Environmental Engineers
Also called: Engineer, Environmental Engineer, Environmental Remediation Specialist, Sanitary EngineerResearch, design, plan, or perform engineering duties in the prevention, control, and remediation of environmental hazards using various engineering disciplines. Work may include waste treatment, site remediation, or pollution control technology.
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What the data says: AI could halve the time on 21 of its 28 rated tasks, yet jobs are projected to grow 6.3% by 2035. In the most exposed occupations, the squeeze shows up first among early-career workers. How to think about this →
About this projection
BLS builds AI into its projections where the research supports it: “BLS generally applies adjustments based on this research conservatively, where there is convincing evidence for a change.”
It also notes a limit: “BLS projection methods are not designed to capture extremely rapid technological change.”
On its AI exposure groups, BLS says exposure “does not imply job loss.”
Recent conditions
- In 2024, 1.4% of people in this work were unemployed, against 3.8% across all occupations Census ACS 2024
- From Sep 2025 to Aug 2026, 7.9 hires for every 10 job openings in professional and business services, which employs about 56% of people in this work, against 7.3 across all industries BLS JOLTS
One box per opening, filled for each hire; hires beyond the openings are added in a lighter shade. Higher can mean openings get filled, or that people leave often; lower, that jobs go unfilled, or hiring is slow.7.9 this industry7.3 all industries
Median pay by state BLS OEWS May 2025, state estimates
Tap a state for its figures.
Median pay in every state
| State | Median | Middle half earn | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $102,650 | $78,370 to $125,290 | 780 |
| Alaska | $110,220 | $95,800 to $132,900 | 260 |
| Arizona | $93,970 | $77,720 to $112,010 | 690 |
| Arkansas | $85,280 | $63,990 to $109,280 | 210 |
| California | $130,410 | $95,950 to $148,650 | 4,550 |
| Colorado | $106,890 | $83,500 to $131,550 | 1,320 |
| Connecticut | $114,710 | $100,210 to $138,270 | 450 |
| Delaware | $95,720 | $78,530 to $124,110 | 150 |
| Florida | $116,840 | $75,570 to $146,960 | 1,800 |
| Georgia | $96,530 | $78,240 to $122,280 | 830 |
| Hawaii | $107,880 | $88,630 to $125,150 | 150 |
| Idaho | $117,520 | $104,000 to $151,730 | 400 |
| Illinois | $107,990 | $87,090 to $123,960 | 940 |
| Indiana | $92,460 | $77,190 to $118,140 | 520 |
| Iowa | $94,830 | $79,000 to $111,940 | 150 |
| Kansas | $94,070 | $81,470 to $121,490 | 320 |
| Kentucky | $107,520 | $93,290 to $132,190 | 350 |
| Louisiana | $130,510 | $99,490 to $171,630 | 340 |
| Maine | $93,930 | $76,440 to $114,390 | 220 |
| Maryland | $97,570 | $80,760 to $127,980 | 1,030 |
| Massachusetts | $115,800 | $86,370 to $142,130 | 1,880 |
| Michigan | $105,080 | $87,430 to $129,240 | 810 |
| Minnesota | $115,750 | $107,120 to $129,310 | 1,080 |
| Mississippi | $91,100 | $66,350 to $115,210 | 260 |
| Missouri | $98,170 | $79,160 to $118,350 | 510 |
| Montana | $100,140 | $81,100 to $126,000 | 300 |
| Nebraska | $120,620 | $99,420 to $146,770 | 270 |
| Nevada | $109,720 | $106,290 to $132,290 | 290 |
| New Hampshire | $88,610 | $69,530 to $111,200 | 210 |
| New Jersey | $102,630 | $80,090 to $126,430 | 990 |
| New Mexico | $108,360 | $95,590 to $135,970 | 500 |
| New York | $101,270 | $79,390 to $127,820 | 3,170 |
| North Carolina | $99,440 | $76,640 to $127,040 | not published |
| North Dakota | $91,370 | $78,210 to $109,140 | 90 |
| Ohio | $113,180 | $83,590 to $127,330 | 730 |
| Oklahoma | $92,090 | $78,730 to $109,140 | 530 |
| Oregon | $127,100 | $101,220 to $141,930 | 650 |
| Pennsylvania | $103,330 | $76,040 to $134,990 | 1,750 |
| Puerto Rico | $77,560 | $54,680 to $100,380 | 110 |
| Rhode Island | $101,140 | $93,540 to $116,440 | 200 |
| South Carolina | $96,140 | $81,230 to $120,050 | 560 |
| South Dakota | $98,890 | $90,720 to $107,520 | 90 |
| Tennessee | $97,190 | $74,890 to $117,930 | 540 |
| Texas | $123,060 | $92,600 to $154,970 | 1,940 |
| Utah | $103,380 | $83,510 to $127,180 | 410 |
| Vermont | $92,580 | $79,640 to $113,830 | 110 |
| Virginia | $104,940 | $83,010 to $131,700 | 1,010 |
| Washington | $125,460 | $100,200 to $161,250 | 1,920 |
| West Virginia | $83,200 | $73,390 to $100,780 | 370 |
| Wisconsin | $89,990 | $78,030 to $107,170 | 890 |
| Wyoming | $106,330 | $82,280 to $126,910 | 200 |
Nationally: $107,110. Shades run from the lowest state median to the highest; a territory below that range takes the lightest. How to read this
How AI touches the work
What AI could speed up, task by task, and where people already use it.
