Environmental Engineer Salary
Environmental Engineers earn a median $107,110 a year nationally. Architecture and Engineering Occupations
U.S. median
$107,110
$51.50 per hour
Range
$69,990 – $162,220
10th to 90th percentile
Employed
38,340
across the U.S.
Environmental Engineer take-home pay calculator
Starts at the national median. Pick your state to see your real paycheck.
Your take-home pay
$84,182
per year · effective tax rate 21.4%
$7,015Monthly
$3,508Twice a month
$3,238Every 2 weeks
$40.47Hourly
- Federal income tax$14,734
- Social Security (6.2%)$6,641
- Medicare (1.45%)$1,553
- Texas income tax$0
- Take-home pay$84,182
Marginal rate: 22% federal + 0.00% state
Pay by experience
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home (no state tax) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $69,990 | $33.65 | $58,068 |
| 25th percentile | $83,570 | $40.18 | $67,621 |
| Median (50th) | $107,110 | $51.50 | $84,182 |
| 75th percentile | $134,420 | $64.63 | $103,142 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $162,220 | $77.99 | $122,143 |
Best cities for environmental engineers (after tax & cost of living)
| # | Metro area | Median | Take-home | Real value* | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Houston, TX | $127,340 | $98,303 | $99,669 | 690 |
| 2 | Philadelphia, PA | $129,390 | $95,732 | $93,348 | 1,040 |
| 3 | Seattle, WA | $128,410 | $99,034 | $89,113 | 1,050 |
| 4 | Sacramento, CA | $133,240 | $92,442 | $86,661 | 1,200 |
| 5 | Portland, OR | $127,080 | $87,835 | $83,319 | 500 |
| 6 | San Francisco, CA | $138,840 | $95,676 | $82,755 | 550 |
| 7 | Minneapolis, MN | $115,750 | $83,913 | $80,052 | 750 |
| 8 | Washington, DC | $120,580 | $86,377 | $79,330 | 810 |
| 9 | Los Angeles, CA | $127,900 | $89,358 | $78,684 | 890 |
| 10 | Chicago, IL | $110,700 | $81,373 | $78,549 | 660 |
| 11 | Denver, CO | $107,880 | $80,685 | $76,275 | 910 |
| 12 | San Diego, CA | $119,390 | $84,395 | $75,429 | 540 |
| 13 | Boston, MA | $109,620 | $80,687 | $74,526 | 1,460 |
| 14 | Atlanta, GA | $96,820 | $72,541 | $72,499 | 590 |
| 15 | Albany, NY | $96,540 | $72,090 | $72,405 | 570 |
| 16 | Phoenix, AZ | $94,470 | $73,137 | $70,789 | 520 |
| 17 | New York, NY | $107,910 | $79,418 | $70,554 | 1,810 |
| 18 | Baltimore, MD | $97,570 | $73,200 | $70,056 | 680 |
*Take-home pay in U.S.-average dollars (BEA Regional Price Parities).
Highest-paying cities
- San Francisco, CA — $138,840
- Sacramento, CA — $133,240
- Philadelphia, PA — $129,390
- Seattle, WA — $128,410
- Los Angeles, CA — $127,900
- Houston, TX — $127,340
- Portland, OR — $127,080
- Washington, DC — $120,580
- San Diego, CA — $119,390
- Minneapolis, MN — $115,750
- Chicago, IL — $110,700
- Boston, MA — $109,620
- New York, NY — $107,910
- Denver, CO — $107,880
- Baltimore, MD — $97,570
Environmental Engineer salary by state
| State | Median | Take-home | Range | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Louisiana | $130,510 | $96,941 | $76,500 – $201,300 | 340 |
| California | $130,410 | $90,807 | $79,790 – $170,790 | 4,550 |
| Oregon | $127,100 | $87,847 | $80,720 – $181,280 | 650 |
| Washington | $125,460 | $97,018 | $80,660 – $175,610 | 1,920 |
| Texas | $123,060 | $95,378 | $76,510 – $177,820 | 1,940 |
| Nebraska | $120,620 | $89,078 | $69,240 – $165,590 | 270 |
