Environmental Engineers Salary
In Eau Claire, WI, environmental engineers earn $93,700 at the median, or about $45.05 an hour. The range runs from $77K at the entry level to $136K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 92.8), which stretches that salary to about $100,970 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,181/month, or 19.9% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $94K get you in Eau Claire?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Eau Claire’s Regional Price Parity (92.8). 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 Eau Claire
Pay for environmental engineers in Eau Claire runs about 13% below the U.S. median of $107K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,181/month, 20.1% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 92.8 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 7% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Lower pay, lower costs, Eau Claire 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 Eau Claire, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Milwaukee-Waukesha | $86K | $89K |
| Madison | $91K | $93K |
| Green Bay | $96K | $104K |
| Appleton | $107K | $116K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Eau Claire, WI
Entry-level environmental engineers (10th percentile) start around $77K. Mid-career wages sit at $94K. Top earners bring in $136K or more, a $59K 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
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 Eau Claire numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a environmental engineer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Eau Claire?
Yes — at the median salary of $94K, rent takes 20.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,181/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for environmental engineers in Eau Claire?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new environmental engineers typically earn — is $77K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,621/month. At HUD’s $1,181/month FMR, rent would take 26% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is environmental engineer a high-paying job in Eau Claire?
Local pay runs 13% below the national median — $94K here vs. $107K nationally. Cost of living is 7% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Eau Claire compare to the national average for environmental engineers?
Eau Claire pays $94K median vs. the U.S. average of $107K — that’s -13%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 92.8), the purchasing-power equivalent is $101K — below the national median.
How much do environmental engineers make in Eau Claire, WI?
The median is $93,700 a year, that works out to about $45 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $77,020, and experienced environmental engineers can clear $135,840. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $94K enough to live in Eau Claire?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,865/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,181/month, which eats 20.1% 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 Eau Claire?
Eau Claire has a Regional Price Parity of 92.8 (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 $100,970 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.