Every day is different. A day could entail ensuring that a petroleum contaminated spill on ground is cleaned, reported, and in compliance with environmental regulations. It could also include hours of creating quarterly or annual reports for mine areas to be in compliance with state water pollution control permits. Some days are occupied with interacting with operations and maintenance personnel through individual engagements or training at safety meetings to be environmentally-responsible.
CAREER
Environmental Engineers
Overview
Salary Median (2020)
$92,120
Projected Job Growth (2019-2029)
+3.1% (slower than the average)
Most Common Level of Education
Bachelor's degree
Career
Roadtrip Nation Leaders in This Career
What Environmental Engineers Do
Research, 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.
Other Job Titles Environmental Engineers May Have
Air Pollution Control Engineer, Engineer, Engineering Consultant, Environmental Engineer, Environmental Remediation Specialist, Hazardous Substances Engineer, Sanitary Engineer
How Leaders Describe a Typical Day at Work
International Climate Change / Environment Consultant
Working in a multi-disciplinary team consisting of international and national consultants, in collaboration with government counterparts, to improve living environment in developing countries.
Tasks & Responsibilities May Include
- Provide technical support for environmental remediation or litigation projects, including remediation system design or determination of regulatory applicability.
- Collaborate with environmental scientists, planners, hazardous waste technicians, engineers, experts in law or business, or other specialists to address environmental problems.
- Assess the existing or potential environmental impact of land use projects on air, water, or land.
- Advise corporations or government agencies of procedures to follow in cleaning up contaminated sites to protect people and the environment.
- Inspect industrial or municipal facilities or programs to evaluate operational effectiveness or ensure compliance with environmental regulations.
Education
Level of Education Attained by Environmental Engineers
Most common level of education among people in
this career: Bachelor's degree (49%)
Bachelor's degree
Master's degree
Doctoral or professional degree
Other*
*All other responses combined for clarity.
Majors Related to Career
Educational Paths Suggested by Leaders
International Climate Change / Environment Consultant
Suggested Path
Bachelor
Engineering, General
Graduate
Environmental/Envi...
Doctorate
Environmental/Envi...
Additional Skills & Experiences That Can Help You Excel
International Climate Change / Environment Consultant
Making prudent use of the internet and learning clear and concise presentation skills using PowerPoint.
Getting Started
Recommended First Step for:
High School Students
Go into every experience ready and eager to learn from others. Ask questions of everyone who works around you—even those who don't work directly in the same field. If you want to be a mining engineer, try to pursue your education and gain the experience you need without going into debt. Try your best to find affordable options to break into the field.
College Students
This page includes information from theO*NET 26.1 Databaseby the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under theCC BY 4.0license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.
