Environmental Engineer.
Boise.
$98,000
median salary, 6% below the national average
$76,000 to $123,000. Last updated August 2026.
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Data points to own the conversation.
An Environmental Engineer in Boise earns a median of $98,000 in 2026. That is 6% below the national average. The range runs from $76,000 to $123,000, and where you land depends on your experience, your skills, and how well you negotiate. PE licensure, specialization in water treatment or air quality, and experience with EPA regulatory compliance drive the biggest salary differences. These figures are Orbyt estimates, computed rather than measured, and must not be cited as Bureau of Labor Statistics figures; the published BLS wage for the occupation this role maps to is shown separately on this page.
Salary range.
Where do you fall?
Orbyt estimate for Environmental Engineer in Boise, modelled from national occupation wages adjusted for local cost of living. The published government benchmark for this occupation is below.
Government benchmark for this occupation
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a median annual wage of $109,350 for Environmental Engineers (SOC 17-2081) in the Boise City, ID metropolitan area, based on 100 employed workers (May 2025 release).
10th percentile
$56,670
25th percentile
$93,600
Median
$109,350
75th percentile
$124,780
90th percentile
$159,540
Workers surveyed
100
BLS publishes wages by occupation code, not by job title, so this figure covers every role mapped to Environmental Engineers (SOC 17-2081) rather than Environmental Engineer specifically. The Boiserange at the top of this page is Orbyt’s role-level estimate, which is a different thing and is labelled as such.
View the BLS source for SOC 17-2081Salary by experience.
The gap between entry and lead level is typically $88,000. Where you land depends on years of experience and what you bring to the table.
Entry (0-2 yrs)
$64,000
to $78,000
Mid (3-5 yrs)
$83,000
to $103,000
Senior (6-9 yrs)
$108,000
to $127,000
Lead (10+ yrs)
$123,000
to $152,000
Total compensation.
Base salary is not the full picture. Equity, bonus, and signing can add $26,000 to the total package.
Base
$98,000
Equity
$15,000
Bonus
$9,000
Signing
$2,000
Estimated total: $124,000
How Boise compares.
Boise, ID
$98,000
Cost of living: 5% below average
National Average
$104,000
Boise is $6,000 below
Environmental Engineer salary by city.
Salary by role in Boise.
What you should know.
The Environmental Engineer landscape in Boise is not what most salary sites will tell you. Boise has emerged as one of the fastest growing tech cities in the Mountain West, driven by Micron Technology, HP, and a wave of startup relocations. The city's quality of life and affordability have attracted significant in-migration from California and Washington. Tech salaries are rising fast as demand outpaces local talent supply. 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. In Boise, cost of living sits near the national average, so the numbers you see are roughly what you keep.
Base salary is not the full picture. 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. And on the tax side: idaho has a flat 5.8% state income tax. Boise has no city income tax. While higher than neighboring states, the rate is offset by affordable housing and low overall cost of living. When someone quotes you $98,000, ask what the total package looks like. The gap between base and total comp is where real money hides.
On negotiation: Reference Bay Area and Seattle talent competition. Boise employers increasingly match 80 to 90% of coastal salaries for in demand tech roles. The range for Environmental Engineers in Boise runs from $76,000 to $123,000. That is not a narrow window. Where you land inside it depends almost entirely on whether you negotiate and how well you prepare.
Sources: BLS OES, H-1B LCA (DOL). COL: BEA Regional Price Parities (2025). Data verified by Justin Bartak, Founder & Chief AI Officer. Last verified July 1, 2026. Full methodology
Considering a related role?
- A Project Manager in Boise earns $99,000 (1% more)
- The highest-paying role in Boise is CTO at $296,000
Common questions.
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