Environmental Engineers Salary
In Kennewick-Richland, WA, environmental engineers earn $140,060 at the median, or about $67.34 an hour. The range runs from $88K at the entry level to $186K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 100.08), that's roughly $139,948 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,538/month, or 17% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $140K get you in Kennewick-Richland?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Kennewick-Richland’s Regional Price Parity (100.08). 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 Kennewick-Richland
Kennewick-Richland sits well above the national pay line for environmental engineers, local pay runs about 31% higher than the U.S. median of $107K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,538/month, 17.3% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Cost of living (RPP 100.08) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Combined with manageable housing costs, Kennewick-Richland offers a genuinely strong financial position for environmental engineerss at the median.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for environmental engineers in metros near Kennewick-Richland, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue | $128K | $116K |
| Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater | $108K | $104K |
| Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard | $121K | $115K |
| Spokane-Spokane Valley | $108K | $108K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Kennewick-Richland, WA
Entry-level environmental engineers (10th percentile) start around $88K. Mid-career wages sit at $140K. Top earners bring in $186K or more, a $98K 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 Kennewick-Richland numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a environmental engineer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Kennewick-Richland?
Yes — at the median salary of $140K, rent takes 17.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,538/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for environmental engineers in Kennewick-Richland?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new environmental engineers typically earn — is $88K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $5,270/month. At HUD’s $1,538/month FMR, rent would take 29% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is environmental engineer a high-paying job in Kennewick-Richland?
Local pay is 31% above the national median — $140K here vs. $107K nationally.
How does Kennewick-Richland compare to the national average for environmental engineers?
Kennewick-Richland pays $140K median vs. the U.S. average of $107K — that’s +31%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 100.08), the purchasing-power equivalent is $140K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do environmental engineers make in Kennewick-Richland, WA?
The median is $140,060 a year, that works out to about $67 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $87,830, and experienced environmental engineers can clear $186,290. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $140K enough to live in Kennewick-Richland?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $8,874/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,538/month, which eats 17.3% 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 Kennewick-Richland?
Kennewick-Richland has a Regional Price Parity of 100.08 (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 $139,948 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.