Salary Range & Percentiles
Pay distribution across experience levels
- 10th Percentile — Entry Level$69,990
- 25th Percentile — Junior$83,570
- 50th Percentile — Median$107,110
- 75th Percentile — Senior$134,420
- 90th Percentile — Top Earners$162,220
The top 10% of Environmental Engineers earn $162,220 or more per year. Entry-level professionals can expect to start around $69,990, with significant growth over the first 5 years.
Salary by State
Geographic salary comparison
| State | Avg Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia (est.) | $171,623 | +52.0% |
| Louisiana | $138,180 | +22.4% |
| Oregon | $127,920 | +13.3% |
| Washington | $127,330 | +12.8% |
| California | $125,870 | +11.5% |
| Texas | $124,400 | +10.2% |
| New Mexico | $123,800 | +9.6% |
| Idaho | $123,300 | +9.2% |
| Nevada | $120,710 | +6.9% |
| Nebraska | $120,150 | +6.4% |
| Connecticut | $119,880 | +6.2% |
| Massachusetts | $119,180 | +5.6% |
| Minnesota | $116,740 | +3.4% |
| Illinois | $116,020 | +2.8% |
| Hawaii | $115,920 | +2.7% |
| Alaska | $114,660 | +1.5% |
| Colorado | $113,550 | +0.6% |
| Kentucky | $113,090 | +0.2% |
| Virginia | $111,800 | -1.0% |
| Florida | $111,530 | -1.2% |
| Ohio | $110,350 | -2.3% |
| New Jersey | $109,560 | -3.0% |
| New York | $108,360 | -4.0% |
| Utah | $107,910 | -4.4% |
| Michigan | $107,600 | -4.7% |
| Alabama | $107,220 | -5.0% |
| Wyoming | $106,640 | -5.6% |
| Montana | $106,590 | -5.6% |
| North Dakota | $106,350 | -5.8% |
| Rhode Island | $105,720 | -6.4% |
| North Carolina | $104,970 | -7.0% |
| Maryland | $103,980 | -7.9% |
| Pennsylvania | $103,760 | -8.1% |
| Indiana | $103,750 | -8.1% |
| Kansas | $103,550 | -8.3% |
| Delaware | $103,050 | -8.7% |
| Vermont | $101,330 | -10.3% |
| Tennessee | $101,260 | -10.3% |
| Wisconsin | $101,050 | -10.5% |
| Georgia | $100,760 | -10.8% |
| South Carolina | $100,760 | -10.8% |
| South Dakota | $99,360 | -12.0% |
| Missouri | $98,460 | -12.8% |
| Maine | $98,290 | -12.9% |
| Oklahoma | $97,850 | -13.3% |
| Iowa | $97,710 | -13.5% |
| Arizona | $96,410 | -14.6% |
| Mississippi | $95,010 | -15.9% |
| New Hampshire | $93,600 | -17.1% |
| West Virginia | $92,680 | -17.9% |
| Arkansas | $90,550 | -19.8% |
What Factors Affect Environmental Engineers Salary?
Key factors affecting compensation
Pay for Environmental Engineers is influenced by geographic location, years of experience, employer type, and educational background. Location alone is a large factor: Louisiana pays an average of $138,180, while Arkansas pays $90,550 — a gap of $47,630 per year.
The middle half of Environmental Engineers earn between $83,570 and $134,420 per year. The lowest-paid 10% earn under $69,990, while the top 10% earn more than $162,220.
These figures are the wages employers report to BLS: base pay plus commissions, production bonuses and tips. They exclude overtime pay, shift differentials, year-end bonuses, benefits and self-employed workers, so total compensation can be higher than the numbers shown.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OES) · May 2025
Compare with Similar Jobs
Related career salary benchmarks
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Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about this salary
What is the average salary for Environmental Engineers?
The average salary for Environmental Engineers in the United States is $112,910 per year, with a median of $107,110.
What is the starting salary for Environmental Engineers?
Entry-level Environmental Engineers typically earn between $69,990 and $83,570 per year depending on location and employer.
What state pays Environmental Engineers the most?
Louisiana pays Environmental Engineers the most at $138,180 per year on average, followed by Oregon ($127,920) and Washington ($127,330).
How much do Environmental Engineers make per hour?
Based on the average annual salary of $112,910, Environmental Engineers earn approximately $54.28 per hour (based on 2,080 working hours/year).
Is Environmental Engineers a good career in 2026?
BLS counts 38,340 Environmental Engineers jobs in the United States, with a mean annual wage of $112,910 and a median of $107,110 (OEWS May 2025). This site does not publish job-growth projections; the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook covers the outlook for each occupation.
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