How to Become a Environmental Engineer in 2026
Quick answer: Becoming a environmental engineer requires a 4-year degree - typically a ABET-accredited bachelor’s in environmental or civil engineering. The national median pay is $107,110 per year, and BLS projects +3.9% employment change from 2024 to 2034 (BLS OEWS, May 2025; BLS Employment Projections, 2024-34).
Environmental Engineer at a Glance
| Metric | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Median annual wage | $107,110 | BLS OEWS, May 2025 |
| Typical wage range | $69,990 (10th pct) - $162,220 (90th pct) | BLS OEWS, May 2025 |
| Projected growth (2024-34) | +3.9% | BLS Employment Projections, 2024-34 |
| Typical education | ABET-accredited bachelor’s in environmental or civil engineering | BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook |
| License / certification | PE license for consulting and public-works sign-off | State licensing boards |
What Does a Environmental Engineer Do?
Environmental engineers design water and wastewater treatment systems, remediation plans, and pollution controls - the engineered systems behind clean water, safe soil, and air-quality compliance on industrial and municipal projects.
Skills That Make a Great Environmental Engineer
- Water and wastewater treatment design
- Hydrology and stormwater modeling
- Permitting and regulatory navigation
- Sampling and lab-data interpretation
- GIS and site mapping
How to Become a Environmental Engineer
1. Earn an ABET-accredited bachelor’s
Environmental engineering, or civil engineering with an environmental focus.
2. Pass the FE exam
The EIT credential positions you for consulting and government roles.
3. Start in water, remediation, or compliance
Consulting firms, utilities, and agencies hire at the bachelor’s level.
4. Gain experience toward the PE
Four supervised years for the license that signs public-works designs.
5. Specialize
Drinking water, stormwater, site remediation, or air quality.
Why an Online Degree Works for This Career
Plumbers, water/wastewater operators, and HVAC technicians work on these systems every day; the ABET-accredited bachelor’s moves you from operating and installing them to designing them, with strong public-sector demand.
Environmental Engineer Salary
| Percentile | Annual wage |
|---|---|
| 10th | $69,990 |
| 25th | $83,570 |
| 50th (median) | $107,110 |
| 75th | $134,420 |
| 90th | $162,220 |
Job Outlook
| Year | Employment |
|---|---|
| 2024 | 39,400 |
| 2034 projected | 41,000 |
| Percent change | +3.9% |
Cost and Time to Complete the Degree
For environmental engineers, the credential is: ABET-accredited bachelor’s in environmental or civil engineering. A bachelor’s degree is typically 120 credit hours: four years full-time, and commonly five to six years part-time while working. Transfer credit is the other lever: prior college, military training, apprenticeship coursework, and industry certifications can be worth a year or more at transfer-friendly schools, so get a written transfer evaluation before enrolling anywhere. Costs vary widely by school type; in-state public online programs are usually the value benchmark, and employer tuition assistance is common for working adults in this field.
Pros and Cons of Becoming a Environmental Engineer
Pros
- Median pay of $107,110 nationally (BLS OEWS, May 2025)
- BLS projects +3.9% employment growth through 2034
- Field experience from the trades is a genuine hiring advantage
- Accredited online and hybrid degree paths exist for working adults
Cons
- Requires a 4-year degree (typically 120 credit hours)
- Entry-level pay starts near $69,990 at the 10th percentile
- Licensing hurdle: PE license for consulting and public-works sign-off
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a plumber or water operator become an environmental engineer?
Yes - operations experience with real treatment systems is a genuine advantage. The requirement is the ABET-accredited bachelor's plus the FE/PE track for licensed roles.
How much do environmental engineers make?
The national median annual wage for environmental engineers is $107,110 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The top 10% earn $162,220 or more, while entry-level pay starts around $69,990.
What is the job outlook for environmental engineers?
BLS projects employment of environmental engineers to change by +3.9% from 2024 to 2034 (BLS Employment Projections, 2024-34).
Environmental Engineer Salary and Requirements by State
Alabama · Alaska · Arizona · Arkansas · California · Colorado · Connecticut · Delaware · Florida · Georgia · Hawaii · Idaho · Illinois · Indiana · Iowa · Kansas · Kentucky · Louisiana · Maine · Maryland · Massachusetts · Michigan · Minnesota · Mississippi · Missouri · Montana · Nebraska · Nevada · New Hampshire · New Jersey · New Mexico · New York · North Carolina · North Dakota · Ohio · Oklahoma · Oregon · Pennsylvania · Rhode Island · South Carolina · South Dakota · Tennessee · Texas · Utah · Vermont · Virginia · Washington · West Virginia · Wisconsin · Wyoming
Related Trade Careers
Sources
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 - Environmental Engineers (SOC 17-2081)
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, 2024-34
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook - education and licensing requirements
Environmental Engineer Salary by State
About this guide: Researched and written by the TradeCareerPath Editorial Team. Our editorial team researches and sources every trade school and career guide using federal labor and education data, including BLS OEWS and Employment Projections, DOL apprenticeship records, IPEDS, College Scorecard, and state licensing boards. We follow the editorial standards documented at /editorial-policy/.
Data sources
Figures on this page are sourced from the federal and state datasets below. Methodology: how we rank and source data.
| Data | Provider | Vintage |
|---|---|---|
| Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) | U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics | May 2025 |
| Employment Projections | U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics | 2024-2034 |
| Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System | National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS) | 2024 |
| College Scorecard (school-level outcomes) | U.S. Department of Education | latest release |
| College Scorecard (field-of-study earnings) | U.S. Department of Education | latest release (updated 2026-06-12) |
| Occupational licensing requirements | CareerOneStop (U.S. Department of Labor) | latest release (updated 2026-02-22) |
| Registered apprenticeship programs | CareerOneStop / Apprenticeship.gov (U.S. Department of Labor) | latest release (updated 2025-10-25) |
| O*NET occupation profiles (skills, tasks, tools, job zones) | U.S. Department of Labor (O*NET / Employment & Training Admin.) | O*NET 29.1 (updated 2026-06-13) |