Environmental Engineers Salary
In Portland-South Portland, ME, environmental engineers earn $102,270 at the median, or about $49.17 an hour. The range runs from $77K at the entry level to $152K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 101.86), that's roughly $100,403 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,130/month, about 33.8% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $102K get you in Portland-South Portland?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Portland-South Portland’s Regional Price Parity (101.86). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About environmental engineers
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What this looks like in Portland-South Portland
Environmental engineers pay in Portland-South Portland tracks closely to the national median, $102K locally vs. $107K nationwide, a 5% difference. Rent runs $2,130/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 34.3% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost of living (RPP 101.86) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for environmental engineers in metros near Portland-South Portland, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Manchester-Nashua | $101K | $95K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Portland-South Portland, ME
Entry-level environmental engineers (10th percentile) start around $77K. Mid-career wages sit at $102K. Top earners bring in $152K or more, a $75K spread from bottom to top.
Environmental Engineers pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Environmental Engineers salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Louisiana | $131K | +22% | 340 |
| California | $130K | +22% | 4,550 |
| Oregon | $127K | +19% | 650 |
| Washington | $125K | +17% | 1,920 |
| Texas | $123K | +15% | 1,940 |
| Nebraska | $121K | +13% | 270 |
| Idaho | $118K | +10% | 400 |
| Florida | $117K | +9% | 1,800 |
| Massachusetts | $116K | +8% | 1,880 |
| Minnesota | $116K | +8% | 1,080 |
| Connecticut | $115K | +7% | 450 |
| Ohio | $113K | +6% | 730 |
| Alaska | $110K | +3% | 260 |
| Nevada | $110K | +2% | 290 |
| New Mexico | $108K | +1% | 500 |
| Illinois | $108K | +1% | 940 |
| Hawaii | $108K | +1% | 150 |
| Kentucky | $108K | +0% | 350 |
| Colorado | $107K | -0% | 1,320 |
| Wyoming | $106K | -1% | 200 |
| Michigan | $105K | -2% | 810 |
| Virginia | $105K | -2% | 1,010 |
| Utah | $103K | -3% | 410 |
| Pennsylvania | $103K | -4% | 1,750 |
| Alabama | $103K | -4% | 780 |
| New Jersey | $103K | -4% | 990 |
| New York | $101K | -5% | 3,170 |
| Rhode Island | $101K | -6% | 200 |
| Montana | $100K | -7% | 300 |
| North Carolina | $99K | -7% | N/A |
| South Dakota | $99K | -8% | 90 |
| Missouri | $98K | -8% | 510 |
| Maryland | $98K | -9% | 1,030 |
| Tennessee | $97K | -9% | 540 |
| Georgia | $97K | -10% | 830 |
| South Carolina | $96K | -10% | 560 |
| Delaware | $96K | -11% | 150 |
| Iowa | $95K | -11% | 150 |
| Kansas | $94K | -12% | 320 |
| Arizona | $94K | -12% | 690 |
| Maine | $94K | -12% | 220 |
| Vermont | $93K | -14% | 110 |
| Indiana | $92K | -14% | 520 |
| Oklahoma | $92K | -14% | 530 |
| North Dakota | $91K | -15% | 90 |
| Mississippi | $91K | -15% | 260 |
| Wisconsin | $90K | -16% | 890 |
| New Hampshire | $89K | -17% | 210 |
| Arkansas | $85K | -20% | 210 |
| West Virginia | $83K | -22% | 370 |
Showing 1–10 of 50 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track environmental engineers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Portland-South Portland numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a environmental engineer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Portland-South Portland?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $102K, rent takes 34.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,130/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,900/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for environmental engineers in Portland-South Portland?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new environmental engineers typically earn — is $77K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,646/month. At HUD’s $2,130/month FMR, rent would take 46% 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 Portland-South Portland?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $102K locally vs. $107K nationally, a 5% difference.
How does Portland-South Portland compare to the national average for environmental engineers?
Portland-South Portland pays $102K median vs. the U.S. average of $107K — that’s -5%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 101.86), the purchasing-power equivalent is $100K — below the national median.
How much do environmental engineers make in Portland-South Portland, ME?
The median is $102,270 a year, that works out to about $49 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $77,430, and experienced environmental engineers can clear $152,360. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $102K enough to live in Portland-South Portland?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $6,211/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,130/month, which eats 34.3% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a environmental engineers salary go in Portland-South Portland?
Portland-South Portland has a Regional Price Parity of 101.86 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median environmental engineers salary is worth about $100,403 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.