Environmental Engineer Salary in Los Angeles, CA
Environmental Engineers in the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA metro area earn a median $127,900 a year — 19% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $89,358 take-home, or $7,446 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median environmental engineer salary in Los Angeles, CA. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$19,430
- Social Security (6.2%)$7,930
- Medicare (1.45%)$1,855
- California income tax$7,665
- CA State Disability Insurance (SDI)$1,663
- Take-home pay$89,358
Marginal rate: 24% federal + 9.30% state
Environmental Engineer pay by experience in Los Angeles, CA
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $77,700 | $37.36 | $59,478 | $4,957 |
| 25th percentile | $101,970 | $49.02 | $73,987 | $6,166 |
| Median (50th) | $127,900 | $61.49 | $89,358 | $7,446 |
| 75th percentile | $141,960 | $68.25 | $97,477 | $8,123 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $167,490 | $80.52 | $112,221 | $9,352 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, California resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $127,900 buys in Los Angeles, CA
Prices in Los Angeles, CA are 13.6% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.70× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median environmental engineer's $89,358 take-home pay has the buying power of $78,684 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Environmental Engineer jobs are less concentrated in Los Angeles, CA than nationally (location quotient 0.58), so openings may be scarcer.
Best-paying cities for environmental engineers, adjusted for cost of living
Los Angeles, CA ranks #9 of 18 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.
| # | Metro area | Median salary | Take-home | Real value* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Houston, TX | $127,340 | $98,303 | $99,669 |
| 2 | Philadelphia, PA | $129,390 | $95,732 | $93,348 |
| 3 | Seattle, WA | $128,410 | $99,034 | $89,113 |
| 4 | Sacramento, CA | $133,240 | $92,442 | $86,661 |
| 5 | Portland, OR | $127,080 | $87,835 | $83,319 |
| 6 | San Francisco, CA | $138,840 | $95,676 | $82,755 |
| 7 | Minneapolis, MN | $115,750 | $83,913 | $80,052 |
| 8 | Washington, DC | $120,580 | $86,377 | $79,330 |
| 9 | Los Angeles, CA | $127,900 | $89,358 | $78,684 |
*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 18 metros →
Environmental Engineer salaries elsewhere in California
- Sacramento, CA — $133,240
- San Francisco, CA — $138,840
- San Diego, CA — $119,390
Frequently asked questions
How much does a environmental engineer make in Los Angeles, CA?
The median environmental engineer salary in the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA metro area is $127,900 a year, or about $61.49 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $101,970 and $141,960.
What is a environmental engineer’s take-home pay in Los Angeles, CA?
On the median $127,900 salary, a single filer living in California takes home about $89,358 a year ($7,446 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $9,328 in California taxes in 2026.
Is Los Angeles, CA a good place to work as a environmental engineer?
Pay here is 19% above the national median of $107,110. Local prices are 13.6% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $78,684 would in a typical U.S. city. Los Angeles, CA ranks #9 of 18 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a environmental engineer afford rent in Los Angeles, CA?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Los Angeles, CA is $2,245 a month ($2,755 for two bedrooms) — 30% of a median environmental engineer’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in Los Angeles, CA
- Aerospace Engineer — $163,280
- Computer Hardware Engineer — $158,530
- Electronics Engineers, Except Computer — $140,530
- Electrical Engineer — $139,780
- Health and Safety Engineers, Except Mining Safety Engineers and Inspectors — $131,540
- Bioengineer and Biomedical Engineer — $128,240
- Materials Engineer — $125,200
- Engineers, All Other — $125,060
- Mechanical Engineer — $123,900
- Industrial Engineer — $113,040
- Civil Engineer — $108,640
- Architects, Except Landscape and Naval — $104,170