How much does an Environmental Engineer make?
An Environmental Engineer earns a median annual salary of $107,110 in the United States, which works out to roughly $51.50 per hour for full-time work. Most Environmental Engineers earn between $69,990 at the entry level and $162,220 at the senior end, with the middle 50% taking home between $83,570 and $134,420 a year.
That is $45,720 more than the median across all occupations in BLS data ($61,390).
Environmental Engineer salary range by percentile
Half of all Environmental Engineers earn between $83,570 and $134,420 a year.
| Pay level | Annual salary | Hourly rate | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $69,990 | $33.65 | |
| 25th percentile (early career) | $83,570 | $40.18 | |
| 50th percentile (median) | $107,110 | $51.50 | |
| 75th percentile (experienced) | $134,420 | $64.63 | |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $162,220 | $77.99 |
Highest-paying states for Environmental Engineer
Where you work matters more than almost anything else. Louisiana leads the country for Environmental Engineer pay at $130,510 a year, followed by California ($130,410) and Oregon ($127,100). At the other end, West Virginia posts the lowest median at $83,200 — a gap of $47,310 for the same job, driven by local demand, industry mix, and cost of living.
| # | State | Median salary | Hourly | vs national |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Louisiana | $130,510 | $62.75 | +22% |
| 2 | California | $130,410 | $62.70 | +22% |
| 3 | Oregon | $127,100 | $61.11 | +19% |
| 4 | Washington | $125,460 | $60.32 | +17% |
| 5 | Texas | $123,060 | $59.16 | +15% |
Environmental Engineer salary in every state
Official BLS state-level figures across 50 states and territories. Click a state for the full local breakdown.
Workforce and education
About 38,000 people work as Environmental Engineers in the United States. The mean (average) wage is $112,910 — above the median, which means high earners pull the average up. On qualifications: a bachelor's degree (about 4 years of college) is the standard entry requirement, per O*NET occupation data.
Frequently asked questions
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Related salaries
Other engineering roles with similar pay.