Salary distribution
Where California environmental engineers fall on the wage curve.
Shaded band = interquartile range (where most full-time workers fall)
The middle 50% of workers earn between $100,680 and $147,100, with a median of $127,660.
Environmental Engineers in California: actual employer-disclosed pay
Public records from 115 certified H-1B Labor Condition Applications filed with the U.S. Department of Labor. Median offered wage: $106,692. Every figure below is an actual offered salary an employer attested to under federal law.
By DOL wage level
DOL classifies every offer into one of four wage levels based on the role's experience and skill requirements.
| Level | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|
| Level I — entry | 20 | $91,056 |
| Level II — qualified | 27 | $114,608 |
| Level III — experienced | 20 | $135,337 |
| Level IV — fully competent | 7 | $160,000 |
Top employers filing for this role
Companies with the most certified filings for Environmental Engineers in California. Median offer is across all of that employer's filings.
| Employer | Most-filed title | Filings | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Geosyntec Consultants, Inc. | Professional | 15 | $99,095 |
| California Air Resources Board | Air Resources Engineer | 13 | $106,692 |
| Stantec Consulting Services Inc. | Mechanical Engineer in Training | 5 | $114,608 |
| CAROLLO ENGINEERS, INC. | Environmental Engineer | 5 | $119,676 |
| University of California, Berkeley | Postdoctoral Scholar Employee | 4 | $87,875 |
| Energy and Environmental Economics, Inc. | Associate Director - Environmental Engineer | 4 | $125,804 |
| WSP USA Inc. | Lead Consultant, Environmental Engineering | 4 | $122,204 |
| Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory | Postdoctoral Scholar (in Energy Environmental Engineering) | 4 | $94,216 |
| South Coast Air Quality Management District | Air Quality Engineer II- PRDI | 4 | $108,079 |
| The Leland Stanford, Jr University | Assistant Professor | 2 | $142,185 |
Recent sample filings
A snapshot of recent certified offers. Each line is a real, public, verifiable record.
- Product Manager, Digital Solutions at Stantec Consulting Services Inc.$153,483Los AngelesDecided Dec 22, 2025I-200-25349-482675
- Semiconductor Consortium Program Manager at SEMI$132,950MilpitasDecided Dec 10, 2025I-200-25337-455994
- POSTDOCTORAL SCHOLAR at UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, IRVINE$77,030IRVINEDecided Dec 2, 2025I-200-25329-435089
- Air Resources Engineer at California Air Resources Board$86,544Los AngelesDecided Nov 25, 2025I-200-25323-420062
- Assistant Professor at The Leland Stanford, Jr University$146,370StanfordDecided Nov 25, 2025I-200-25322-415737
- Civil Engineering III at AECOM Technical Services, Inc.$185,120OrangeDecided Nov 21, 2025I-200-25318-408752
- Postdoctoral Scholar at University of California, Merced$71,769MercedDecided Nov 19, 2025I-200-25316-401997
- Civil Project Engineer at Cal Land Engineering and Associates, Inc.$90,000BreaDecided Nov 19, 2025I-200-25317-403036
Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Foreign Labor Certification. Disclosed wages reflect what employers attested to pay; actual paid wages may differ. Only certified filings are shown — denied and withdrawn cases are excluded.
Environmental Engineers pay by experience level in California
Each band reflects DOL Wage Levels I-IV mapped onto a four-step ladder. Click a level to see the disclosed-wage range for that segment.
Environmental Engineers specialties in California
Real specialty titles employers file for, clustered from 56 certified offers. The most common variant is Environmental Engineer at a median of $93,660.
| Specialty | Top employer | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Environmental Engineer | CAROLLO ENGINEERS, INC. | 19 | $93,660 |
| Air Resources Engineer | California Air Resources Board | 13 | $106,692 |
| Engineer | Geosyntec Consultants, Inc. | 9 | $125,000 |
| Professional | Geosyntec Consultants, Inc. | 9 | $95,350 |
| POSTDOCTORAL SCHOLAR | UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, IRVINE | 3 | $77,030 |
| Lead Consultant, Environmental Engineering | WSP USA Inc. | 3 | $134,755 |
Specialties with 10 or more filings link to a dedicated breakdown.
