Environmental Engineers
Architecture and Engineering
Plans and equipment for waste treatment or for managing water, air, or soil quality sit alongside assessments of how a land-use project would affect those same resources. Time also goes to advising companies or government agencies on cleaning contaminated sites, writing investigation and recommendation reports, and keeping quality-assurance procedures current. Progress on improvement programs is tracked and reported to management, often after working through the problem with scientists, planners, technicians, and people in law or business. Better for people who like technical design paired with careful report writing, and who can follow a cleanup or control plan over time.
Typical education: Bachelor’s Degree (4-year)
Annual Median Wage in Field (2025)
$107'110
Median Wage Market Position
$107'110
What you might do
- Design systems that treat water, air, or soil
- Assess how land-use projects affect the environment
- Advise firms and agencies on site cleanup
- Work with scientists and planners on hazards
- Write reports on findings and recommended actions
- Track progress of environmental improvement programs
Skills that matter
- Control systems for water, air, and soil
- Land-use impact assessment
- Cleanup advice for contaminated sites
- Environmental investigation reports
- Progress checks on improvement programs
- Working with scientists and planners
AI & the future of this role
Modeling and permitting drafts are areas where automation could speed analysis of pollution and remediation options. Field assessment, stakeholder negotiation, and licensed judgment on liability-heavy projects still tend to anchor the role.
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Includes O*NET® 30.3 Database information by USDOL/ETA under CC BY 4.0; modified by LostInCareer. Wage/outlook from BLS. Attribution details