Environmental Engineers Salary
In Minnesota, environmental engineers earn $115,750 at the median, or about $55.65 an hour. The range runs from $95K at the entry level to $143K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 92.6), which stretches that salary to about $125,000 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,384/month, or 19.4% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Minnesota. Jump to a metro for precise data:
Where the paycheck goes
What $116K actually covers in Minnesota, month by month
About environmental engineers
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What this looks like in Minnesota
Environmental engineers pay in Minnesota tracks closely to the national median, $116K locally vs. $107K nationwide, a 8% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,384/month, 19.9% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 92.6 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 7% 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, Minnesota
Entry-level environmental engineers (10th percentile) start around $95K. Mid-career wages sit at $116K. Top earners bring in $143K or more, a $48K spread from bottom to top.
Environmental Engineers salary by metro in Minnesota
4 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington | $116K | +0% | 750 |
| Rochester | $116K | +0% | 40 |
| Duluth | $107K | -7% | 60 |
| Mankato | $107K | -7% | 50 |
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BLS updates this data annually. We'll email you when Minnesota 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 Minnesota?
Yes — at the median salary of $116K, rent takes 19.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,384/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for environmental engineers in Minnesota?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new environmental engineers typically earn — is $95K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $5,866/month. At HUD’s $1,384/month FMR, rent would take 24% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is environmental engineer a high-paying job in Minnesota?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $116K locally vs. $107K nationally, a 8% difference.
How does Minnesota compare to the national average for environmental engineers?
Minnesota pays $116K median vs. the U.S. average of $107K — that’s +8%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 92.6), the purchasing-power equivalent is $125K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do environmental engineers make in Minnesota?
The median is $115,750 a year, that works out to about $56 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $95,330, and experienced environmental engineers can clear $143,330. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $116K enough to live in Minnesota?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $6,946/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,384/month, which eats 19.9% 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 Minnesota?
Minnesota has a Regional Price Parity of 92.6 (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 $125,000 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.