Environmental Engineers Salary
In Louisiana, environmental engineers earn $130,510 at the median, or about $62.74 an hour. The range runs from $77K at the entry level to $201K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 87.28), which stretches that salary to about $149,530 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,191/month, or 15% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Louisiana. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $131K get you in Louisiana?
About environmental engineers
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Louisiana
Louisiana sits well above the national pay line for environmental engineers, local pay runs about 22% higher than the U.S. median of $107K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,191/month, 15% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 87.28 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 13% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Combined with manageable housing costs, Louisiana offers a genuinely strong financial position for environmental engineerss at the median.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Louisiana
Entry-level environmental engineers (10th percentile) start around $77K. Mid-career wages sit at $131K. Top earners bring in $201K or more, a $125K spread from bottom to top.
Environmental Engineers salary by metro in Louisiana
1 metro area with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baton Rouge | $138K | +6% | 170 |
Compare to other states
Track environmental engineers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Louisiana numbers change.
Related careers in Engineering
Frequently asked questions
Can a environmental engineer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Louisiana?
Yes — at the median salary of $131K, rent takes 15% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,191/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for environmental engineers in Louisiana?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new environmental engineers typically earn — is $77K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,590/month. At HUD’s $1,191/month FMR, rent would take 26% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is environmental engineer a high-paying job in Louisiana?
Local pay is 22% above the national median — $131K here vs. $107K nationally.
How does Louisiana compare to the national average for environmental engineers?
Louisiana pays $131K median vs. the U.S. average of $107K — that’s +22%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 87.28), the purchasing-power equivalent is $150K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do environmental engineers make in Louisiana?
The median is $130,510 a year, that works out to about $63 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $76,500, and experienced environmental engineers can clear $201,300. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $131K enough to live in Louisiana?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $7,916/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,191/month, which eats 15% 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 Louisiana?
Louisiana has a Regional Price Parity of 87.28 (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 $149,530 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.