AI could halve the time on 21 of its 28 rated tasks
| AI rating | Its main tasks | Share of Claude conversations May 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| AI + software | Design, or supervise the design of, systems, processes, or equipment for control, management, or remediation of water, air, or soil quality. | Not published |
| AI + software | Assess the existing or potential environmental impact of land use projects on air, water, or land. | Not published |
| AI + software | Collaborate with environmental scientists, planners, hazardous waste technicians, engineers, experts in law or business, or other specialists to address environmental problems. | Not published |
| AI alone | Develop proposed project objectives and targets and report to management on progress in attaining them. | under 0.01% |
| AI alone | Prepare or present public briefings on the status of environmental engineering projects. | Not published |
| AI alone | Assist in budget implementation, forecasts, or administration. | Not published |
See all 29 tasks
| AI + software | Advise corporations or government agencies of procedures to follow in cleaning up contaminated sites to protect people and the environment. | Not published |
| AI + software | Obtain, update, or maintain plans, permits, or standard operating procedures. | Not published |
| Not much | Monitor progress of environmental improvement programs. | Not published |
| AI + software | Request bids from suppliers or consultants. | Not published |
| AI + software | Prepare, maintain, or revise quality assurance documentation or procedures. | 0.02% |
| AI + software | Coordinate or manage environmental protection programs or projects, assigning or evaluating work. | Not published |
| AI + software | Prepare, review, or update environmental investigation or recommendation reports. | under 0.01% |
| Not much | Direct installation or operation of environmental monitoring devices or supervise related data collection programs. | Not published |
| Not much | Inspect industrial or municipal facilities or programs to evaluate operational effectiveness or ensure compliance with environmental regulations. | Not published |
| AI + software | Advise industries or government agencies about environmental policies and standards. | under 0.01% |
| Not much | Provide administrative support for projects by collecting data, providing project documentation, training staff, or performing other general administrative duties. | Not published |
| AI alone | Provide environmental engineering assistance in network analysis, regulatory analysis, or planning or reviewing database development. | Not published |
| Not much | Provide assistance with planning, quality assurance, safety inspection protocols, or sampling as part of a team conducting multimedia inspections at complex facilities. | Not published |
| Not rated | Attend professional conferences to share information. | Not published |
| AI + software | Develop, implement, or manage plans or programs related to conservation or management of natural resources. | Not published |
| AI alone | Develop or present environmental compliance training or orientation sessions. | Not published |
| AI + software | Inform company employees or other interested parties of environmental issues. | under 0.01% |
| AI + software | Develop site-specific health and safety protocols, such as spill contingency plans or methods for loading or transporting waste. | Not published |
| AI + software | Provide technical support for environmental remediation or litigation projects, including remediation system design or determination of regulatory applicability. | Not published |
| AI alone | Write reports or articles for Web sites or newsletters related to environmental engineering issues. | Not published |
| Not much | Serve as liaison with federal, state, or local agencies or officials on issues pertaining to solid or hazardous waste program requirements. | Not published |
| AI alone | Prepare hazardous waste manifests or land disposal restriction notifications. | Not published |
| Not much | Assess, sort, characterize, or pack known or unknown materials. | Not published |
Ordered by how important O*NET's respondents rate each task (1 to 5) times the share who say it is part of their job. The ordering is ours. 5 of the 29 have a published share of Claude conversations; “not published” means too few conversations for Anthropic to publish a figure.
Where people already use AI
The tasks above say what AI could speed up. This shows what people are using it for. Its 29 tasks fall under 25 work activities that many occupations share, and Microsoft counted how often each one came up in 200,000 conversations with its Copilot assistant in 2024.
