Environmental Engineers Salary
In Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD, environmental engineers earn $97,570 at the median, or about $46.91 an hour. The range runs from $62K at the entry level to $141K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 104.49), that's roughly $93,377 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,857/month, about 30.3% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $98K get you in Baltimore-Columbia-Towson?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Baltimore-Columbia-Towson’s Regional Price Parity (104.49). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About environmental engineers
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What this looks like in Baltimore-Columbia-Towson
Environmental engineers pay in Baltimore-Columbia-Towson tracks closely to the national median, $98K locally vs. $107K nationwide, a 9% difference. Rent runs $1,857/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 30.7% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost of living (RPP 104.49) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for environmental engineers in metros near Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington | $129K | $126K |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria | $121K | $111K |
| Pittsburgh | $98K | $104K |
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk | $102K | $104K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD
Entry-level environmental engineers (10th percentile) start around $62K. Mid-career wages sit at $98K. Top earners bring in $141K or more, a $78K spread from bottom to top.
Environmental Engineers pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Environmental Engineers salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Louisiana | $131K | +22% | 340 |
| California | $130K | +22% | 4,550 |
| Oregon | $127K | +19% | 650 |
| Washington | $125K | +17% | 1,920 |
| Texas | $123K | +15% | 1,940 |
| Nebraska | $121K | +13% | 270 |
| Idaho | $118K | +10% | 400 |
| Florida | $117K | +9% | 1,800 |
| Massachusetts | $116K | +8% | 1,880 |
| Minnesota | $116K | +8% | 1,080 |
| Connecticut | $115K | +7% | 450 |
| Ohio | $113K | +6% | 730 |
| Alaska | $110K | +3% | 260 |
| Nevada | $110K | +2% | 290 |
| New Mexico | $108K | +1% | 500 |
| Illinois | $108K | +1% | 940 |
| Hawaii | $108K | +1% | 150 |
| Kentucky | $108K | +0% | 350 |
| Colorado | $107K | -0% | 1,320 |
| Wyoming | $106K | -1% | 200 |
| Michigan | $105K | -2% | 810 |
| Virginia | $105K | -2% | 1,010 |
| Utah | $103K | -3% | 410 |
| Pennsylvania | $103K | -4% | 1,750 |
| Alabama | $103K | -4% | 780 |
| New Jersey | $103K | -4% | 990 |
| New York | $101K | -5% | 3,170 |
| Rhode Island | $101K | -6% | 200 |
| Montana | $100K | -7% | 300 |
| North Carolina | $99K | -7% | N/A |
| South Dakota | $99K | -8% | 90 |
| Missouri | $98K | -8% | 510 |
| Maryland | $98K | -9% | 1,030 |
| Tennessee | $97K | -9% | 540 |
| Georgia | $97K | -10% | 830 |
| South Carolina | $96K | -10% | 560 |
| Delaware | $96K | -11% | 150 |
| Iowa | $95K | -11% | 150 |
| Kansas | $94K | -12% | 320 |
| Arizona | $94K | -12% | 690 |
| Maine | $94K | -12% | 220 |
| Vermont | $93K | -14% | 110 |
| Indiana | $92K | -14% | 520 |
| Oklahoma | $92K | -14% | 530 |
| North Dakota | $91K | -15% | 90 |
| Mississippi | $91K | -15% | 260 |
| Wisconsin | $90K | -16% | 890 |
| New Hampshire | $89K | -17% | 210 |
| Arkansas | $85K | -20% | 210 |
| West Virginia | $83K | -22% | 370 |
Showing 1–10 of 50 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track environmental engineers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Baltimore-Columbia-Towson numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a environmental engineer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Baltimore-Columbia-Towson?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $98K, rent takes 30.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,857/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,800/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for environmental engineers in Baltimore-Columbia-Towson?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new environmental engineers typically earn — is $62K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,743/month. At HUD’s $1,857/month FMR, rent would take 50% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is environmental engineer a high-paying job in Baltimore-Columbia-Towson?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $98K locally vs. $107K nationally, a 9% difference.
How does Baltimore-Columbia-Towson compare to the national average for environmental engineers?
Baltimore-Columbia-Towson pays $98K median vs. the U.S. average of $107K — that’s -9%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 104.49), the purchasing-power equivalent is $93K — below the national median.
How much do environmental engineers make in Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD?
The median is $97,570 a year, that works out to about $47 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $62,380, and experienced environmental engineers can clear $140,770. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $98K enough to live in Baltimore-Columbia-Towson?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $6,047/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,857/month, which eats 30.7% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a environmental engineers salary go in Baltimore-Columbia-Towson?
Baltimore-Columbia-Towson has a Regional Price Parity of 104.49 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median environmental engineers salary is worth about $93,377 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.