Environmental engineering technologists and technicians salary
| Measure | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $39,910 | $19.19 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $59,920 | $28.81 |
| Mean (average) | $64,870 | $31.19 |
| 90th percentile | $96,660 | $46.47 |
These wages describe everyone employed in the occupation, from new entrants to experienced workers. They are not starting salaries and not earnings of graduates from any particular program. Verified data
Environmental engineering technologists and technicians pay by state and metro area
Table: median wage and employment for all 49 states and territories
| State | Median | 10th pct | 90th pct | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $60,170 | $45,160 | $86,810 | 230 | 1.38 |
| Alaska | $77,860 | $66,590 | $93,910 | 40 | 1.76 |
| Arizona | $65,420 | $49,110 | $96,900 | 190 | 0.74 |
| Arkansas | $45,290 | $38,190 | $57,740 | 200 | 1.99 |
| California | $60,010 | $45,540 | $111,110 | 2,060 | 1.44 |
| Colorado | $60,740 | $47,840 | $82,060 | ||
| Connecticut | Data unavailable | 80 | 0.62 | ||
| Delaware | Data unavailable | 80 | 2.16 | ||
| Florida | $51,970 | $34,930 | $69,080 | 420 | 0.54 |
| Georgia | $60,500 | $38,590 | $88,610 | 670 | 1.76 |
| Guam | $58,770 | $38,520 | $61,790 | ||
| Hawaii | $51,810 | $36,000 | $82,080 | 50 | 1.04 |
| Idaho | $62,240 | $45,550 | $104,720 | 80 | 1.22 |
| Illinois | $51,540 | $42,130 | $65,910 | 80 | 0.18 |
| Indiana | $53,110 | $46,680 | $89,280 | 130 | 0.53 |
| Iowa | $58,690 | $44,920 | $78,280 | 80 | 0.68 |
| Kansas | $59,420 | $36,250 | $108,350 | ||
| Kentucky | $61,470 | $42,660 | $77,390 | 200 | 1.29 |
| Louisiana | $60,840 | $36,400 | $88,000 | 100 | 0.65 |
| Maine | $64,660 | $34,180 | $68,280 | ||
| Maryland | $67,510 | $48,320 | $101,410 | 250 | 1.16 |
| Massachusetts | $66,860 | $47,240 | $84,270 | 320 | 1.12 |
| Michigan | $50,800 | $47,290 | $70,890 | 220 | 0.64 |
| Minnesota | $60,110 | $47,690 | $104,130 | 50 | 0.23 |
| Mississippi | $36,680 | $35,000 | $68,620 | 100 | 1.07 |
| Missouri | Data unavailable | 180 | 0.79 | ||
| Montana | $58,870 | $43,850 | $81,940 | 80 | 2.04 |
| Nebraska | $54,690 | $37,140 | $89,570 | 40 | 0.55 |
| Nevada | $75,330 | $55,130 | $100,730 | 70 | 0.54 |
| New Hampshire | $39,880 | $36,260 | $51,370 | ||
| New Jersey | $60,740 | $47,060 | $82,930 | 400 | 1.19 |
| New Mexico | $61,170 | $39,560 | $101,370 | 130 | 1.9 |
| New York | $62,540 | $43,540 | $92,900 | 470 | 0.62 |
| North Carolina | $53,660 | $43,190 | $73,470 | 120 | 0.31 |
| Ohio | $51,830 | $38,930 | $83,520 | 630 | 1.45 |
| Oklahoma | $61,900 | $49,830 | $75,970 | 370 | 2.78 |
| Oregon | $80,770 | $62,700 | $99,620 | 140 | 0.9 |
| Pennsylvania | $59,920 | $43,180 | $101,550 | 250 | 0.52 |
| Puerto Rico | $44,120 | $27,380 | $83,200 | 160 | 2.16 |
| South Carolina | $63,200 | $46,050 | $96,250 | 220 | 1.2 |
| South Dakota | $53,960 | $38,540 | $63,400 | 40 | 1.01 |
| Tennessee | $80,100 | $44,670 | $98,120 | 450 | 1.77 |
| Texas | $57,150 | $36,240 | $78,560 | 1,240 | 1.13 |
| Utah | $60,410 | $37,690 | $81,990 | 120 | 0.86 |
| Virginia | $52,330 | $45,570 | $75,280 | ||
| Washington | $100,050 | $52,990 | $122,320 | 270 | 0.97 |
| West Virginia | $47,650 | $46,560 | $79,220 | 40 | 0.67 |
| Wisconsin | $49,190 | $43,200 | $77,750 | 310 | 1.36 |
| Wyoming | Data unavailable | 60 | 2.53 |
A location quotient above 1 means the occupation is more concentrated in that state than in the nation overall.
