Environmental Engineer Salary.
Across 81 U.S. cities.
$104,000
national median salary
$81,000 to $131,000. Last updated July 2026.
Highest Paying
$146,000
San Francisco, CA
Best Purchasing Power
$109,000
Columbus, OH
Lowest Paying
$80,000
Charleston, WV
Salary data sourced from Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, H-1B Labor Condition Applications (DOL), state pay-transparency job postings, and community submissions. Most ranges are anchored to BLS OES occupation wage percentiles and placed by seniority level (entry near the 25th, mid at the median, senior at the 75th); a minority of emerging roles retain a modeled estimate where BLS has no matching series. Cost-of-living adjustments use Bureau of Economic Analysis Regional Price Parities (2025 index). Last updated July 2026. Baseline derived from BLS SOC 17-2081. Full methodology.
The average Environmental Engineer salary in the United States is $104,000 in 2026, with the full range spanning $81,000 at the 25th percentile to $131,000 at the 75th. San Francisco pays the most at $146,000, while Columbus offers the best purchasing power after cost-of-living adjustments. PE licensure, specialization in water treatment or air quality, and experience with EPA regulatory compliance drive the biggest salary differences.
Environmental Engineer salary by city.
Skills that increase Environmental Engineer pay.
The skills below command measurable salary premiums for Environmental Engineers based on job posting data. Learning the top skill here could add $14,560 to your annual compensation.
≈ +$14,560 per year
≈ +$13,520 per year
≈ +$12,480 per year
≈ +$11,440 per year
≈ +$11,440 per year
≈ +$10,400 per year
≈ +$10,400 per year
≈ +$9,360 per year
What you should know.
PE licensure, specialization in water treatment or air quality, and experience with EPA regulatory compliance drive the biggest salary differences. Engineers working on remediation of contaminated sites or in the oil and gas sector earn premiums for hazardous conditions expertise.
Junior Environmental Engineers earn $70,000 to $80,000. Mid-career engineers with PE licensure reach $88,000 to $105,000. Senior Engineers and Project Managers command $105,000 to $130,000, while Principal Engineers and Directors at consulting firms exceed $145,000.
PE-licensed engineers receive immediate salary bumps of 10 to 15%. Annual bonuses of 5 to 12% are typical at consulting firms. Government roles offer pension benefits and strong job security, though base salaries trend 10 to 15% lower than private sector.
Total compensation breakdown.
Salary by company size
Remote salary adjustment
Remote Environmental Engineers typically earn $94,000 (10% less than on-site). This reflects location-adjusted pay policies at companies using geographic salary bands. Some companies pay flat national rates regardless of location.
Are you an Environmental Engineer?
Share your real compensation anonymously. Help build the most accurate salary dataset for this role. Your data is never individually exposed.
Common questions about Environmental Engineer pay.
Related tools