Environmental Engineers Salary
In Michigan, environmental engineers earn $105,080 at the median, or about $50.52 an hour. The range runs from $73K at the entry level to $143K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 93.89), which stretches that salary to about $111,918 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,272/month, or 19.2% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Michigan. Jump to a metro for precise data:
Where the paycheck goes
What $105K actually covers in Michigan, month by month
About environmental engineers
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What this looks like in Michigan
Environmental engineers pay in Michigan tracks closely to the national median, $105K locally vs. $107K nationwide, a 2% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,272/month, 19.6% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 93.89 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 6% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Michigan
Entry-level environmental engineers (10th percentile) start around $73K. Mid-career wages sit at $105K. Top earners bring in $143K or more, a $69K spread from bottom to top.
Environmental Engineers salary by metro in Michigan
4 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn | $111K | +5% | 360 |
| Ann Arbor | $109K | +4% | 90 |
| Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood | $103K | -2% | 70 |
| Lansing-East Lansing | $97K | -7% | 110 |
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BLS updates this data annually. We'll email you when Michigan numbers change.
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Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a environmental engineer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Michigan?
Yes — at the median salary of $105K, rent takes 19.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,272/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for environmental engineers in Michigan?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new environmental engineers typically earn — is $73K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,725/month. At HUD’s $1,272/month FMR, rent would take 27% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is environmental engineer a high-paying job in Michigan?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $105K locally vs. $107K nationally, a 2% difference.
How does Michigan compare to the national average for environmental engineers?
Michigan pays $105K median vs. the U.S. average of $107K — that’s -2%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 93.89), the purchasing-power equivalent is $112K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do environmental engineers make in Michigan?
The median is $105,080 a year, that works out to about $51 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $73,090, and experienced environmental engineers can clear $142,570. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $105K enough to live in Michigan?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $6,487/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,272/month, which eats 19.6% 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 Michigan?
Michigan has a Regional Price Parity of 93.89 (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 $111,918 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.