Environmental Engineer salary

Q: How much do entry-level environmental engineers make?

Entry-level environmental engineers (0–2 years) earn about $78,000 per year, rising to roughly $108,000 at mid-level and $135,000+ at the principal/staff level. These by-experience figures are modeled estimates based on typical engineering career progression.

Q: Do environmental engineers make good money?

Yes. The median environmental engineer salary of $100,090 is 14% below the roughly $116,537 median across engineering occupations, and experienced environmental engineers can earn $153,200 or more.

Q: Which cities pay environmental engineers the most?

Estimated environmental engineer pay is highest in San Jose ($148,133), San Francisco ($142,128), Seattle ($130,117). These are cost-of-labor estimates that adjust the national baseline by local wage levels — not direct BLS metro wages.

Verified

Updated January 2025

Environmental engineers use engineering, soil science, biology, and chemistry to solve problems in waste management, water quality, and pollution control.

Median pay

$100,090

U.S. typical

Top earners

$153,200

90th percentile

Entry level

$78,000

0–2 yrs

Senior

$135,000

15+ yrs

The median environmental engineer salary in the U.S. is about $100,090 per year. Entry-level pay starts near $62,760, while top earners (90th percentile) make $153,200 or more. Add your city and experience for a sharper, local number.

Median annual wage

$100,090

Mean

$104,560

10th pct · $62,76090th pct · $153,200

What environmental engineers do

Design systems for water/wastewater treatment, air-quality control, and remediation, and prepare environmental compliance reports.

Environmental engineers use engineering, soil science, biology, and chemistry to solve problems in waste management, water quality, and pollution control.

What affects environmental engineer pay

▹Public sector vs. private consulting
▹PE license
▹Specialty (water, air, remediation, sustainability)
▹Years of experience
▹Metro and state cost of labor

Environmental Engineer salary by experience

Pay typically climbs from about $78,000 for entry level engineers to $135,000+ at the principal / staff level.

Entry level 0–2 yrs

$78,000

Early career 3–5 yrs

$94,000

Mid level 6–9 yrs

$108,000

Senior 10–14 yrs

$122,000

Principal / Staff 15+ yrs

$135,000

Your actual offer depends on company, location, and specialization — run the calculator for a tailored range.

Highest-paying cities for environmental engineers

Estimated environmental engineer pay in the top-paying metros, vs the national median.

8results

Metro	State	Median	90th pct	vs U.S.	Data
San Jose California	CA	$148,133	$226,736	+48%	Estimate
San Francisco California	CA	$142,128	$217,544	+42%	Estimate
Seattle Washington	WA	$130,117	$199,160	+30%	Estimate
New York City New York	NY	$126,113	$193,032	+26%	Estimate
Boston Massachusetts	MA	$122,110	$186,904	+22%	Estimate
Washington, D.C. District of Columbia	DC	$120,108	$183,840	+20%	Estimate
Los Angeles California	CA	$118,106	$180,776	+18%	Estimate
San Diego California	CA	$115,103	$176,180	+15%	Estimate

Environmental Engineer salary by state

State	Est. median	Est. 90th pct
California	$124,112	$189,968
Texas	$104,094	$159,328
New York	$114,103	$174,648
Washington	$118,106	$180,776
Massachusetts	$116,104	$177,712

State figures are estimates — open a state for its full city-by-city breakdown.

Environmental Engineer salary — frequently asked questions

How much does an environmental engineer make?

The median environmental engineer salary in the U.S. is about $100,090 per year. Most environmental engineers earn between $62,760 and $153,200, and top earners (90th percentile) make $153,200 or more. These national figures come from published U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS OEWS) wage data.

What is the highest environmental engineer salary?

Top-earning environmental engineers (90th percentile) make about $153,200 or more nationally. In the highest-paying metros, estimated pay can run even higher — for example around $148,133 in San Jose. Metro figures are cost-of-labor estimates, not direct BLS metro data.

How much do entry-level environmental engineers make?

Entry-level environmental engineers (0–2 years) earn about $78,000 per year, rising to roughly $108,000 at mid-level and $135,000+ at the principal/staff level. These by-experience figures are modeled estimates based on typical engineering career progression.

Do environmental engineers make good money?

Yes. The median environmental engineer salary of $100,090 is 14% below the roughly $116,537 median across engineering occupations, and experienced environmental engineers can earn $153,200 or more.

Which cities pay environmental engineers the most?

Estimated environmental engineer pay is highest in San Jose ($148,133), San Francisco ($142,128), and Seattle ($130,117). These are cost-of-labor estimates that adjust the national baseline by local wage levels — not direct BLS metro wages.

How can an environmental engineer earn more?

Environmental Engineer pay rises most with public sector vs. private consulting, pe license, and specialty (water, air, remediation, sustainability). Moving to a higher-cost metro, specializing, and taking on senior or lead scope are the biggest levers — the salary calculator lets you model each one.

Source details

National wage from BLS OEWS May 2024 for SOC 17-2081. Median and 90th-percentile annual wages.

Benchmarks come from published government wage data via BLS OEWS. Local and emerging-role figures are labeled estimates. Full methodology →