Metro areas with the most jobs
Highest paying metro areas
Job outlook for environmental engineering technologists and technicians
- Average annual openings, 2025 to 2035: 1,100. Openings include new jobs plus replacement needs when workers retire or leave the occupation. Official projection
- Share of workers who are self-employed (2025): 1%.
- Read the official BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile.
These are official BLS projections. ConnectPrep does not alter them or present its own forecasts as official statistics.
Education and training for environmental engineering technologists and technicians
- Typical entry education
- Associate's degree
- Related work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- None
- O*NET Job Zone
- Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed
Highest education of people working in this occupation
O*NET describes this preparation level as: Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
Degrees and programs that lead to this career
Programs officially mapped to this occupation in the NCES and BLS CIP to SOC crosswalk. A mapping means the program commonly prepares students for the occupation, not that every graduate works in it. Official crosswalk
- Water Quality and Wastewater Treatment Management and Recycling Technology/Technician CIP 15.0506
- Environmental/Environmental Engineering Technology/Technician CIP 15.0507
- Hazardous Materials Management and Waste Technology/Technician CIP 15.0508
- Hazardous Materials Information Systems Technology/Technician CIP 15.0704
- Environmental Toxicology CIP 26.1006
Skills, knowledge, and daily work
Most important skills
Most important knowledge areas
Typical tasks
- Prepare and package environmental samples for shipping or testing.
- Assist in the cleanup of hazardous material spills.
- Perform environmental quality work in field or office settings.
- Receive, set up, test, or decontaminate equipment.
- Inspect facilities to monitor compliance with regulations governing substances, such as asbestos, lead, or wastewater.
- Maintain project logbook records or computer program files.
- Record laboratory or field data, including numerical data, test results, photographs, or summaries of visual observations.
- Decontaminate or test field equipment used to clean or test pollutants from soil, air, or water.
Technology skills
- Autodesk AutoCAD (hot technology)
- Autodesk AutoCAD Civil 3D (hot technology)
- Bentley MicroStation (hot technology)
- C++ (hot technology)
- ESRI ArcGIS software (hot technology)
- Microsoft Access (hot technology)
- Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Microsoft Word (hot technology)
- Python (hot technology)
- SAS (hot technology)
- The MathWorks MATLAB (hot technology)
- ANSYS simulation software
- Adobe PageMaker
Transferable skills for career changers: Judgment and Decision Making, Complex Problem Solving, Quality Control Analysis, Time Management, Social Perceptiveness, Coordination.
Common job titles: Air Quality Instrument Specialist, EHS Engineer (Environmental, Health and Safety Engineer), Engineer, Environmental Engineering Assistant, Environmental Engineering Technician (Environmental Engineering Tech), Environmental Field Technician (Environmental Field Tech), Environmental Technician (Environmental Tech), Haz Tech (Hazardous Technician), Remediation Technician (Remediation Tech).
Is it worth it? Model the cost of getting there
Use the ROI calculator to compare the cost of the education this career usually requires against staying on your current path. It starts from the official wage distribution above, and you can change every assumption.
Frequently asked questions
How much do environmental engineering technologists and technicians make?
The national median annual wage for environmental engineering technologists and technicians was $59,920 in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program. The lowest paid 10 percent earned less than $39,910 and the highest paid 10 percent earned more than $96,660. These figures cover all workers in the occupation, not only new entrants.
What education do environmental engineering technologists and technicians need?
BLS lists associate's degree as the typical education needed to enter this occupation, with none of related work experience and none on-the-job training typically needed to become competent.
Is environmental engineering technologists and technicians a growing career?
BLS projects employment of environmental engineering technologists and technicians to change +3.1% from 2025 to 2035, compared with +3.5% for all occupations. About 1,100 openings are projected each year on average, including openings from workers who retire or change occupations.
Which states pay environmental engineering technologists and technicians the most?
By median annual wage in May 2025, the highest paying states were Washington ($100,050), Oregon ($80,770), Tennessee ($80,100). Pay differences partly reflect differences in living costs.