Range
Annual Salary Distribution
Hourly Rate Distribution
10th Percentile
$69,990
25th Percentile
$83,570
Median
$107,110
75th Percentile
$134,420
90th Percentile
$162,220
Salary by State
Highest Paying States
View all 51 states →
| # | State | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Louisiana | $130,510 | +22% above national |
| 2 | California | $130,410 | +22% above national |
| 3 | Oregon | $127,100 | +19% above national |
| 4 | Washington | $125,460 | +17% above national |
| 5 | Texas | $123,060 | +15% above national |
| 6 | Nebraska | $120,620 | +13% above national |
| 7 | Idaho | $117,520 | +10% above national |
| 8 | Florida | $116,840 | +9% above national |
| 9 | Massachusetts | $115,800 | +8% above national |
| 10 | Minnesota | $115,750 | +8% above national |
| 11 | Connecticut | $114,710 | +7% above national |
| 12 | Ohio | $113,180 | +6% above national |
| 13 | Alaska | $110,220 | +3% above national |
| 14 | Nevada | $109,720 | +2% above national |
| 15 | New Mexico | $108,360 | +1% above national |
| 16 | Illinois | $107,990 | +1% above national |
| 17 | Hawaii | $107,880 | +1% above national |
| 18 | Kentucky | $107,520 | same as national |
| 19 | Colorado | $106,890 | same as national |
| 20 | Wyoming | $106,330 | 1% below national |
| 21 | Michigan | $105,080 | 2% below national |
| 22 | Virginia | $104,940 | 2% below national |
| 23 | Utah | $103,380 | 3% below national |
| 24 | Pennsylvania | $103,330 | 4% below national |
| 25 | Alabama | $102,650 | 4% below national |
| 26 | New Jersey | $102,630 | 4% below national |
| 27 | New York | $101,270 | 5% below national |
| 28 | Rhode Island | $101,140 | 6% below national |
| 29 | Montana | $100,140 | 7% below national |
| 30 | North Carolina | $99,440 | 7% below national |
| 31 | South Dakota | $98,890 | 8% below national |
| 32 | Missouri | $98,170 | 8% below national |
| 33 | Maryland | $97,570 | 9% below national |
| 34 | Tennessee | $97,190 | 9% below national |
| 35 | Georgia | $96,530 | 10% below national |
| 36 | South Carolina | $96,140 | 10% below national |
| 37 | Delaware | $95,720 | 11% below national |
| 38 | Iowa | $94,830 | 11% below national |
| 39 | Kansas | $94,070 | 12% below national |
| 40 | Arizona | $93,970 | 12% below national |
| 41 | Maine | $93,930 | 12% below national |
| 42 | Vermont | $92,580 | 14% below national |
| 43 | Indiana | $92,460 | 14% below national |
| 44 | Oklahoma | $92,090 | 14% below national |
| 45 | North Dakota | $91,370 | 15% below national |
| 46 | Mississippi | $91,100 | 15% below national |
| 47 | Wisconsin | $89,990 | 16% below national |
| 48 | New Hampshire | $88,610 | 17% below national |
| 49 | Arkansas | $85,280 | 20% below national |
| 50 | West Virginia | $83,200 | 22% below national |
| 51 | Puerto Rico | $77,560 | 28% below national |
Salary by Metro Area
Highest Paying Metros
View all 174 metro areas →
| # | Metro Area | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL | $142,700 | +33% above national |
| 2 | Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $141,560 | +32% above national |
| 3 | Redding, CA | $140,570 | +31% above national |
| 4 | Kennewick-Richland, WA | $140,060 | +31% above national |
| 5 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $138,840 | +30% above national |
| 6 | Stockton-Lodi, CA | $138,700 | +29% above national |
| 7 | Baton Rouge, LA | $138,000 | +29% above national |
| 8 | Vallejo, CA | $136,640 | +28% above national |
| 9 | Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX | $135,240 | +26% above national |
| 10 | Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $133,240 | +24% above national |
| 11 | Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | $130,270 | +22% above national |
| 12 | San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | $129,780 | +21% above national |
| 13 | Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $129,390 | +21% above national |
| 14 | Decatur, AL | $129,290 | +21% above national |
| 15 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $128,410 | +20% above national |
| 16 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $127,900 | +19% above national |
| 17 | Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | $127,340 | +19% above national |
| 18 | Columbus, OH | $127,190 | +19% above national |
| 19 | Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $127,080 | +19% above national |
| 20 | Salinas, CA | $126,670 | +18% above national |
| 21 | Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $126,650 | +18% above national |
| 22 | Gainesville, FL | $126,440 | +18% above national |
| 23 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $125,550 | +17% above national |
| 24 | Corpus Christi, TX | $125,330 | +17% above national |
| 25 | Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $124,920 | +17% above national |
| 26 | San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | $123,710 | +15% above national |
| 27 | Midland, TX | $123,060 | +15% above national |
| 28 | Alaska nonmetropolitan area | $122,760 | +15% above national |
| 29 | Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $122,380 | +14% above national |
| 30 | Tallahassee, FL | $121,390 | +13% above national |
| 31 | Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA | $121,230 | +13% above national |
| 32 | Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $120,580 | +13% above national |
| 33 | Reno, NV | $120,050 | +12% above national |
| 34 | Fresno, CA | $119,400 | +11% above national |
