How to Become an Environmental Engineer
Engineer solutions to pollution, water quality, and waste problems that protect both people and ecosystems. It typically requires a bachelor's degree, with a median salary of $107,110 per year and about average projected job growth.
Median pay
$107,110/yr
Middle half
$83,570 to $134,420
Job growth
About average
Openings / yr
3,000
Majors that lead here
Key skills
- Environmental Remediation
- Water Treatment Design
- Regulatory Compliance
- Monitoring
- Critical Thinking
Helpful certifications
- FE/PE (Professional Engineer)
Is this career a fit?
Remote-friendly
67/100
Work-life balance
47/100
Stress level
52/100
Related careers
- Computer Hardware Engineer$161,740 median
- Petroleum Engineer$144,910 median
- Aerospace Engineer$134,960 median
- Nuclear Engineer$133,970 median
- Chemical Engineer$125,040 median
- Electrical Engineer$120,630 median
Frequently asked questions
How much does an Environmental Engineer make?
The median pay for an Environmental Engineer is $107,110 a year, and the middle half of workers earn between $83,570 and $134,420 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025). That covers everyone in the job, not only people starting out, so newer workers sit toward the lower end.
What degree do you need to become an Environmental Engineer?
The usual entry point is a bachelor's degree. Common majors are Environmental Engineering, Civil Engineering, and Environmental Science.
Is Environmental Engineer a growing field?
Projected job growth for this role from 2024 to 2034 is about average (BLS projections via O*NET), with roughly 3,000 U.S. openings a year.
What skills does an Environmental Engineer use most?
Common skills for this role are Environmental Remediation, Water Treatment Design, Regulatory Compliance, Monitoring, and Critical Thinking.
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Take the major quizWhere these pay figures come from
Career pay is the annual wage of everyone working in that occupation, not only recent graduates, so it includes people who have done the job for decades. The middle half is the 25th to the 75th percentile. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET OnLine (median and percentile annual wages May 2025; employment projections 2024-2034).
All figures are national. What you earn depends on where you work, who you work for, and how far you take the degree.
Job-growth figures: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET OnLine (median and percentile annual wages May 2025; employment projections 2024-2034).