Environmental Engineers Salary
In Charleston-North Charleston, SC, environmental engineers earn $86,670 at the median, or about $41.67 an hour. The range runs from $46K at the entry level to $137K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 100.96), that's roughly $85,846 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,787/month, about 32.6% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $87K get you in Charleston-North Charleston?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Charleston-North Charleston’s Regional Price Parity (100.96). 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
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Charleston-North Charleston
Pay for environmental engineers in Charleston-North Charleston runs about 19% below the U.S. median of $107K. Rent runs $1,787/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 32.8% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost of living (RPP 100.96) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for environmental engineers in metros near Charleston-North Charleston, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Columbia | $96K | $103K |
| Greenville-Anderson-Greer | $94K | $101K |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell | $97K | $97K |
| Raleigh-Cary | $103K | $105K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Charleston-North Charleston, SC
Entry-level environmental engineers (10th percentile) start around $46K. Mid-career wages sit at $87K. Top earners bring in $137K or more, a $91K 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 Charleston-North Charleston numbers change.
Related careers in Engineering
Frequently asked questions
Can a environmental engineer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Charleston-North Charleston?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $87K, rent takes 32.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,787/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,600/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for environmental engineers in Charleston-North Charleston?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new environmental engineers typically earn — is $46K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,732/month. At HUD’s $1,787/month FMR, rent would take 65% 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 Charleston-North Charleston?
Local pay runs 19% below the national median — $87K here vs. $107K nationally.
How does Charleston-North Charleston compare to the national average for environmental engineers?
Charleston-North Charleston pays $87K median vs. the U.S. average of $107K — that’s -19%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 100.96), the purchasing-power equivalent is $86K — below the national median.
How much do environmental engineers make in Charleston-North Charleston, SC?
The median is $86,670 a year, that works out to about $42 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $45,540, and experienced environmental engineers can clear $136,990. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $87K enough to live in Charleston-North Charleston?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,453/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,787/month, which eats 32.8% 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 Charleston-North Charleston?
Charleston-North Charleston has a Regional Price Parity of 100.96 (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 $85,846 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.