Environmental Engineers Salary
In Alabama, environmental engineers earn $102,650 at the median, or about $49.35 an hour. The range runs from $67K at the entry level to $159K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.36), which stretches that salary to about $116,172 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,085/month, or 16.7% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Alabama. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $103K get you in Alabama?
About environmental engineers
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What this looks like in Alabama
Environmental engineers pay in Alabama tracks closely to the national median, $103K locally vs. $107K nationwide, a 4% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,085/month, 17.2% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 88.36 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 12% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Alabama
Entry-level environmental engineers (10th percentile) start around $67K. Mid-career wages sit at $103K. Top earners bring in $159K or more, a $92K spread from bottom to top.
Environmental Engineers salary by metro in Alabama
5 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Decatur | $129K | +26% | 50 |
| Huntsville | $111K | +8% | 100 |
| Mobile | $100K | -3% | 80 |
| Montgomery | $95K | -7% | 160 |
| Birmingham | $94K | -8% | 130 |
Compare to other states
Track environmental engineers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Alabama numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a environmental engineer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Alabama?
Yes — at the median salary of $103K, rent takes 17.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,085/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for environmental engineers in Alabama?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new environmental engineers typically earn — is $67K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,003/month. At HUD’s $1,085/month FMR, rent would take 27% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is environmental engineer a high-paying job in Alabama?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $103K locally vs. $107K nationally, a 4% difference.
How does Alabama compare to the national average for environmental engineers?
Alabama pays $103K median vs. the U.S. average of $107K — that’s -4%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.36), the purchasing-power equivalent is $116K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do environmental engineers make in Alabama?
The median is $102,650 a year, that works out to about $49 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $66,720, and experienced environmental engineers can clear $158,910. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $103K enough to live in Alabama?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $6,303/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,085/month, which eats 17.2% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a environmental engineers salary go in Alabama?
Alabama has a Regional Price Parity of 88.36 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median environmental engineers salary is worth about $116,172 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do environmental engineers get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.