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Environmental Engineer Career Guide

Are you incredibly environmentally minded? Are you an advocate for sustainability? Do you want to help protect our planet, and get paid for it?

Well, look no further – a career as an environmental engineer may be the one for you!

Environmental engineers develop solutions to all sorts of environmental problems. They work to improve recycling, waste disposal, public health, water distribution and air pollution. They may also address global issues, such as unsafe drinking water, climate change and environmental sustainability.

To become an environmental engineer, you will need a bachelors degree in environmental engineering or another related field (e.g., civil, chemical or general engineering). Some aspiring environmental engineers will enrol in 5-year programs, where they can obtain a master’s degree to give them more job opportunities.

Environmental engineers work to protect the environment by assessing the impacts projects have on air, water and soil, and designing strategies to minimise adverse effects. They undoubtedly have a huge role to play in addressing climate change; for example by developing carbon capture technologies, and tackling water scarcity through integrated water management. Environmental engineers are also integral in helping major industries like mining, oil and gas to reduce their impact on the environment and clean up after their past activities.

Environmental Engineer Career Ratings

Income

Career
Growth

Personal Growth

Contribution

Influence

Job Profiles

Real-Life Environmental Engineer Job Profiles

Below is a list of links to anonymous job profiles of REAL PEOPLE who have filled out our survey and offered to share their insights with our users about their job in the Environmental Engineer field.
ID Job Title Gender Age Earnings City & State Date
33718 Project Associate Female 29 $150,000 woodbridge, NJ 01/01/2010
33594 Environmental Technician Male 29 $70,000 ephrata, PA 01/01/2010
33256 Environmental Health Supervisor Male 59 $64,000 Philadelphia, PA 01/01/2010
33180 Staff Engineer Female 27 $55,000 North Prairie, WI 01/01/2010
32944 Engineer 3 Female 41 $110,000 Austin, TX 01/01/2010

Overview

What an environmental engineer actually does

Environmental engineers develop solutions to environmental problems. They work to improve recycling, waste disposal, public health, water distribution and air pollution control. They may also address global issues, such as unsafe drinking water, climate change and environmental sustainability.

Environmental engineers may work for the government to help create more effective ways to protect and conserve public resources. They may work for private developers or companies to provide guidance on how building tasks can be completed without undue damage to the environment. Regardless of who the work for, their typical duties and responsibilities include:

  • Preparing, reviewing, and updating environmental investigation reports
  • Designing projects that lead to environmental protection, such as water reclamation facilities or air pollution control systems
  • Obtaining, updating, and maintaining plans, permits, and standard operating procedures
  • Providing technical support for environmental remediation projects and for legal actions
  • Analyzing scientific data and conducting quality-control checks
  • Monitoring the progress of environmental improvement programs
  • Ensuring facilities and programs are in compliance with environmental regulations
  • Advising corporations and government agencies about procedures for cleaning up contaminated sites

Why they are needed

Environmental engineers are vital for our future. We only have one planet, and environmental engineers play a huge part in ensuring that we protect it. Whether it’s to do with recycling, waste disposal, water, air pollution, climate change or environmental sustainability, environmental engineers work tirelessly to make sure we are looking after our planet the best we can.

Pros and cons of a career as an environmental engineer:

Pros:

  • Environmental engineers do a job that makes a huge difference, which gives them high job satisfaction
  • There is a lot of variety, as environmental engineers can work on a number of different projects (e.g., water issues, climate change, air pollution). They can also work for the government or for the private sector
  • It is a well respected and highly regarded profession
  • There are lots of opportunities for progression and advancement (e.g., to project managers or consultants)
  • Each day is different as environmental engineers will work on a number of different projects

Cons:

  • Environmental engineers may work on testing and challenging projects with deadlines to meet. Therefore, they may find themselves working long hours
  • Environmental engineers will need a degree, further training and to obtain a license, meaning it is not accessible to everyone
  • Environmental engineers are under a lot of pressure because they have a lot of responsibility
  • Environmental engineers may work at sites where they are exposed to hazards

Employability

Job market

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the employment of environmental engineers is projected to grow 3 percent from 2019 to 2029, which is about as fast as the average for all occupations. Most of the projected employment growth for environmental engineers is in professional, scientific, and technical services, as governments at state and local levels draw on the industry to help address water efficiency concerns.

