Environmental Engineers · California

Environmental Engineers Salary in California

Environmental Engineers in California earn a median annual wage of $130,410 —21.8% above the national median of $107,110. That ranks CA #2 of 50 covered states and territories for this occupation.

Median annual
$130,410
Median hourly
$62.70
Entry level (P10)
$79,790
10th percentile
Top 10% (P90)
$170,790
90th percentile
Employment
4,550
0.2 per 1,000 jobs
vs U.S. median
+21.8%
U.S. $107,110

Wage distribution

How earnings are spread across workers in this occupation, from the 10th to the 90th percentile.

10th percentile90th percentile
$79,790
$95,950
$130,410
$148,650
$79,790$130,410$170,790
Annual wage distribution. Highlighted segment contains the median of $130,410.

Employment concentration (1.01×) is close to the national average.

Highest-paying states for environmental engineers

All 50 states ranked by median annual wage. California is highlighted.

#StateMedian annual Median hourlyEmploymentLocation quotient
1Louisiana$130,510$62.743400.72
2California$130,410$62.704,5501.01
3Oregon$127,100$61.106501.35
4Washington$125,460$60.321,9202.19
5Texas$123,060$59.171,9400.56
6Nebraska$120,620$57.992701.08
7Idaho$117,520$56.504001.89
8Florida$116,840$56.171,8000.73
9Massachusetts$115,800$55.671,8802.09
10Minnesota$115,750$55.651,0801.49

Related occupations in California

Occupations in the same job family, compared within California.

OccupationCalifornia medianU.S. median
Civil Engineers$122,500$100,840
Industrial Engineers$124,600$102,440
Mechanical Engineers$130,900$104,110
Electrical Engineers$144,040$120,630
Engineers, All Other$130,850$122,930
Architects, Except Landscape and Naval$108,540$99,280

Frequently asked questions

How much do environmental engineers make in California?

The median annual wage for environmental engineers in California is $130,410, or $62.70 per hour. That is 21.8% above the national median of $107,110.

What is the entry-level environmental engineers salary in California?

Workers at the 10th percentile earn $79,790 per year ($38.36/hour). The 25th percentile is $95,950.

How many people work as environmental engineers in California?

About 4,550 people work in this occupation in California, or 0.2 per 1,000 jobs statewide.

Is California a good state for environmental engineers?

California ranks #2 of 50 states by median wage for this occupation. Employment concentration (1.01x) is close to the national average.

Which state pays environmental engineers the most?

Louisiana has the highest median wage at $130,510 per year, followed by California ($130,410) and Oregon ($127,100).

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025. Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, cross-industry estimates. Retrieved 2026-10-26. Figures are rounded by BLS to the nearest dollar (annual) and cent (hourly). Percentile wages describe the distribution of workers, not the pay range for a single job posting. bls.gov/oes