Environmental Engineers pay range in Columbia
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $95,770 a year or less, while the top 10% make $136,990 or more. The middle half of environmental engineers in Columbia earn between $96,140 and $96,140.
- $96K10th
- $96K25th
- $96KMedian
- $96K75th
- $137K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $102,450 | $8,538 | $49.25 |
| Median | $96,140 | $8,012 | $46.22 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $96,140 | $8,012 | $46.22 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $96,140 | $8,012 | $46.22 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.
Environmental Engineers salary after taxes in Columbia
On the average salary of $102,450, a single filer in Columbia takes home about $76,532 a year, or $6,378 a month and $2,944 every two weeks. Taxes take 25% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules).
Is Columbia a good place for environmental engineers? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Columbia area are 6% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 93.7), so the average $102,450 buys what about $109,383 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 2.1 times the median wage of all jobs in Columbia ($46,430). A typical home costs $256,154, or 2.5 years of this average salary before tax.
Environmental Engineers salary in other South Carolina cities
Columbia ranks 1st of 3 South Carolina metro areas for this job, the best-paid in the state.
- Columbia$102,450
- Greenville$100,060
- Charleston$91,020
Highest-paying cities for environmental engineers
Baton Rouge, LA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($144,100).
- Baton Rouge, LA$144,100
- Kennewick, WA$140,210
- Vallejo, CA$140,040
- Santa Rosa, CA$138,740
- Beaumont, TX$135,550
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Environmental Engineers salary in Columbia: questions
How much do environmental engineers make an hour in Columbia?
$49.26 an hour on average, and $46.22 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level environmental engineers salary in Columbia?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $95,770 a year and the 25th percentile is $96,140, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the environmental engineers take-home pay in Columbia?
About $76,532 a year ($6,378 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $102,450.
Do environmental engineers earn more in Columbia than elsewhere?
The average here is 10% less than the U.S. metro average for this job ($114,265).
Sources and how to read this page
- Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 17-2081; area Columbia, SC (17900). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 8.4%.
- Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
- Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
- Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules).
- Job concentration: location quotient 1.33, this job is 1.3 times as concentrated as in the U.S. overall.
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