Environmental Engineers in California, by industry
Median offered wage across 113 certified filings, grouped by NAICS industry sector. Professional services leads with a median of $108,827.
| Industry | Largest employer | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Professional services | Geosyntec Consultants, Inc. | 64 | $108,827 |
| Government and public sector | California Air Resources Board | 17 | $106,692 |
| Education | University of California, Berkeley | 10 | $89,462 |
| Energy and utilities | GreenFire Energy Inc. | 6 | $110,454 |
| Manufacturing | Tesla, Inc. | 6 | $125,250 |
| Technology and software | Minority Television Project, Inc | 4 | $158,960 |
| Retail and wholesale | AMAZON DATA SERVICES, INC. | 3 | $190,740 |
| Nonprofit and civic | SEMI | 1 | $132,950 |
| Finance and insurance | Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance Company | 1 | $156,000 |
| Transportation and logistics | PANEX SUPPLY CHAIN INC | 1 | $81,120 |
Sectors with at least 25 filings link to a dedicated page with full distribution and sample employer breakdown.
Wage trend
Median annual wage in California over the past 2 BLS OES releases. Real values are CPI-adjusted to 2024 dollars.
Typical entry
Education
Bachelor's degree
Experience
None
On-the-job training
None
Top skills (O*NET)
- 4.5 / 5
Engineering and Technology
Knowledge
- 4.1 / 5
Mathematics
Knowledge
- 4.1 / 5
Written Comprehension
Ability
- 4.0 / 5
Oral Comprehension
Ability
- 4.0 / 5
Active Listening
Basic skill
- 4.0 / 5
Critical Thinking
Cross-functional
- 4.0 / 5
Reading Comprehension
Basic skill
- 4.0 / 5
Writing
Basic skill
Common tasks (O*NET)
- 01
Provide technical support for environmental remediation or litigation projects, including remediation system design or determination of regulatory applicability.
- 02
Collaborate with environmental scientists, planners, hazardous waste technicians, engineers, experts in law or business, or other specialists to address environmental problems.
- 03
Assess the existing or potential environmental impact of land use projects on air, water, or land.
- 04
Advise corporations or government agencies of procedures to follow in cleaning up contaminated sites to protect people and the environment.
- 05
Inspect industrial or municipal facilities or programs to evaluate operational effectiveness or ensure compliance with environmental regulations.
- 06
Design, or supervise the design of, systems, processes, or equipment for control, management, or remediation of water, air, or soil quality.
- 07
Direct installation or operation of environmental monitoring devices or supervise related data collection programs.
- 08
Prepare, review, or update environmental investigation or recommendation reports.
10-year outlook
Growth 2024 → 2034
+4.1%
Projected annual openings
—
BLS outlook
Average growth
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034 cycle.
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Explore coursesTop metros in California
Metro-level salary data for environmental engineers in major California metropolitan areas.
- San Francisco$142,000
- Sacramento$130,830
- San Jose$130,260
- San Diego$125,890
- Los Angeles$119,780
- Riverside$109,830
Compare Environmental Engineers pay across nearby states
Frequently asked questions
- What is the median salary for Environmental Engineers in California?
- According to BLS Occupational Employment Statistics, the median annual wage for Environmental Engineers in California is $127,660.
- How does California compare to the national median for Environmental Engineers?
- The California median is +22.5% versus the BLS national figure of $104,174.
- What is the salary range for Environmental Engineers in California?
- BLS reports the 10th-percentile annual wage at $81,520 and the 90th-percentile at $172,480, which captures most full-time workers in the role.
- Is Environmental Engineers a growing field?
- BLS Employment Projections show employment growing by 4.1% over the projection cycle. See the 10-year outlook section above for details.
- What education is required for Environmental Engineers?
- BLS lists the typical entry-level education as Bachelor's degree. Many employers also weigh prior experience and credentials.
Information on this page is for general educational purposes only. It is not career, financial, or tax advice. Wage data reflects BLS estimates for the reference year shown and may not match individual offers, employer-specific ranges, or current market conditions. Confirm with a licensed professional before making career or compensation decisions.