2027 Salary Guide · Engineering
Environmental engineers had a median salary of $107,110 in May 2025 (BLS), which projects to roughly $114,000 for 2027. It is a small occupation of about 39,100 people, and about a third of them work for government: BLS counts 20% in state agencies, 7% in local government and 6% at the federal level.
Pay distribution
The 10th percentile earned $69,990 and the 90th percentile $162,220 in May 2025. The middle half fell between $83,570 and $134,420.
Typical for the Environmental Engineer title: $83,570 to $134,420 (25th to 75th percentile of Environmental Engineers)
| Percentile | BLS, May 2025 | 2027 planning estimate |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $69,990 | $74,500 |
| 25th percentile | $83,570 | $89,000 |
| Median | $107,110 | $114,000 |
| 75th percentile | $134,420 | $143,000 |
| 90th percentile | $162,220 | $172,500 |
Who hires
BLS reports these as the five largest employers of environmental engineers. Agency and consulting jobs often work the same projects from opposite sides of the permit.
| Employer | Share of jobs | Typical work |
|---|---|---|
| Engineering services firms | 24% | Designing water, wastewater, air and remediation systems for public and private clients |
| State government | 20% | Permitting, compliance inspections and enforcement at state environmental agencies |
| Management, scientific and technical consulting | 19% | Site assessments, environmental impact work and regulatory advice to companies |
| Local government | 7% | Running and upgrading municipal water, sewer and solid waste systems |
| Federal government | 6% | Regulatory programs, research and cleanup oversight |
Share of environmental engineer jobs by industry, BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook. BLS does not publish environmental engineer pay by industry in this guide's data.
Local pay
The San Francisco Bay Area ($138,840), Philadelphia ($129,390) and Seattle ($128,410) post the highest medians among the metros we track. Markets are small: New York is the largest at 1,810 environmental engineers, and Charlotte, the lowest-paying at $82,840, has about 100. BLS does not publish a Tampa estimate.
| Metro area | Median | 10th – 90th | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco Bay Area | $138,840 +30% | $77,050 – $176,660 | 550 |
| Philadelphia | $129,390 +21% | $67,380 – $149,990 | 1,040 |
| Seattle | $128,410 +20% | $78,920 – $175,610 | 1,050 |
| Los Angeles | $127,900 +19% | $77,700 – $167,490 | 890 |
| Houston | $127,340 +19% | $78,120 – $181,910 | 690 |
| Portland | $127,080 +19% | $79,640 – $165,040 | 500 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth | $126,650 +18% | $77,180 – $173,830 | 370 |
| Washington, DC | $120,580 +13% | $77,900 – $172,040 | 810 |
| San Diego | $119,390 +11% | $81,880 – $155,930 | 540 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul | $115,750 +8% | $95,330 – $143,330 | 750 |
| Metro area | Median | 10th – 90th | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hartford | $111,710 +4% | $78,450 – $155,980 | 290 |
| Chicago | $110,700 +3% | $80,240 – $153,150 | 660 |
| Detroit | $110,520 +3% | $76,080 – $146,500 | 360 |
| Boston | $109,620 +2% | $77,150 – $162,220 | 1,460 |
| New York City | $107,910 +1% | $69,990 – $169,340 | 1,810 |
| Denver | $107,880 +1% | $76,310 – $165,870 | 910 |
| Raleigh | $102,980 -4% | $68,600 – $153,210 | 110 |
| Nashville | $102,930 -4% | $74,890 – $136,810 | 180 |
| Providence | $101,140 -6% | $83,150 – $140,170 | 220 |
| Miami | $99,600 -7% | $61,570 – $173,100 | 240 |
| Austin | $99,000 -8% | $62,130 – $188,660 | 210 |
| Pittsburgh | $98,010 -8% | $68,970 – $161,950 | 300 |
| Baltimore | $97,570 -9% | $62,380 – $140,770 | 680 |
| Atlanta | $96,820 -10% | $64,810 – $144,870 | 590 |
| Albany | $96,540 -10% | $64,990 – $137,410 | 570 |
| Buffalo | $95,740 -11% | $64,990 – $141,800 | 260 |
| Phoenix | $94,470 -12% | $65,720 – $133,530 | 520 |
| Charlotte | $82,840 -23% | $63,160 – $137,320 | 100 |
BLS metro estimates, May 2025. Percent compares the metro median with the national median. "Jobs" is BLS estimated employment in the metro; blank where BLS does not publish it.
Capital-city markets
Albany-Schenectady-Troy, New York's capital region, has about 570 environmental engineers, a concentration about five times the national average according to BLS. Its median, $96,540, is about $10,570 below the national figure.
That pattern fits an occupation where state government employs 20% of workers: a large share of jobs sit near state agencies, and those markets do not necessarily pay the most. The top-paying metros in this guide are big coastal regions with large engineering firms and consultancies.
For candidates, agency experience in a capital-city market is worth weighing against the higher medians in metros such as the Bay Area, Philadelphia and Seattle.
Credentials
In a small, technical field these credentials do much of the sorting between candidates.
BLS says environmental engineers typically need a bachelor's degree in environmental engineering or a related field such as civil, chemical or general engineering. In O*NET's survey, 29% of respondents said a master's degree is required, compared with 62% who said a bachelor's degree is required.
BLS says licensure is not required for entry-level environmental engineers. Experienced engineers may obtain a PE license, which lets them oversee other engineers' work and sign off on projects.
O*NET lists ESRI ArcGIS, AutoCAD Civil 3D, Bentley MicroStation, MATLAB and groundwater modeling software such as MODFLOW among the tools environmental engineers use.
The work splits into water and wastewater, air quality, and soil and groundwater remediation. Engineers usually build depth in one, and job posts are written around it.
Outlook
BLS projects faster than average growth (5% to 6%), with about 2,300 openings a year.
BLS Employment Projections via O*NET OnLine. Projections cover Environmental Engineers as a whole.
Compare
Environmental engineers earn about $6,270 more than civil engineers at the median and about $17,930 less than chemical engineers. Sustainability managers, a common next step on the corporate side, sit higher at $141,900.
| Role | BLS median | 2027 estimate | Outlook |
|---|---|---|---|
| Environmental Engineer | $107,110 | $114,000 | Faster than average |
| Civil Engineer | $100,840 | $107,000 | Faster than average |
| Chemical Engineer | $125,040 | $133,000 | Faster than average |
| Sustainability Manager | $141,900 | $151,000 | Faster than average |
FAQ
The BLS median for environmental engineers in May 2025 was $107,110, which is $51.50 an hour. The middle half earned between $83,570 and $134,420. With two years of wage growth at 3.1%, the 2027 planning median is about $114,000.
BLS does not publish a starting salary. The 10th percentile was $69,990 and the 25th percentile $83,570 in May 2025, reasonable markers for first jobs. In Minneapolis-St. Paul the 10th percentile was $95,330, higher than anywhere else in this guide, so entry pay varies a lot by metro.
Not usually to start. BLS says the typical entry requirement is a bachelor's degree in environmental engineering or a related field. Graduate degrees are still common: 29% of O*NET respondents for the occupation said a master's degree is required, compared with 62% who said a bachelor's degree is required.
BLS projects faster than average growth, 5% to 6% through 2035, and about 2,300 openings a year. The occupation is small, with about 39,100 jobs, so openings are spread thin. Government agencies and engineering and consulting firms account for most hiring.
Not for entry-level jobs, according to BLS. Experienced engineers may obtain a Professional Engineer license, which allows them to oversee other engineers' work and sign off on projects. That matters in consulting and public works, where someone has to sign the design.
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