| 35 | San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $119,390 | +11% above national |
| 36 | Omaha, NE-IA | $119,260 | +11% above national |
| 37 | Pittsfield, MA | $119,190 | +11% above national |
| 38 | Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH | $119,000 | +11% above national |
| 39 | Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $118,860 | +11% above national |
| 40 | Ogden, UT | $118,810 | +11% above national |
| 41 | Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC | $118,320 | +10% above national |
| 42 | Lincoln, NE | $117,640 | +10% above national |
| 43 | Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $117,360 | +10% above national |
| 44 | Eastern New Mexico nonmetropolitan area | $115,920 | +8% above national |
| 45 | Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $115,750 | +8% above national |
| 46 | Rochester, MN | $115,750 | +8% above national |
| 47 | Cleveland, OH | $115,720 | +8% above national |
| 48 | Billings, MT | $115,550 | +8% above national |
| 49 | Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT | $115,390 | +8% above national |
| 50 | Jacksonville, FL | $115,210 | +8% above national |
| 51 | Upper East Mississippi nonmetropolitan area | $115,210 | +8% above national |
| 52 | Northern New Mexico nonmetropolitan area | $115,190 | +8% above national |
| 53 | Colorado Springs, CO | $114,500 | +7% above national |
| 54 | Akron, OH | $114,280 | +7% above national |
| 55 | Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $113,960 | +6% above national |
| 56 | New Haven, CT | $113,290 | +6% above national |
| 57 | Southwest Alabama nonmetropolitan area | $113,290 | +6% above national |
| 58 | Western Wyoming nonmetropolitan area | $112,960 | +5% above national |
| 59 | Arizona nonmetropolitan area | $112,250 | +5% above national |
| 60 | Central East New York nonmetropolitan area | $111,890 | +4% above national |
| 61 | Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | $111,710 | +4% above national |
| 62 | North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL | $111,630 | +4% above national |
| 63 | Huntsville, AL | $111,270 | +4% above national |
| 64 | Southeast Oklahoma nonmetropolitan area | $111,260 | +4% above national |
| 65 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $110,700 | +3% above national |
| 66 | Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | $110,520 | +3% above national |
| 67 | Urban Honolulu, HI | $110,010 | +3% above national |
| 68 | Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ | $109,970 | +3% above national |
| 69 | Burlington-South Burlington, VT | $109,880 | +3% above national |
| 70 | Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $109,620 | +2% above national |
| 71 | Fairbanks-College, AK | $109,410 | +2% above national |
| 72 | Boise City, ID | $109,350 | +2% above national |
| 73 | Ann Arbor, MI | $109,140 | +2% above national |
| 74 | Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | $109,050 | +2% above national |
| 75 | Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA | $108,240 | +1% above national |
| 76 | Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA | $108,180 | +1% above national |
| 77 | Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | $107,950 | +1% above national |
| 78 | Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL | $107,930 | +1% above national |
| 79 | New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $107,910 | +1% above national |
| 80 | Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $107,880 | +1% above national |
| 81 | Lexington-Fayette, KY | $107,830 | +1% above national |
| 82 | Barnstable Town, MA | $107,270 | same as national |
| 83 | Appleton, WI | $107,170 | same as national |
| 84 | Duluth, MN-WI | $107,120 | same as national |
| 85 | Mankato, MN | $107,120 | same as national |
| 86 | Northwest Minnesota nonmetropolitan area | $107,120 | same as national |
| 87 | Anchorage, AK | $106,870 | same as national |
| 88 | Balance of Nevada nonmetropolitan area | $106,340 | 1% below national |
| 89 | Savannah, GA | $105,800 | 1% below national |
| 90 | Eastern Wyoming nonmetropolitan area | $105,740 | 1% below national |
| 91 | Tulsa, OK | $105,470 | 2% below national |
| 92 | Springfield, MA | $105,430 | 2% below national |
| 93 | Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | $105,370 | 2% below national |
| 94 | Boulder, CO | $103,530 | 3% below national |
| 95 | Cheyenne, WY | $103,230 | 4% below national |
| 96 | High Desert Utah nonmetropolitan area | $103,210 | 4% below national |
| 97 | Springfield, IL | $103,190 | 4% below national |
| 98 | Binghamton, NY | $103,150 | 4% below national |
| 99 | Raleigh-Cary, NC | $102,980 | 4% below national |
| 100 | Albuquerque, NM | $102,970 | 4% below national |
| 101 | Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | $102,930 | 4% below national |
| 102 | Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI | $102,630 | 4% below national |
| 103 | Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY | $102,630 | 4% below national |
| 104 | Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL | $102,590 | 4% below national |
| 105 | Sioux Falls, SD-MN | $102,390 | 4% below national |
| 106 | Portland-South Portland, ME | $102,270 | 5% below national |
| 107 | York-Hanover, PA | $102,260 | 5% below national |
| 108 | Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | $102,110 | 5% below national |
| 109 | Central New Hampshire nonmetropolitan area | $101,570 | 5% below national |