| Idaho | $117,520 | $86,385 | $69,780 – $165,810 | 400 |
| Florida | $116,840 | $91,027 | $57,240 – $154,130 | 1,800 |
| Massachusetts | $115,800 | $84,725 | $77,150 – $172,920 | 1,880 |
| Minnesota | $115,750 | $83,913 | $95,330 – $143,330 | 1,080 |
| Connecticut | $114,710 | $84,794 | $80,280 – $156,830 | 450 |
| Ohio | $113,180 | $86,122 | $69,000 – $145,490 | 730 |
| Alaska | $110,220 | $86,370 | $78,940 – $155,530 | 260 |
| Nevada | $109,720 | $86,018 | $85,250 – $168,630 | 290 |
| New Mexico | $108,360 | $81,083 | $80,470 – $200,170 | 500 |
| Illinois | $107,990 | $79,600 | $71,990 – $153,150 | 940 |
| Hawaii | $107,880 | $78,055 | $76,180 – $156,640 | 150 |
| Kentucky | $107,520 | $80,825 | $76,310 – $157,130 | 350 |
| Colorado | $106,890 | $80,032 | $66,390 – $165,870 | 1,320 |
| Wyoming | $106,330 | $83,633 | $71,320 – $143,360 | 200 |
| Michigan | $105,080 | $78,539 | $73,090 – $142,570 | 810 |
| Virginia | $104,940 | $77,435 | $65,520 – $157,990 | 1,010 |
| Utah | $103,380 | $77,872 | $76,230 – $148,830 | 410 |
| Pennsylvania | $103,330 | $78,350 | $47,930 – $149,990 | 1,750 |
| Alabama | $102,650 | $76,177 | $66,720 – $158,910 | 780 |
| New Jersey | $102,630 | $76,683 | $69,830 – $161,990 | 990 |
| New York | $101,270 | $75,139 | $67,370 – $157,490 | 3,170 |
| Rhode Island | $101,140 | $76,780 | $83,980 – $135,800 | 200 |
| Montana | $100,140 | $74,981 | $63,920 – $154,530 | 300 |
| North Carolina | $99,440 | $75,327 | $69,000 – $143,040 | — |
| South Dakota | $98,890 | $78,399 | $78,890 – $124,350 | 90 |
| Missouri | $98,170 | $74,216 | $56,430 – $128,490 | 510 |
| Maryland | $97,570 | $73,200 | $62,380 – $156,750 | 1,030 |
| Tennessee | $97,190 | $77,203 | $62,630 – $142,660 | 540 |
| Georgia | $96,530 | $72,352 | $64,810 – $144,870 | 830 |
| South Carolina | $96,140 | $71,853 | $47,740 – $149,340 | 560 |
| Delaware | $95,720 | $71,193 | $70,100 – $151,890 | 150 |
| Iowa | $94,830 | $72,591 | $66,780 – $134,050 | 150 |
| Kansas | $94,070 | $70,559 | $69,850 – $139,210 | 320 |
| Arizona | $93,970 | $72,797 | $63,790 – $130,190 | 690 |
| Maine | $93,930 | $69,689 | $69,310 – $139,510 | 220 |
| Vermont | $92,580 | $70,310 | $72,450 – $153,440 | 110 |
| Indiana | $92,460 | $71,178 | $65,120 – $142,780 | 520 |
| Oklahoma | $92,090 | $70,017 | $60,790 – $136,990 | 530 |
| North Dakota | $91,370 | $72,586 | $61,310 – $170,090 | 90 |
| Mississippi | $91,100 | $70,007 | $57,320 – $145,910 | 260 |
| Wisconsin | $89,990 | $68,749 | $69,940 – $154,010 | 890 |
| New Hampshire | $88,610 | $71,167 | $55,780 – $134,280 | 210 |
| Arkansas | $85,280 | $65,711 | $51,910 – $132,700 | 210 |
| West Virginia | $83,200 | $64,286 | $57,460 – $155,170 | 370 |
Frequently asked questions
How much does a environmental engineer make?
The national median salary for environmental engineers is $107,110 a year ($51.50 an hour). The lowest-paid 10% earn under $69,990 and the top 10% earn over $162,220. Source: BLS, May 2025.
Which state pays environmental engineers the most?
Louisiana has the highest median pay at $130,510. After taxes and local prices, Houston, TX offers the best real take-home pay of any metro area.
How many environmental engineers are there in the U.S.?
About 38,340 people work as environmental engineers nationwide.