Environmental Engineers Salary
In Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA, environmental engineers earn $133,240 at the median, or about $64.06 an hour. The range runs from $87K at the entry level to $173K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 106.67), so that salary is closer to $124,909 in real purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $2,255/month, or 28.7% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $133K get you in Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom’s Regional Price Parity (106.67). 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
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom sits well above the national pay line for environmental engineers, local pay runs about 24% higher than the U.S. median of $107K. Rent runs $2,255/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 29% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost-of-living overall is 7% above the national average (BEA RPP 106.67), so groceries and services cost more too. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for environmental engineers in metros near Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim | $128K | $113K |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont | $139K | $120K |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | $119K | $107K |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario | $117K | $110K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA
Entry-level environmental engineers (10th percentile) start around $87K. Mid-career wages sit at $133K. Top earners bring in $173K or more, a $87K 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 Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom numbers change.
Related careers in Engineering
Frequently asked questions
Can a environmental engineer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom?
Yes — at the median salary of $133K, rent takes 29% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,255/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for environmental engineers in Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new environmental engineers typically earn — is $87K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $5,192/month. At HUD’s $2,255/month FMR, rent would take 43% 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 Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom?
Local pay is 24% above the national median — $133K here vs. $107K nationally. Keep in mind cost of living here is 7% above the national average, which offsets some of that premium.
How does Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom compare to the national average for environmental engineers?
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom pays $133K median vs. the U.S. average of $107K — that’s +24%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 106.67), the purchasing-power equivalent is $125K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do environmental engineers make in Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA?
The median is $133,240 a year, that works out to about $64 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $86,530, and experienced environmental engineers can clear $173,440. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $133K enough to live in Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $7,774/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,255/month, which eats 29% 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 Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom?
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom has a Regional Price Parity of 106.67 (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 $124,909 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.