| 110 | Central Kentucky nonmetropolitan area | $101,160 | 6% below national |
| 111 | Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | $101,140 | 6% below national |
| 112 | Richmond, VA | $100,760 | 6% below national |
| 113 | Manchester-Nashua, NH | $100,650 | 6% below national |
| 114 | Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | $100,500 | 6% below national |
| 115 | Fort Collins-Loveland, CO | $100,450 | 6% below national |
| 116 | Memphis, TN-MS-AR | $100,150 | 6% below national |
| 117 | Helena, MT | $100,140 | 7% below national |
| 118 | Mobile, AL | $99,680 | 7% below national |
| 119 | Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $99,600 | 7% below national |
| 120 | Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | $99,000 | 8% below national |
| 121 | Toledo, OH | $98,720 | 8% below national |
| 122 | Upper Peninsula of Michigan nonmetropolitan area | $98,280 | 8% below national |
| 123 | Rochester, NY | $98,240 | 8% below national |
| 124 | Pittsburgh, PA | $98,010 | 8% below national |
| 125 | Capital/Northern New York nonmetropolitan area | $97,860 | 9% below national |
| 126 | Southwest New York nonmetropolitan area | $97,830 | 9% below national |
| 127 | Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | $97,570 | 9% below national |
| 128 | Lansing-East Lansing, MI | $97,260 | 9% below national |
| 129 | Kansas City, MO-KS | $97,180 | 9% below national |
| 130 | Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $96,820 | 10% below national |
| 131 | Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY | $96,540 | 10% below national |
| 132 | Green Bay, WI | $96,410 | 10% below national |
| 133 | Columbia, SC | $96,140 | 10% below national |
| 134 | Northwestern Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area | $95,910 | 10% below national |
| 135 | Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY | $95,740 | 11% below national |
| 136 | Dover, DE | $95,720 | 11% below national |
| 137 | Montgomery, AL | $95,370 | 11% below national |
| 138 | South Central Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area | $95,010 | 11% below national |
| 139 | St. Louis, MO-IL | $94,980 | 11% below national |
| 140 | Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA | $94,800 | 11% below national |
| 141 | Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | $94,470 | 12% below national |
| 142 | Rapid City, SD | $94,370 | 12% below national |
| 143 | Birmingham, AL | $94,330 | 12% below national |
| 144 | Syracuse, NY | $94,330 | 12% below national |
| 145 | Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC | $93,930 | 12% below national |
| 146 | Eau Claire, WI | $93,700 | 13% below national |
| 147 | Evansville, IN | $92,980 | 13% below national |
| 148 | Wichita, KS | $92,550 | 14% below national |
| 149 | Trenton-Princeton, NJ | $92,150 | 14% below national |
| 150 | Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA | $91,770 | 14% below national |
| 151 | Bismarck, ND | $91,600 | 14% below national |
| 152 | Utica-Rome, NY | $91,370 | 15% below national |
| 153 | Madison, WI | $90,560 | 15% below national |
| 154 | Topeka, KS | $89,110 | 17% below national |
| 155 | Chattanooga, TN-GA | $88,040 | 18% below national |
| 156 | Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN | $87,470 | 18% below national |
| 157 | Oklahoma City, OK | $87,420 | 18% below national |
| 158 | Charleston-North Charleston, SC | $86,670 | 19% below national |
| 159 | Knoxville, TN | $86,550 | 19% below national |
| 160 | Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | $86,360 | 19% below national |
| 161 | Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA | $85,420 | 20% below national |
| 162 | Kansas nonmetropolitan area | $84,980 | 21% below national |
| 163 | Northern Vermont nonmetropolitan area | $84,490 | 21% below national |
| 164 | Northern West Virginia nonmetropolitan area | $84,440 | 21% below national |
| 165 | Northeastern Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area | $83,510 | 22% below national |
| 166 | Southwest Montana nonmetropolitan area | $83,230 | 22% below national |
| 167 | Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $82,840 | 23% below national |
| 168 | Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | $82,500 | 23% below national |
| 169 | Tucson, AZ | $78,650 | 27% below national |
| 170 | San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR | $77,710 | 27% below national |
| 171 | Jackson, MS | $77,460 | 28% below national |
| 172 | Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR | $76,250 | 29% below national |
| 173 | Southwest Maine nonmetropolitan area | $75,960 | 29% below national |
| 174 | Pueblo, CO | $63,090 | 41% 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 Engineers make? ▼
What state pays Environmental Engineers the most? ▼
What education do you need to become a Environmental Engineers? ▼
How dangerous is being a Environmental Engineers? ▼
Is Environmental Engineers a good career? ▼
How does Environmental Engineers pay vary by state? ▼
Which metro areas pay the most for Environmental Engineers? ▼
What to do with this data
How to use Environmental Engineers pay figures in a real decision
- For an experienced offer, anchor on the 75th percentile (about $134,420/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: Louisiana leads at $130,510/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.
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.