Environmental Engineers pay range in Washington
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $77,900 a year or less, while the top 10% make $172,040 or more. The middle half of environmental engineers in Washington earn between $96,290 and $142,500.
- $78K10th
- $96K25th
- $121KMedian
- $142K75th
- $172K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $122,100 | $10,175 | $58.70 |
| Median | $120,580 | $10,048 | $57.97 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $96,290 | $8,024 | $46.29 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $142,500 | $11,875 | $68.51 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.
Environmental Engineers salary after taxes in Washington
On the average salary of $122,100, a single filer in Washington takes home about $87,311 a year, or $7,276 a month and $3,358 every two weeks. Taxes take 28% of gross pay.
The Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro area crosses state lines, so take-home pay depends on the state where you work:
| State | Per year | Per month |
|---|---|---|
| Working in WV | $90,018 | $7,502 |
| Working in MD | $89,086 | $7,424 |
| Working in VA | $88,515 | $7,376 |
| Working in DC | $87,311 | $7,276 |
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules).
Is Washington a good place for environmental engineers? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Washington area are 9% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 108.9), so the average $122,100 buys what about $112,138 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.7 times the median wage of all jobs in Washington ($71,060). A typical home costs $583,013, or 4.8 years of this average salary before tax.
Environmental Engineers salary in nearby metro areas
- Baltimore, MD$100,710
- York, PA$109,330
- Richmond, VA$107,910
- Harrisburg, PA$94,890
- Dover, DE$94,840
- Philadelphia, PA$114,220
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 Washington: questions
How much do environmental engineers make an hour in Washington?
$58.70 an hour on average, and $57.97 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level environmental engineers salary in Washington?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $77,900 a year and the 25th percentile is $96,290, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the environmental engineers take-home pay in Washington?
About $87,311 a year ($7,276 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $122,100.
Do environmental engineers earn more in Washington than elsewhere?
The average here is 7% more 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 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV (47900). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 1.6%.
- 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 1.04, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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