Environmental Engineers Salary
In Chattanooga, TN-GA, environmental engineers earn $88,040 at the median, or about $42.33 an hour. The range runs from $53K at the entry level to $139K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.46), which stretches that salary to about $96,261 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,390/month, or 23.6% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $88K get you in Chattanooga?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Chattanooga’s Regional Price Parity (91.46). 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 Chattanooga
Pay for environmental engineers in Chattanooga runs about 18% below the U.S. median of $107K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,390/month, 23.7% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 91.46 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 9% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Lower pay, lower costs, Chattanooga can be a reasonable trade-off for environmental engineerss who value affordability over top-dollar markets.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for environmental engineers in metros near Chattanooga, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Knoxville | $87K | $93K |
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin | $103K | $107K |
| Memphis | $100K | $109K |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell | $97K | $97K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Chattanooga, TN-GA
Entry-level environmental engineers (10th percentile) start around $53K. Mid-career wages sit at $88K. Top earners bring in $139K or more, a $87K 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 Chattanooga numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a environmental engineer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Chattanooga?
Yes — at the median salary of $88K, rent takes 23.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,390/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for environmental engineers in Chattanooga?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new environmental engineers typically earn — is $53K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,170/month. At HUD’s $1,390/month FMR, rent would take 44% 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 Chattanooga?
Local pay runs 18% below the national median — $88K here vs. $107K nationally. Cost of living is 9% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Chattanooga compare to the national average for environmental engineers?
Chattanooga pays $88K median vs. the U.S. average of $107K — that’s -18%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 91.46), the purchasing-power equivalent is $96K — below the national median.
How much do environmental engineers make in Chattanooga, TN-GA?
The median is $88,040 a year, that works out to about $42 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $52,840, and experienced environmental engineers can clear $139,480. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $88K enough to live in Chattanooga?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,860/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,390/month, which eats 23.7% 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 Chattanooga?
Chattanooga has a Regional Price Parity of 91.46 (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 $96,261 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.