Environmental Engineer

Most environmental engineers work full time. Those who manage projects often work more than 40 hours per week to monitor the project’s progress, ensure deadlines are met, and recommend corrective action when needed. Environmental Engineers work in a variety of settings because of the nature of the tasks they do. When working with other engineers and with urban and regional planners, environmental engineers typically work in offices. However, they also work at specific sites outdoors when studying, designing or carrying out solutions to environmental problems.

Environmental engineers must possess creativity, critical-thinking and good interpersonal and communication skills. Because environmental engineers sometimes have to design systems that will be part of larger ones, they must be able to foresee how the proposed designs will interact with other components of the larger system. Additionally, environmental engineers must be able to work with others including other engineers, scientists, technicians, businesspeople, lawyers, and others outside their profession. Finally, environmental engineers must be good problem-solvers and be able to develop solutions to complicated issues that involve multiple parts.

Entry-level environmental engineering jobs require a Bachelor’s degree. Some colleges and universities offer cooperative programs in which students gain practical experience while completing their education. At some colleges and universities, a student can enroll in a 5-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, and some employers prefer candidates to have a Master’s degree. Students interested in becoming an environmental engineer should take high school courses in chemistry, biology, physics, and math, including algebra, trigonometry, and calculus.

Employers value practical experience. Therefore, cooperative engineering programs, in which college credit is awarded for structured job experience, can be a great way to start getting experience in the field while earning a degree. Licensure is not required for entry-level positions as an environmental engineer. However, a Professional Engineering (PE) license can be earned later in one’s career for those seeking more independence, or to oversee the work of other engineers, sign off on projects, and provide services directly to the public.

The 2019 median annual salary for an environmental engineer was $88,860. The job growth outlook for environmental engineers is average with predicted growth of 3% between 2019 and 2029.