- #4 Maintain current knowledge in area of expertise
- #5 Provide information or assistance to the public
- #20 Present research or technical information
- and 2 more, in the table below
| Work activity | This occupation's tasks under it | People asked AI for help in 10,000 conversations |
AI did it for them in 10,000 conversations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maintain operational records | |||
| Advise others on environmental sustainability or green practices | |||
| Present research or technical information | |||
| Direct organizational operations, activities, or procedures | |||
| Inspect facilities or equipment | |||
| Maintain current knowledge in area of expertise | |||
| Provide information or assistance to the public | |||
| Communicate with others about specifications or project details |
Show all 25 activities
| Purchase goods or services | |||
| Plan work activities | |||
| Assist scientists, scholars, or technical specialists with projects or research | |||
| Coordinate with others to resolve problems | |||
| Develop operational or technical procedures or standards | |||
| Develop technical specifications for products or operations | |||
| Communicate with others about operational plans or activities | |||
| Document technical designs, procedures, or activities | |||
| Prepare reports of operational or procedural activities | |||
| Manage budgets or finances | |||
| Test characteristics of materials or products | |||
| Monitor environmental conditions | |||
| Train others on operational or work procedures | |||
| Investigate the environmental impact of industrial or development activities | |||
| Develop systems or practices to mitigate or resolve environmental problems | |||
| Teach safety procedures or standards to others | |||
| Package objects |
How people in this work use Claude
What people in this work made with Claude % of conversations
- A document or report70%
- Data or a spreadsheet9%
- An explanation or answer6%
- A script or snippet2%
- A plan or strategy1%
How they worked with Claude
86% of these conversations were about work. Anthropic Economic Index, May 2026.
How to read this
Work activities come from O*NET, which links every task to the broader activities it involves. Microsoft's figures are for the activity across everyone who used Copilot, not for environmental engineers specifically. Copilot is a general chat assistant; dedicated coding tools are not included, so programming help is under-counted here. Activities are listed by how many of this occupation's tasks fall under them.
The task ratings say whether AI could halve the time a task takes: on its own (“AI alone”), or with software built on it (“AI + software”). They were made by people in 2023 (Eloundou et al.). Claude's share is the task's share of all Claude.ai conversations in May 2026; Anthropic doesn't publish a task with too few conversations. None of these add up to the BLS exposure group, which combines five research measures.
More in the Guide: task ratings · task order · work activities · Copilot figures · Claude
High exposure doesn't mean fewer jobs
BLS projects most occupations in its two most exposed groups to grow: 141 of 206 rated Very high and 165 of 206 rated High. Each dot is one of the 831 occupations BLS rates.
Career moves into and out of this occupation
From moves between occupations found in online resumes, 2002–2016. Career changes only: a first job after school isn't a move.
Where people moved next
of 12,216 moves out
- 1 Managers, All Other (2010 group) an older group BLS has since split; no exposure group today 14%
- 2 Architectural and Engineering Managers High +5.5% 3%
- 3 General and Operations Managers High +5.0% 3%
- 4 Management Analysts Very high +10.1% 3%
- 5 Construction Managers High +9.1% 3%
Where people moved in from
of 14,718 moves in
- 1 Managers, All Other (2010 group) an older group BLS has since split; no exposure group today 11%
- 2 Models High -2.1% 3%
- 3 First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers High +5.4% 3%
- 4 Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health Very high +6.1% 3%
- 5 Construction Managers High +9.1% 3%
Resumes over-represent younger, white-collar job-seekers and moves into management. Schubert, Stansbury and Taska (resume data).
Education and training for the occupation
O*NET survey of workers in this occupation
- 5% associate's
- 62% bachelor's
- 5% post-bachelor's certificate
- 29% master's
O*NET 31.0 survey of workers in this occupation · 21 people answered.
Census survey (American Community Survey)
- 6% high school
- 3% some college
- 2% associate's
- 51% bachelor's
- 32% master's
- 2% professional degree
- 4% doctorate
Census ACS 2024, all workers in this occupation · 427 people surveyed.
Why the two can differ
O*NET asks about 20 people in each occupation, which makes its shares uncertain, but it reports the exact occupation and counts certificates. The Census survey reaches thousands, but it groups some occupations together and counts degrees only. More in the Guide
Median pay by highest degree full-time, year-round · Census ACS 2024, all workers in this occupation
3 programs: Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering, Water Resources Engineering and Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering.
Jobs that require a credential BLS Occupational Requirements Survey 2023
43.3% this occupation
45.3% all occupations
| By kind | This occupation | All occupations |
|---|---|---|
| a license | 22.8% | 19.1% |
| a certification | 5.6% | 5.8% |
| an educational certificate | <0.5% | 2.8% |
Share of jobs whose employer requires it. BLS doesn't say which credential. How to read this
Look up certifications, training and licenses U.S. Department of Labor
- Certification Finder ↗ certifications CareerOneStop lists for this occupation
- Training Finder ↗ schools and programs, nationwide; narrow the place there
- License Finder ↗ licenses by state
- Apprenticeships: DOL's list of apprenticeable occupations doesn't include this one.
These open in a new tab and send only the occupation's public code. More in the Guide
BLS AI exposure categories (Aug 2026) · BLS Employment Projections 2025–35 · O*NET 31.0 · Task ratings: Eloundou et al., Science (2024) · Microsoft "Working with AI" v1.1 · Anthropic Economic Index (2026-06-26) · Schubert, Stansbury and Taska · NCES CIP–SOC · Census ACS 2024 · BLS JOLTS · Brynjolfsson, Chandar and Chen, Stanford (Aug 2026)
See it online, and explore any career: https://www.pathmosaic.com/card/17-2081.00