Environmental Engineer
Protect public health and the environment by managing how water moves, is treated, and is returned to nature.
What Environmental Engineers Do
Environmental and water resources engineers safeguard public health and the natural environment by understanding and controlling the movement and quality of water. Where a chemical engineer optimizes a product, the environmental engineer optimizes outcomes for people and ecosystems: water that is safe to drink, effluent clean enough to return to a river, a watershed that does not flood, and land and groundwater that are not contaminated. Every analysis rests on the conservation of mass applied to pollutants, the hydrologic cycle that moves water through the landscape, and the chemistry and biology that transform contaminants from harmful to harmless.
In practice, they run hydrologic analyses (rainfall-runoff modeling, peak-flow estimation by the rational and NRCS methods, floodplain studies), size open-channel and pressurized conveyance with Manning's, Hazen-Williams, and Darcy-Weisbach equations, and design stormwater systems — storm sewers, detention and retention basins, and green infrastructure. They design and rate drinking-water treatment unit processes (coagulation, sedimentation, filtration, disinfection and CT compliance) and wastewater treatment trains (primary clarifiers, activated sludge and biological nutrient removal, secondary clarifiers, disinfection), characterize water quality (BOD, dissolved oxygen, nutrients, chlorine residual), and analyze groundwater flow and contaminant transport with Darcy's law. Throughout, they keep designs compliant with the Safe Drinking Water Act, the Clean Water Act and NPDES permitting, the 10 States Standards, and AWWA/WEF criteria. Most lean heavily on modeling tools — EPANET for water distribution, SWMM for stormwater and collection systems, HEC-RAS for river hydraulics and floodplains, and WaterGEMS for pressurized networks — plus GIS and data tools.
Environmental engineering grew out of civil engineering and overlaps with it heavily; water resources sits in the overlap, and many engineers hold a PE in either Civil (Water Resources & Environmental) or Environmental. Specializations include water and wastewater treatment, water resources and hydrology, stormwater management, groundwater and remediation, water quality, and air-quality and solid-waste engineering.
Education & Licensure
PE (Environmental) highly valued for public-facing design; FE Environmental is the first step
BS (4 yr) → FE Environmental exam → 4 yr progressive experience → PE Environmental
Key Certifications
| Certification | Issuing Body | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| PE - Environmental | NCEES | Highly valued; often required to stamp treatment, stormwater, and water-resources designs |
| PE - Civil (Water Resources & Environmental) | NCEES | Common alternative licensure for water-resources and environmental practice |
| Water / Wastewater Treatment Operator Certification | State board (ABC-aligned) | Graded operator credential (levels I–IV) for running treatment facilities |
| PMP | PMI | Project management — common for senior/project-leadership roles |
Salary Range (US)
Source: BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook 2025. Ranges reflect median reported compensation and vary by region, sector, and firm size.
Career Progression
Hydraulic and hydrologic calculations, treatment-process sizing, permit support, modeling assistance
Treatment and stormwater design, EPANET/SWMM/HEC-RAS modeling, NPDES permitting, plant evaluations
Design leadership, regulatory negotiation, capital water/wastewater projects, mentoring, PE stamping
Technical authority, master planning, client and agency relationships, practice leadership
Free Tools in the Environmental & Water Resources Studio
Related Articles & Guides
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a Environmental Engineer make?
In the US, Environmental Engineers typically earn $65,000–$80,000 at entry level, $85,000–$115,000 at mid-career, and $120,000–$160,000+ at the senior level. Actual compensation varies by region, sector, firm size, and certifications. (Source: BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook 2025.)
What degree do you need to become a Environmental Engineer?
The typical path starts with a BS in Environmental Engineering (or Civil Engineering with a water/environmental focus). PE (Environmental) highly valued for public-facing design; FE Environmental is the first step
What certifications help a Environmental Engineer?
Commonly pursued credentials include PE - Environmental, PE - Civil (Water Resources & Environmental), Water / Wastewater Treatment Operator Certification. The right certification depends on your specialty and employer; see the certifications table above for issuing bodies and notes.
How long does it take to become a Environmental Engineer?
BS (4 yr) → FE Environmental exam → 4 yr progressive experience → PE Environmental
Is Environmental Engineer a good career?
Environmental and water resources engineers design and manage the systems that protect public health and the environment — drinking-water and wastewater treatment plants, stormwater and flood-control systems, groundwater remediation, and water-quality programs. They work in water and wastewater utilities, consulting firms, regulatory agencies, and remediation companies, applying hydrology, open-channel and pressurized hydraulics, treatment-process design, water-quality chemistry, and a dense framework of environmental regulation. A PE (Environmental) is highly valued because much of this work is public-facing infrastructure that a licensed engineer must stamp. Demand is driven by ongoing infrastructure, construction, and technology work, and pay rises substantially with experience and licensure — from $65,000–$80,000 to $120,000–$160,000+.