Environmental Engineer
An environmental engineer uses the principles of engineering, soil science, biology, and chemistry to develop solutions to environmental problems.
Environmental engineers strive to create solutions for environmental problems created by pollution and the exploitation of natural resources. They combine knowledge from engineering, biology, chemistry, and soil science, in an attempt to re-establish the sustainable balance of our environment.
A few of the main duties of an environmental engineer are helping obtain green certifications, analysis of procedures, field tests, and assisting in the performance of an audit. They also have to create reports about the company’s environmental impact. Some of the jobs titles that an environmental engineer could grow into are director of engineering and engineering manager.
Job Overview
Salary
Workplace
How to Start
Job Overview
What does an Environmental Engineer do?
Environmental engineers conduct hazardous-waste management studies, in which they evaluate the significance of the hazard and advise on treating and containing it. They collaborate with environmental scientists, planners, hazardous waste technicians, engineers, and other specialists, such as experts in law and business, to address environmental problems and sustainability.
Environmental engineers study ways to minimize the effects of acid rain, global warming, automobile emissions, and ozone depletion. They also design municipal water supply and industrial wastewater treatment systems and research the environmental impact of proposed construction projects.
When designing facilities and processes for treating wastewater and other pollution, environmental engineers strive to solve several issues at once, from workers’ safety to environmental protection. They identify and anticipate problems to prevent losses for their employers, safeguard workers’ health, and mitigate environmental damage.
Design Knowledge
Environmental engineers design projects leading to environmental protection, such as water reclamation facilities, air pollution control systems, and operations that convert waste to energy
Reporting
Environmental engineers prepare, review, and update environmental investigation reports. They analyze scientific data and do quality-control checks.
Compliance Knowledge
Environmental engineers Inspect industrial and municipal facilities and programs to ensure compliance with environmental regulations.
Support
These engineers obtain, update, and maintain plans, permits, and standard operating procedures. They also provide technical support for environmental remediation projects and legal actions.
Salary
How much does an Environmental Engineer make?
The average annual salary for an Environmental Engineer the United States is $91,191. The majority of Environmental Engineer salaries currently range between $73,500 (25th percentile) to $108,500 (75th percentile) with top earners (90th percentile) making $127,500 annually across the United States.
These are 2025 national salary averages and may fluctuate based on location.
Workplace
What does the workplace for an Environmental Engineer look like?
Environmental engineers often work with business people, lawyers, and other professionals outside of their field, and are required to read and understand documents that are sometimes not within their scope of training. Often, their designs are only a part of a larger project. Therefore, they need to foresee how the proposed designs will interact with other components in the process, including the workers, machinery, equipment, or the environment. The typical workday of an environmental engineer varies. One day might be spent collaborating with other professionals on planning an upcoming city project or solving a resource problem. Another day might be spent on-site, monitoring the progress and adherence of city and federal codes of an ongoing project. As an environmental engineer, your tasks will vary based on your setting. When working on urban or regional planning, you might use an office, do field research on location, or work at construction sites when implementing solutions.How to Start
How to become an Environmental Engineer?
Students interested in studying environmental engineering should take high school courses in chemistry, biology, physics, and mathematics, including algebra, trigonometry, and calculus.
Entry-level environmental engineering jobs require a bachelor’s degree in environmental engineering or a related field, such as civil engineering, chemical engineering, or mechanical engineering.
Employers also value practical experience. Therefore, cooperative engineering programs, in which college credit is awarded for structured job experience, are valuable as well. Getting a license improves the chances for employment.
At some colleges and universities, a student can enroll in a five-year program that leads to both a bachelor’s and a master’s degree. A graduate degree allows an engineer to work as an instructor at some colleges and universities or to do research and development.
