Environmental Engineers Salary
In Pennsylvania, environmental engineers earn $103,330 at the median, or about $49.68 an hour. The range runs from $48K at the entry level to $150K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 94.97), which stretches that salary to about $108,803 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,351/month, or 20.3% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Pennsylvania. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $103K get you in Pennsylvania?
About environmental engineers
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What this looks like in Pennsylvania
Environmental engineers pay in Pennsylvania tracks closely to the national median, $103K locally vs. $107K nationwide, a 4% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,351/month, 20.8% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 94.97 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 5% 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, Pennsylvania
Entry-level environmental engineers (10th percentile) start around $48K. Mid-career wages sit at $103K. Top earners bring in $150K or more, a $102K spread from bottom to top.
Environmental Engineers salary by metro in Pennsylvania
6 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington | $129K | +25% | 1,040 |
| Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton | $110K | +6% | 50 |
| York-Hanover | $102K | -1% | 30 |
| Pittsburgh | $98K | -5% | 300 |
| Harrisburg-Carlisle | $92K | -11% | 140 |
| Scranton--Wilkes-Barre | $85K | -17% | 50 |
Compare to other states
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BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Pennsylvania numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a environmental engineer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Pennsylvania?
Yes — at the median salary of $103K, rent takes 20.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,351/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for environmental engineers in Pennsylvania?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new environmental engineers typically earn — is $48K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,876/month. At HUD’s $1,351/month FMR, rent would take 47% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is environmental engineer a high-paying job in Pennsylvania?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $103K locally vs. $107K nationally, a 4% difference.
How does Pennsylvania compare to the national average for environmental engineers?
Pennsylvania pays $103K median vs. the U.S. average of $107K — that’s -4%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 94.97), the purchasing-power equivalent is $109K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do environmental engineers make in Pennsylvania?
The median is $103,330 a year, that works out to about $50 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $47,930, and experienced environmental engineers can clear $149,990. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $103K enough to live in Pennsylvania?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $6,492/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,351/month, which eats 20.8% 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 Pennsylvania?
Pennsylvania has a Regional Price Parity of 94.97 (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 $108,803 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.