How to Become a Environmental Engineer in Colorado: Salary & Requirements (2026)
Quick answer: The median environmental engineer salary in Colorado is $106,890 per year - in line with the national median of $107,110 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The career requires a 4-year degree: ABET-accredited bachelor’s in environmental or civil engineering.
How to Become a Environmental Engineer in Colorado
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.
Requirements in Colorado
The education path is national - ABET-accredited bachelor’s in environmental or civil engineering - while licensing runs through the Colorado state board of professional engineers: PE license for consulting and public-works sign-off. Verify current requirements with the Colorado state board of professional engineers before enrolling, as details change.
Environmental Engineer Salary in Colorado
| Wage level | Annual salary |
|---|---|
| Colorado entry level (10th percentile) | $66,390 |
| Colorado 25th-75th percentile | $83,500 - $131,550 |
| Colorado median | $106,890 |
| Colorado top earners (90th percentile) | $165,870 |
| U.S. median | $107,110 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025. State employment: 1,320.
The Colorado Job Market: Environmental Engineer
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Employed in Colorado | 1,320 |
| Jobs per 1,000 in the state | 0.46 |
| Concentration vs U.S. (location quotient) | 1.86 |
| Mean annual wage in Colorado | $113,550 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025. With a location quotient of 1.86, Colorado employs environmental engineers at a noticeably higher concentration than the national average: a strong local market for the credential.
Salary Nationwide
| 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% |
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a environmental engineer make in Colorado?
The median annual wage for environmental engineers in Colorado is $106,890 (BLS OEWS, May 2025), in line with the national median of $107,110.
How to become a environmental engineer in Colorado?
The core path is the same nationwide - ABET-accredited bachelor's in environmental or civil engineering - with licensing through the Colorado state board of professional engineers: PE license for consulting and public-works sign-off. See the steps on this page.
How many environmental engineers work in Colorado?
BLS counts about 1,320 environmental engineers employed in Colorado (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Environmental Engineer in Nearby States
- Environmental Engineer in Arkansas
- Environmental Engineer in California
- Environmental Engineer in Connecticut
- Environmental Engineer in Delaware
Related
- How to Become a Environmental Engineer (national guide)
- All Trade Careers That Require a 4-Year Degree
Sources
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 - Environmental Engineers (SOC 17-2081), Colorado and national
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, 2024-34
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) |