Environmental Engineers Salary
In Nebraska, environmental engineers earn $120,620 at the median, or about $57.99 an hour. The range runs from $69K at the entry level to $166K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 90.05), which stretches that salary to about $133,948 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,113/month, or 15.2% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Nebraska. Jump to a metro for precise data:
Where the paycheck goes
What $121K actually covers in Nebraska, month by month
About environmental engineers
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Nebraska
Nebraska sits well above the national pay line for environmental engineers, local pay runs about 13% higher than the U.S. median of $107K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,113/month, 15.3% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 90.05 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 10% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Combined with manageable housing costs, Nebraska offers a genuinely strong financial position for environmental engineers at the median.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Nebraska
Entry-level environmental engineers (10th percentile) start around $69K. Mid-career wages sit at $121K. Top earners bring in $166K or more, a $96K spread from bottom to top.
Environmental Engineers salary by metro in Nebraska
2 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Omaha | $119K | -1% | 140 |
| Lincoln | $118K | -2% | 70 |
Compare to other states
Track environmental engineers salary changes
BLS updates this data annually. We'll email you when Nebraska numbers change.
Related careers in Engineering
Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a environmental engineer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Nebraska?
Yes — at the median salary of $121K, rent takes 15.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,113/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for environmental engineers in Nebraska?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new environmental engineers typically earn — is $69K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,515/month. At HUD’s $1,113/month FMR, rent would take 25% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is environmental engineer a high-paying job in Nebraska?
Local pay is 13% above the national median — $121K here vs. $107K nationally.
How does Nebraska compare to the national average for environmental engineers?
Nebraska pays $121K median vs. the U.S. average of $107K — that’s +13%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 90.05), the purchasing-power equivalent is $134K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do environmental engineers make in Nebraska?
The median is $120,620 a year, that works out to about $58 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $69,240, and experienced environmental engineers can clear $165,590. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $121K enough to live in Nebraska?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $7,274/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,113/month, which eats 15.3% 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 Nebraska?
Nebraska has a Regional Price Parity of 90.05 (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 $133,948 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.