Environmental Engineers Salary
In Tucson, AZ, environmental engineers earn $78,650 at the median, or about $37.81 an hour. The range runs from $59K at the entry level to $127K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 96.9), that's roughly $81,166 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,402/month, or 26.6% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $79K get you in Tucson?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Tucson’s Regional Price Parity (96.9). 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 Tucson
Pay for environmental engineers in Tucson runs about 27% below the U.S. median of $107K. Rent runs $1,402/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 27.2% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost of living (RPP 96.9) 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 Tucson, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler | $94K | $91K |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom | $133K | $125K |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial | $108K | , |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim | $128K | $113K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Tucson, AZ
Entry-level environmental engineers (10th percentile) start around $59K. Mid-career wages sit at $79K. Top earners bring in $127K or more, a $68K 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 Tucson numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a environmental engineer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Tucson?
Yes — at the median salary of $79K, rent takes 27.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,402/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for environmental engineers in Tucson?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new environmental engineers typically earn — is $59K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,519/month. At HUD’s $1,402/month FMR, rent would take 40% 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 Tucson?
Local pay runs 27% below the national median — $79K here vs. $107K nationally.
How does Tucson compare to the national average for environmental engineers?
Tucson pays $79K median vs. the U.S. average of $107K — that’s -27%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 96.9), the purchasing-power equivalent is $81K — below the national median.
How much do environmental engineers make in Tucson, AZ?
The median is $78,650 a year, that works out to about $38 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $58,650, and experienced environmental engineers can clear $127,010. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $79K enough to live in Tucson?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,146/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,402/month, which eats 27.2% 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 Tucson?
Tucson has a Regional Price Parity of 96.9 (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 $81,166 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.