Environmental Engineer.
Salt Lake City.
$88,000
median salary, 2% below the national average
$69,000 to $113,000. Updated for 2026.
The numbers.
Everything you need to negotiate with confidence.
Salt Lake City is 2% cheaper than the national average. For Environmental Engineers, that shakes out to a median of $88,000, with the full range spanning $69,000 to $113,000. PE licensure, specialization in water treatment or air quality, and experience with EPA regulatory compliance drive the biggest salary differences. Know the range before you walk in.
Salary range
Tap to place your salary
How Salt Lake City compares
Salt Lake City, UT
$88,000
Cost of living: 2% below average
National Average
$90,000
Salt Lake City is $2,000 below
What you should know
Here is what the Environmental Engineer market actually looks like in Salt Lake City. Salt Lake City anchors the Silicon Slopes tech corridor, home to companies like Qualtrics, Pluralsight, and Domo. The region has attracted significant venture investment and tech relocations. Utah's business friendly environment, young educated workforce, and outdoor lifestyle make it a rising destination for tech professionals seeking affordability without sacrificing career growth. 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 Salt Lake City, 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: utah has a flat 4.65% state income tax. Salt Lake City imposes no additional city income tax. The moderate rate combined with affordable living costs results in strong net compensation. When someone quotes you $88,000, ask what the total package looks like. The gap between base and total comp is where real money hides.
On negotiation: Reference Silicon Slopes growth when negotiating. Local employers are increasingly matching 85 to 95% of Seattle or Bay Area salaries to compete for tech talent. The range for Environmental Engineers in Salt Lake City runs from $69,000 to $113,000. That is not a narrow window. Where you land inside it depends almost entirely on whether you negotiate and how well you prepare.
Top industries in Salt Lake City
Negotiating in Salt Lake City
Reference Silicon Slopes growth when negotiating. Local employers are increasingly matching 85 to 95% of Seattle or Bay Area salaries to compete for tech talent.