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Environmental Consulting
AECOM, Tetra Tech, Jacobs
Environmental Engineers
Environmental engineers design ways to protect water, air, and soil while also helping organizations stay within environmental rules. A lot of the job is translating technical analysis into practical decisions, whether that means cleaning up a polluted site, reviewing a new development’s impact, or choosing a treatment system. The tradeoff is that the work can be rewarding and well paid, but it is tightly shaped by regulations, budgets, and project approvals that can slow things down.
Also known as Environmental EngineerEnvironmental Project EngineerEnvironmental Compliance EngineerStaff Environmental EngineerRemediation Engineer
Median Salary
$104,170
Mean $110,570
U.S. Workforce
~38K
3K openings per year
10-Year Growth
+3.9%
39.4K to 41K
Entry Education
Bachelor's degree
+ None experience
What This Role Looks Like in Practice
Environmental Engineers sits in the Science category. In practical terms, this role combines day-to-day execution, cross-team coordination, and consistent decision-making under real business constraints.
U.S. employment is currently about ~38K workers, with a median annual pay of $104,170 and roughly 3K openings each year. Based on BLS projections, total employment is expected to grow from 39.4 K in 2024 to 41K in 2034.
Most hiring paths start with Bachelor's Degree, and employers typically expect none of related experience. Many careers in this track begin around Environmental Engineering Intern / EIT and can progress toward Principal Environmental Engineer. High-value skills usually include Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings, Reading Technical Reports and Environmental Regulations, and EPA, RCRA, and NEPA Compliance Review, paired with soft skills such as Active Listening, Critical Thinking, and Speaking.
Core Responsibilities
- Review cleanup plans for contaminated land and tell companies or agencies what steps to take next.
- Explain environmental rules and standards to clients, contractors, or public agencies in plain language.
- Check how a project could affect air, water, or soil before work moves forward.
- Work with scientists, planners, lawyers, technicians, and other engineers to solve pollution and waste problems.
Keep exploring: more Science careers or browse all job titles.
A Day in the Life
01 Review cleanup plans for contaminated land and tell companies or agencies what steps to take next.
02 Explain environmental rules and standards to clients, contractors, or public agencies in plain language.
03 Check how a project could affect air, water, or soil before work moves forward.
04 Work with scientists, planners, lawyers, technicians, and other engineers to solve pollution and waste problems.
05 Help manage environmental projects by tracking schedules, budgets, and the work other people are doing.
06 Design or review systems that treat, control, or reduce pollution in water, air, or soil.
Industries That Hire
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Utilities and Energy
Duke Energy, Southern Company, Exelon
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Government and Public Agencies
U.S. EPA, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Bureau of Reclamation
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Manufacturing and Chemicals
Dow, BASF, 3M
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Water, Wastewater, and Waste Management
Veolia, Waste Management, Republic Services
Pros and Cons
Advantages
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The pay is solid: the mean annual wage is $110,570 and the median is $104,170, which is strong for a job that typically starts with a bachelor’s degree.
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You do not need prior work experience or on-the-job training to enter the field, so a new graduate can start building real responsibility quickly.
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The work changes from day to day, moving between site reviews, design decisions, reports, and meetings with clients or agencies.
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Job demand is steady rather than hype-driven, with 3.9% projected growth and about 3.0 thousand annual openings.
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You can specialize in areas like water, air, soil cleanup, or permitting, which makes it easier to move between consulting, industry, and government.
Challenges
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Growth is only 3.9% through 2034, so this is a stable field rather than a fast-expanding one.
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The occupation is relatively small, with 37,950 current jobs, so the best openings can be competitive and location-dependent.
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A bachelor’s degree is the norm, but 28.57% of workers have a master’s degree, so some employers may expect extra schooling for certain roles or promotions.
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The work is constrained by regulations, permits, and public budgets, which can delay projects even when the technical solution is clear.
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Many assignments involve contaminated sites, compliance disputes, or stakeholder conflicts, so the job can be stressful when deadlines and public scrutiny pile up.
Career Progression
Environmental Engineering Intern / EIT
0-2 years
$70K-$88K
New engineers help collect data, prepare reports, and support senior staff on design and compliance work.
Environmental Engineer
2-5 years
$89K-$120K
At this level, you handle site studies, permit support, cleanup planning, and project coordination with limited supervision.
Senior Environmental Engineer THIS ROLE
5-9 years
$121K-$150K
Senior engineers lead technical decisions, review others’ work, and take responsibility for harder projects or client relationships.
Project Manager, Environmental Engineering
9-15 years
$151K-$185K
This role focuses on budgets, schedules, clients, and leading teams across multiple environmental projects.
Principal Environmental Engineer
15+ years
$186K-$230K
Principals usually bring in work, set technical direction, and handle high-stakes projects or organizational strategy.
Education Paths
Bachelor's Degree
The main entry point, held by 61.9% of workers in this role, usually in environmental, civil, chemical, or mechanical engineering.
Master's Degree
A major specialization path, held by 28.57% of workers, often used to focus on water, air, remediation, or regulatory work.
Post-Baccalaureate Certificate
A smaller alternative used by 4.76% of workers, often to build targeted skills in compliance, GIS, or environmental modeling.
FE/EIT Licensure Track
A realistic non-degree credential path for recent graduates who want to build toward professional engineering work and stand out in the job market.
Key Skills
Technical
Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings 75%
Reading Technical Reports and Environmental Regulations 75%
EPA, RCRA, and NEPA Compliance Review 74%
ArcGIS and GIS Mapping 73%
AutoCAD Civil 3D and CAD Review 73%
Excel, MATLAB, and Data Analysis 73%
Environmental Sampling and Field Instruments 72%
Water and Wastewater Treatment Design 72%
Soft Skills
Active ListeningCritical ThinkingSpeakingWritingComplex Problem SolvingJudgment and Decision Making Job Outlook and Trends
+3.9%
Projected growth (2024-2034)
3K
Annual job openings
Employment is projected to rise from 39.4K to 41 K over the next decade, representing 3.9% growth. Around 3 K openings per year include both newly created roles and replacement hiring from turnover.
Remote availability is currently Moderate. Demand remains strongest where employers need practical domain knowledge plus modern workflow and data skills.