National Averages

• The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that the approximately 83,530 environmental engineers in 2009 earned an average wage of about $32.38 per hour, or $67,360 per year. The middle 50 percent of earners made about $29.33 per hour, or $61,010 per year. The lowest 10 percent of environmental engineers earned an average wage of $17.85 per hour, or $37,120 per year, while the top 10 percent made about $51.53 per hour, or $107,190 per year.
  
  

Most Common Industries

• The most common environment in which environmental engineers were employed in 2009 was the "state government" sector, where the estimated 20,140 engineers made an average wage of about $27.15 per hour, or about $56,480 per year. The next most common sector, "management, scientific and technical consulting services," employed about 17,250 engineers who earned an average salary of about $35.32 per hour, or about $73,470 per year.
  
  

Highest Paying Industries

• Environmental engineers employed in the "computer systems design and related services" sector of the industry had the highest average salaries in 2009, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. These workers made an average salary of $45.39 per hour, or about $94,410 per year. Engineers in the "federal executive branch" sector had the second-highest average wages, making about $45.05 per hour, or about $93,700 per year.
  
  

Geographic Differences

• The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that environmental engineers in the District of Columbia, Massachusetts, Virginia, California and Illinois had the highest average salaries out of all states in 2009. Those in the District of Columbia earned an average salary of about $50.42 per hour, or $104,880 per year, while those in Illinois made an average of $35.48 per hour, or $73,800 per year.