Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, aged to 2026 using compounded market movement. State selections show BLS state-level figures where published. Actual pay varies with experience, industry, and organization size.
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.
Top skills:WritingSpeakingReading ComprehensionMonitoringCritical ThinkingActive Listening
Includes information from O*NET OnLine by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (CC BY 4.0).
Environmental Engineer pay by experience level
Entry level$72,500
Typical starting pay (about the 10th percentile)
Early career$86,500
A few years in (about the 25th percentile)
Experienced$111,000
Mid-career median pay
Senior$139,000
Seasoned professionals (about the 75th percentile)
Top earners$168,000
Highest earners (about the 90th percentile)
Experience tiers are derived from the BLS wage percentile distribution for this occupation, aged to 2026. Actual pay varies by employer, location, and specialization.
Job outlook
+3.9%
projected change in jobs, 2024–2034
3,000
projected openings per year
Growing about as fast as average
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program (2024–2034). Openings include growth and replacement needs.
Environmental Engineer salary by industry
Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
18,250 workers
$117,500
Federal, State, and Local Government, excluding State and Local Schools and Hospitals and USPS
12,240 workers
$113,000
Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services
9,960 workers
$119,500
Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services
7,460 workers
$113,000
State Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation)
7,140 workers
$108,000
Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation)
2,760 workers
$113,000
Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation)
2,350 workers
$128,500
Waste Management and Remediation Services
1,370 workers
$117,500
Management of Companies and Enterprises
1,040 workers
$126,500
Management of Companies and Enterprises
1,040 workers
$126,500
National sector-level figures, BLS OEWS May 2025, aged to 2026.
How this role compares
Environmental Engineer pays 8% above the average across 59 roles in the Architecture and Engineering job family (family average $108,000).
Similar-paying roles in Architecture and Engineering
Related occupations from O*NET OnLine, U.S. Department of Labor.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a Environmental Engineer make?
The average base salary for a Environmental Engineer in the United States is $117,000 per year, or about $56.25 per hour.
What is the typical salary range?
Pay typically falls between $86,500 and $139,000 per year (25th to 75th percentile) depending on experience, location, industry, and organization size.
How does this compare with other Architecture and Engineering roles?
The Architecture and Engineering job family averages $108,000 across 59 roles tracked by WePayFairly.
Need a defensible market price for this role? WePayFairly data is compiled from published survey sources and maintained by compensation professionals.
Need Environmental Engineer pay benchmarked for your organization, or defensible compensation analysis for a dispute or valuation? Grahall builds it from primary sources, backed by an expert who testifies.