Environmental Engineers Salary
In Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI, environmental engineers earn $110,520 at the median, or about $53.13 an hour. The range runs from $76K at the entry level to $147K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 100.3), that's roughly $110,189 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,411/month, or 20.2% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $111K get you in Detroit-Warren-Dearborn?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Detroit-Warren-Dearborn’s Regional Price Parity (100.3). 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 Detroit-Warren-Dearborn
Environmental engineers pay in Detroit-Warren-Dearborn tracks closely to the national median, $111K locally vs. $107K nationwide, a 3% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,411/month, 20.8% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Cost of living (RPP 100.3) 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 Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Lansing-East Lansing | $97K | $102K |
| Ann Arbor | $109K | $108K |
| Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood | $103K | $107K |
| Milwaukee-Waukesha | $86K | $89K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI
Entry-level environmental engineers (10th percentile) start around $76K. Mid-career wages sit at $111K. Top earners bring in $147K or more, a $70K 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 Detroit-Warren-Dearborn numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a environmental engineer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Detroit-Warren-Dearborn?
Yes — at the median salary of $111K, rent takes 20.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,411/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for environmental engineers in Detroit-Warren-Dearborn?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new environmental engineers typically earn — is $76K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,565/month. At HUD’s $1,411/month FMR, rent would take 31% 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 Detroit-Warren-Dearborn?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $111K locally vs. $107K nationally, a 3% difference.
How does Detroit-Warren-Dearborn compare to the national average for environmental engineers?
Detroit-Warren-Dearborn pays $111K median vs. the U.S. average of $107K — that’s +3%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 100.3), the purchasing-power equivalent is $110K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do environmental engineers make in Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI?
The median is $110,520 a year, that works out to about $53 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $76,080, and experienced environmental engineers can clear $146,500. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $111K enough to live in Detroit-Warren-Dearborn?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $6,787/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,411/month, which eats 20.8% 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 Detroit-Warren-Dearborn?
Detroit-Warren-Dearborn has a Regional Price Parity of 100.3 (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 $110,189 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.