Environmental Engineers

Environmental engineers use engineering disciplines in developing solutions to problems of planetary health. Their work may involve concerns such as waste treatment, site remediation, and pollution control technology.

Duties

Environmental engineers typically do the following:

• Prepare, review, update, and present reports on issues related to the environment
• Design systems that protect the environment, such as those to reclaim water or to control air pollution
• Obtain, update, and maintain plans, permits, and standard operating procedures
• Provide technical support for environmental remediation projects and for legal actions
• Analyze scientific data and do quality-control checks
• Monitor the progress of environmental improvement programs
• Inspect industrial and municipal facilities and programs to ensure compliance with environmental regulations
• Advise corporations, government agencies, and other interested parties about environmental issues, including procedures for cleaning up contaminated sites

Environmental engineers work on a variety of projects. For example, they may conduct hazardous-waste management studies in which they evaluate a hazard and advise on treating and containing it. They also design systems for municipal and industrial water supplies and wastewater treatment. In government, they may focus on prevention and compliance, such as researching the environmental impact of proposed construction projects or enforcing regulations for disposal of agricultural waste.

Some of these engineers study ways to minimize the effects of environmental threats such as acid rain, automobile emissions, and ozone depletion. They also collaborate with workers who focus on environmental sustainability and other issues, including environmental scientists and specialists, hazardous materials removal workers, lawyers, and urban and regional planners.

Environmental engineers held about 39,400 jobs in 2024. The largest employers of environmental engineers were as follows:

Environmental engineers may work both indoors, such as in an office setting, and outdoors, such as at a construction site. They sometimes travel to attend meetings or present research.

Work Schedules

Most environmental engineers work full time. They may need to work more than 40 hours per week, such as to monitor a project’s progress or to troubleshoot problems.

Environmental engineers typically need a bachelor’s degree in environmental engineering or a related field, such as civil, chemical, or general engineering. Some employers prefer to hire candidates who have gained practical experience in an internship or a cooperative education program.

The median annual wage for environmental engineers was $104,170 in May 2024.

Employment of environmental engineers is projected to grow 4 percent from 2024 to 2034, about as fast as the average for all occupations.

About 3,000 openings for environmental engineers are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.