Salary comparison
Civil Engineer vs Environmental Engineer salary
Environmental Engineers out-earn civil engineers by about $4,580 at the median. Here is the full side-by-side breakdown — pay range, top states, and experience.
Environmental Engineers earn more — a median of $104,170 versus $99,590 for civil engineers, a gap of about $4,580 (5%). Both figures are published national wage benchmarks.
Civil Engineer
Verified$99,590
Median annual wage
- Entry (10th pct)
- $65,920
- Top 10%
- $160,990
- Discipline
- Architecture & Engineering
Environmental Engineer
Verified$104,170
Median annual wage
- Entry (10th pct)
- $64,950
- Top 10%
- $161,910
- Discipline
- Architecture & Engineering
Civil Engineer vs Environmental Engineer — pay distribution
Percentile-by-percentile comparison of national annual wages.
| Percentile | Annual wage |
|---|---|
| 10th percentileCivil Engineer | $65,920 |
| MedianCivil Engineer | $99,590 |
| 90th percentileCivil Engineer | $160,990 |
| 10th percentileEnvironmental Engineer | $64,950 |
| MedianEnvironmental Engineer | $104,170 |
| 90th percentileEnvironmental Engineer | $161,910 |
Pay by experience
Modeled progression from entry to principal level for each role (estimated from the national percentile curve).
Civil Engineer
Environmental Engineer
Where each role pays most
Highest-paying states by published median wage.
Civil Engineer
- California$118,450
- Rhode Island$112,250
- Alaska$107,240
- Washington$105,090
- New Mexico$104,600
Environmental Engineer
- Oregon$130,370
- California$127,660
- District of Columbia$125,980
- Louisiana$123,210
- Massachusetts$116,980
Which should you choose?
On pay alone, environmental engineers earn about 5% more at the median — but location and specialization routinely move pay by more than that gap.
Pick civil engineer if…
Civil engineers design and supervise infrastructure projects — roads, bridges, water systems, and buildings.
- ▹Professional Engineer (PE) license (often required for advancement)
- ▹Public sector vs. private consulting
- ▹Specialty (structural, geotechnical, transportation, water)
Pick environmental engineer if…
Environmental engineers use engineering, soil science, biology, and chemistry to solve problems in waste management, water quality, and pollution control.
- ▹Public sector vs. private consulting
- ▹PE license
- ▹Specialty (water, air, remediation, sustainability)
Civil Engineer vs Environmental Engineer — frequently asked
Who earns more, civil engineers or environmental engineers?
What is the salary range for civil engineers vs environmental engineers?
Should I become a civil engineer or a environmental engineer?
Source details
Published wage from BLS OEWS May 2024 for SOC 17-2051 (Civil Engineers), national.
Benchmarks come from published government wage data via BLS OEWS. Local and emerging-role figures are labeled estimates. Full methodology →