Similarly, the federal government’s requirements to clean up contaminated sites are expected to help sustain the demand for environmental engineers. In addition, wastewater treatment is becoming a larger concern in areas of the country where drilling for shale gas requires the use and disposal of massive volumes of water.

Environmental engineers are also expected to continue to be needed to help utility companies and water treatment plants comply with federal or state environmental regulations, such as regulations regarding emissions from coal-fired power plants.

Career paths

Environmental engineers will typically kickstart their career with a bachelor’s degree in environmental engineering. Other degrees, such as civil, chemical or general engineering are also acceptable. During these programs, environmental engineers will study in the classroom, laboratory and in the field. Employers value practical experience, so cooperative programs are favourable as this allow students to gain valuable practical experience whilst completing their education.

Some environmental engineers will enrol in 5-year programs, where they can obtain a bachelors degree and a master’s degree. Obtaining a masters degree gives environmental engineers more job opportunities as some employers will prefer engineers with a masters degree. Similarly, having a masters degree means that environmental engineers can work as instructors at some colleges or they can go into research or development.

It is important that environmental engineers aim to complete programs that are accredited by the ABET, as this is essential for licensure and is preferred by most employers.

Example Job Titles for Environmental Engineer

Below is a list of common job titles in the Environmental Engineer field. Click the links below for more information about these job titles, or view the next section for actual real-life job profiles.

Benefits & Conditions

Income and benefits

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual wage for environmental engineer was $88,860 in 2019. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $54,330, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $142,070. The top paying industry was the federal government, with a median annual salary of $105,410. This is followed by engineering services ($89,050), the local government ($86,540), management, scientific and technical consulting services ($84,300) and  then the state government ($81,290).

Autonomy and Flexibility

Generally speaking, environmental engineers will have high autonomy. They are often a senior member in environmental projects, and therefore have control over many decisions. This level of autonomy only gets higher throughout an environmental engineers career, as they get more responsibility and experience.

Flexibility may be slightly lower as environmental engineers will have many strict project deadlines to work towards. This means that they may have little control over how they plan their day and what meetings to attend.

Locations and commute

According to Zippia, the best states to be an environmental engineer, based on average annual salary and number of job opportunities, are:

  • Hawaii, where the average annual salary is $98,941
  • California, where the average annual salary is $86,469
  • Louisiana, where the average annual salary is $92,199
  • Oregon, where the average annual salary is $80,510
  • Washington, where the average annual salary is $78,812

The worst states, according to Zippia, are Rhode Island, Iowa, Indiana, Wisconsin and Missouri.

Work environment

The largest employers of environmental engineers in the United States was engineering services, which hired 26% of all environmental engineers in 2019. 20% of environmental engineers were employed by management, scientific and technical consulting services, 13% by the state government, 7% by the local government, 6% work for the federal government.

Environmental engineers will work in a variety of settings and may travel to different locations. When at work, they may work with other engineers, urban planners, lawyers and other businesspeople.

Career Satisfaction

Common Matching Personality Types

Which personalities tend to succeed and thrive in Environmental Engineer careers? Based on our research, there is a relatively strong positive correlation between the following personality types and Environmental Engineer career satisfaction. This doesn’t mean that there aren’t many exceptions, of course, but if you fit into one of the following personality types then we suggest you give strong consideration to a career in Environmental Engineer.

16 Types (Myers-Briggs)

Big Five (OCEAN)

  • None

Enneagram

Holland Codes (RIASEC)

Personality types

There has been no scientific exploration into exactly what personality types will make a successful environmental engineer. However, the Myers Briggs personality type of INTJ, or otherwise known as ‘the inspector’, is likely to be a successful environmental engineer. INTJ’s tend to be responsible, reserved, organized and productive. They have a strong focus on detail and doing things correctly and have the ability to make a schedule and stick to it, which are key skills for successful engineer.

Accomplishment and mastery

Environmental engineers play an integral role in society. Therefore, it is highly likely that throughout their career, environmental engineers are likely to feel very accomplished. What is more – because environmental engineers must continue their skill development in order to get licensed, skill mastery will develop throughout their entire career.

