Environmental Engineers Salary
In Trenton-Princeton, NJ, environmental engineers earn $92,150 at the median, or about $44.3 an hour. The range runs from $69K at the entry level to $126K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 103.18), that's roughly $89,310 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,950/month, about 33.7% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $92K get you in Trenton-Princeton?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Trenton-Princeton’s Regional Price Parity (103.18). 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 Trenton-Princeton
Pay for environmental engineers in Trenton-Princeton runs about 14% below the U.S. median of $107K. Rent runs $1,950/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 33.7% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost of living (RPP 103.18) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for environmental engineers in metros near Trenton-Princeton, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City | $108K | $96K |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington | $129K | $126K |
| Albany-Schenectady-Troy | $97K | $97K |
| Pittsburgh | $98K | $104K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Trenton-Princeton, NJ
Entry-level environmental engineers (10th percentile) start around $69K. Mid-career wages sit at $92K. Top earners bring in $126K or more, a $57K 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 Trenton-Princeton numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a environmental engineer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Trenton-Princeton?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $92K, rent takes 33.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,950/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,700/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for environmental engineers in Trenton-Princeton?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new environmental engineers typically earn — is $69K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,141/month. At HUD’s $1,950/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 Trenton-Princeton?
Local pay runs 14% below the national median — $92K here vs. $107K nationally.
How does Trenton-Princeton compare to the national average for environmental engineers?
Trenton-Princeton pays $92K median vs. the U.S. average of $107K — that’s -14%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 103.18), the purchasing-power equivalent is $89K — below the national median.
How much do environmental engineers make in Trenton-Princeton, NJ?
The median is $92,150 a year, that works out to about $44 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $69,010, and experienced environmental engineers can clear $126,430. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $92K enough to live in Trenton-Princeton?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,789/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,950/month, which eats 33.7% 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 Trenton-Princeton?
Trenton-Princeton has a Regional Price Parity of 103.18 (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 $89,310 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.