Environmental Engineers
Also called: Air Pollution Control Engineer, Air Quality Engineer, Civil Engineer, Coastal Engineer, Engineer, Engineering Consultant, Environmental Analyst, Environmental Compliance Engineer
Research, design, plan, or perform engineering duties in the prevention, control, and remediation of environmental hazards using various engineering disciplines.
What environmental engineers do
Typical tasks
- Design, or supervise the design of, systems, processes, or equipment for control, management, or remediation of water, air, or soil quality.
- Assess the existing or potential environmental impact of land use projects on air, water, or land.
- Collaborate with environmental scientists, planners, hazardous waste technicians, engineers, experts in law or business, or other specialists to address environmental problems.
- Advise corporations or government agencies of procedures to follow in cleaning up contaminated sites to protect people and the environment.
- Develop proposed project objectives and targets and report to management on progress in attaining them.
- Monitor progress of environmental improvement programs.
- Prepare, review, or update environmental investigation or recommendation reports.
- Prepare, maintain, or revise quality assurance documentation or procedures.
- Develop site-specific health and safety protocols, such as spill contingency plans or methods for loading or transporting waste.
- Provide technical support for environmental remediation or litigation projects, including remediation system design or determination of regulatory applicability.
- Prepare or present public briefings on the status of environmental engineering projects.
- Assist in budget implementation, forecasts, or administration.
Typical path into the job (BLS)
Environmental Engineers salary
The median annual wage for environmental engineers is $107,110 (BLS OEWS May 2025; BLS Employment Projections 2025–35, national). The lowest 10 percent earn less than $69,990 and the highest 10 percent earn more than $162,220. The mean annual wage is $112,910.
The mean hourly wage of $54.00 is 7.4× the federal minimum wage of $7.25. State minimums are higher in most large states. Minimum wage by state →
How does your pay compare with people your age?
Your numbers are not sent or stored. The comparison uses this occupation's BLS wage percentiles, adjusted for age with BLS median weekly earnings by age group (Q3 2026).
Pay by percentile
Annual wage percentiles from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS). Percentiles are a good proxy for pay by experience.
Projected pay for Environmental Engineers (3, 5 and 10 years)est.
Today $107,110 → in 3 years $116,000 → in 5 years $122,300 → in 10 years $139,700 (10-year range $120,200–$162,200). The model assumes pay growth of +2.7% per year.
What drives the annual growth rate
Projected pay = current pay × (1 + annual growth)^years. The annual growth rate starts from a base wage-growth rate and adds or subtracts labor demand (BLS projected employment growth), wage momentum and AI replacement risk for each occupation. Projections are not guarantees. How it is calculated →
Outlook score for Environmental Engineers
Each component is a percentile rank among all occupations in the same country (0–100). Weights: labor demand 25, wage momentum / openings 15, pay level 15, AI resistance 25, aging workforce 10 (Japan only), entry barrier 10.
Will AI replace Environmental Engineers? AI replacement risk
How AI is changing this job
A written analysis for this occupation is being prepared.
AI replacement risk compares the parts of a job that are easy to hand to AI or software (processing information, documentation, repetitive computer work) with the parts that are hard to automate (physical work, working closely with people, judgment in unpredictable settings), using O*NET work activities, work context, skills and knowledge. The result is a relative position among all occupations in the country, scaled to 0–100%. Methodology →
Labor demand for Environmental Engineers
Employment projections are from the BLS Employment Projections program (2025–35). Annual openings include both new jobs and replacement of workers who leave the occupation.
Skills, education and requirements for Environmental Engineers
Key skills
O*NET skill level ratings (0–7).
Key knowledge areas
What the work involves
Important abilities
Education of workers
Training before entry
Related work experience
Job Zone 4 — considerable preparation needed (O*NET)
Difficulty of entry: ★★★☆☆ Moderate (from education, training, experience and Job Zone)
How to become environmental engineers
A step-by-step guide for this occupation is being prepared. The education, training and experience data above show the typical path.
Career path and how to earn more as environmental engineers
Career-path guidance is being prepared. Pay by percentile is shown in the Pay section.