Environmental Engineering Careers
Environmental engineering is a rapidly growing field, with job opportunities projected to grow by 31 percent from 2008 to 2018, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. Environmental engineers, who need at least a bachelor's degree but also benefit from master's and doctoral degrees, have solid salary prospects as well, with most making more than $70,000 per year and some making more than $100,000 per year. Career options include work in both the private or public sector or covering a range of projects in an engineering firm.
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Government
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As of May 2008, local, state and government jobs combined made up a large portion of environmental engineering jobs, about 15,660 jobs total, according to the U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics. Government jobs could include handling recycling or waste disposal for a city, pollution control, designing and maintaining public water or wastewater plants, managing wildlife protection or researching large-scale environmental problems such as climate change or acid rain. Federal government jobs for environmental engineers carry the highest salaries in the field, with an hourly mean wage of $44.59 and an annual mean wage of $92,750, but also make up the smallest portion of government jobs. State and local governments carry more than three times the job opportunities but have annual mean wages of about $66,000 a year.
Industrial
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Industrial companies of all stripes need environmental engineers on their staffs. Chemical or energy companies need them for a variety of reasons: making sure their processes meet state and federal regulations, monitoring the handling and disposal of hazardous materials and minimizing the environmental impact of projects. Auto manufacturers employ environmental engineers to explore ways to reduce the emissions of their products. The U.S. Department of Labor predicts that the need for environmental engineers in industrial roles will help propel the career to above-average growth, as companies increasingly are shifting focus from controlling existing environmental problems to preventing them in the first place. Environmental engineers who work with technical firms, such as computer systems design companies, earn some of the highest salaries in the field, with an average mean salary of $87,510 as of May 2008. The job opportunities in this field are limited, however, with the lion's share of industrial jobs in fields such as architectural services, landscaping and geophysical mapping.
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Other Opportunities
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Increasingly, environmental engineers are choosing to work in consulting firms. Engineers at these firms provide environmental research and recommendations to both government and private sector companies on a project-by-project basis, rather than working directly for the company or government. The U.S. Department of Labor estimates that in May 2008 more than 10,000 environmental engineering positions existed at management, scientific and technical consulting firms. Environmental engineers pursuing this route are wise to hone their skills in as many aspects of their field as possible, so they can adapt to changing policies and priorities, according to the American Academy of Environmental Engineers. Other career opportunities for environmental engineers include managerial roles, education and practicing environmental law, which also requires a law degree.
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- Photo Credit pollution image by Inger Anne Hulbækdal from Fotolia.com