Meaning and contribution

There is no question about it – the work of an environmental engineer has huge meaning and contribution to society and the lives of many. Without environmental engineers, the world would not be protected, safe or sustainable.

Life fit

Most environmental engineers will work normal full time hours, which offers a great life fit. However, many environmental engineers may have to travel between projects, which can mean they will work longer hours. 

Who will thrive in this career?

There are many qualities that an environmental engineer needs in order to thrive. Such qualities include:

  • Clearly, environmental engineers must be environmentally minded and value being ethical and sustainable
  • Organization, as there is a lot of planning that goes into overseeing sustainable projects
  • The ability to communicate with others, as environmental engineers will spend much of their time liaising with architects, clients, construction workers and other engineers

Who will struggle in this career?

You may struggle as any type of engineer if you are not naturally creative. Those who can’t pay attention to details may struggle as engineers because they must plan and monitor everything. However, on the contrary, those who also cannot envision the big picture may struggle as an engineer.

Those who prefer to not communicate with others throughout their working day will struggle with the constant need to communicate and confer with others. Finally, those who are not looking for a career that requires a degree and lots more further training will feel frustrated at the process involved with becoming an environmental engineer.

Requirements

Quick Glance

Skills and talents

Environmental engineers will learn many of the skills they need during their education and studying. However, they must also have skills such as:

  • Problem solving skills, as environmental engineers will need to be able to find solutions to many environmental issues
  • Communication skills (both verbal and written), as environmental engineers will need to be able to discuss problems with other professionals
  • Organizational skills, as environmental engineers need to be able to manage different phases of a project
  • Analytical skills, as environmental engineers will need to collect, analyse and manipulate scientific data

Education

Environmental engineers will need a bachelor’s degree in environmental engineering. Other degrees, such as civil, chemical or general engineering are also acceptable. The programs should be accredited by the ABET.

Some aspiring environmental engineers will enrol in 5-year programs, where they can obtain a bachelors degree and a master’s degree. Obtaining a masters degree gives environmental engineers more job opportunities.

Certifications

Environmental engineers can achieve a professional engineering (PE) license later on in their career – this allows them to progress further. Licensed engineers can oversee the work of other engineers, sign off projects and provide service directly to the public. To achieve a PE license, aspiring engineers will need:

  • A degree from an ABET-accredited engineering program
  • A passing score on the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) exam
  • Relevant work experience
  • A passing score on the Professional Engineering (PE) exam

How to Become

Summary

Environmental engineers develop solutions to all sorts of environmental problems. They work to improve recycling, waste disposal, public health and water and air pollution control. They may also address global issues, such as unsafe drinking water, climate change and environmental sustainability.

Immediate action

If you’re at high school and looking to become an environmental engineer, you should consider taking courses in chemistry, biology, physics, and math, including algebra, trigonometry, and calculus.

To have the best chance of getting accepted onto one of these degree programs, we advise having lots of extra-curricular activities (e.g., sports teams, art classes).

Education and learning

Environmental engineers will need a bachelors degree in environmental engineering. Other degrees, such as civil, chemical or general engineering are also acceptable. The programs should be accredited by the ABET. Some aspiring environmental engineers will enrol in 5-year programs, where they can obtain a bachelors degree and a master’s degree.

Skill development

Environmental engineers will learn many of their skills through their education. Once they graduate, they can take further training in order to give them more career progression opportunities, which will further advance their skills.

FAQs

Ask a Question

Have a question about Environmental Engineer careers? If so, our mentors would love to help! Just click on a mentor’s profile below and then fill out the “Ask a Question” form on that page. Your question will then be emailed to the mentor, who can then email you a reply.

ID Job Title Gender Age Earnings City & State Date
33718 Project Associate Female 29 $150,000 woodbridge, NJ 01/01/2010
33594 Environmental Technician Male 29 $70,000 ephrata, PA 01/01/2010
33256 Environmental Health Supervisor Male 59 $64,000 Philadelphia, PA 01/01/2010
33180 Staff Engineer Female 27 $55,000 North Prairie, WI 01/01/2010
32944 Engineer 3 Female 41 $110,000 Austin, TX 01/01/2010

Resources