Environmental Engineer.
Austin.
$103,000
median salary, 1% below the national average
$80,000 to $130,000. Last updated August 2026.
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Data points to own the conversation.
An Environmental Engineer in Austin earns a median of $103,000 in 2026. That is 1% below the national average. The range runs from $80,000 to $130,000, and where you land depends on your experience, your skills, and how well you negotiate. PE licensure, specialization in water treatment or air quality, and experience with EPA regulatory compliance drive the biggest salary differences. These figures are Orbyt estimates, computed rather than measured, and must not be cited as Bureau of Labor Statistics figures; the published BLS wage for the occupation this role maps to is shown separately on this page.
Salary range.
Where do you fall?
Orbyt estimate for Environmental Engineer in Austin, modelled from national occupation wages adjusted for local cost of living. The published government benchmark for this occupation is below.
Government benchmark for this occupation
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a median annual wage of $99,000 for Environmental Engineers (SOC 17-2081) in the Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX metropolitan area, based on 210 employed workers (May 2025 release).
10th percentile
$62,130
25th percentile
$82,490
Median
$99,000
75th percentile
$131,670
90th percentile
$188,660
Workers surveyed
210
BLS publishes wages by occupation code, not by job title, so this figure covers every role mapped to Environmental Engineers (SOC 17-2081) rather than Environmental Engineer specifically. The Austinrange at the top of this page is Orbyt’s role-level estimate, which is a different thing and is labelled as such.
View the BLS source for SOC 17-2081Salary by experience.
The gap between entry and lead level is typically $93,000. Where you land depends on years of experience and what you bring to the table.
Entry (0-2 yrs)
$67,000
to $82,000
Mid (3-5 yrs)
$88,000
to $108,000
Senior (6-9 yrs)
$113,000
to $134,000
Lead (10+ yrs)
$129,000
to $160,000
Total compensation.
Base salary is not the full picture. Equity, bonus, and signing can add $27,000 to the total package.
Base
$103,000
Equity
$15,000
Bonus
$10,000
Signing
$2,000
Estimated total: $130,000
How Austin compares.
Austin, TX
$103,000
Cost of living: 3% above average
National Average
$104,000
Austin is $1,000 below
Environmental Engineer salary by city.
Salary by role in Austin.
What you should know.
The Environmental Engineer landscape in Austin is not what most salary sites will tell you. Austin has transformed into one of America's fastest growing tech hubs, attracting relocations from Apple, Tesla, Oracle, and Samsung. The city's combination of no state income tax, a vibrant startup scene, and a strong university pipeline makes it highly competitive. Salaries have risen sharply over the past five years, narrowing the gap with coastal cities. PE licensure, specialization in water treatment or air quality, and experience with EPA regulatory compliance drive the biggest salary differences. Engineers working on remediation of contaminated sites or in the oil and gas sector earn premiums for hazardous conditions expertise.
Junior Environmental Engineers earn $70,000 to $80,000. Mid-career engineers with PE licensure reach $88,000 to $105,000. Senior Engineers and Project Managers command $105,000 to $130,000, while Principal Engineers and Directors at consulting firms exceed $145,000. In Austin, cost of living sits near the national average, so the numbers you see are roughly what you keep.
Base salary is not the full picture. PE-licensed engineers receive immediate salary bumps of 10 to 15%. Annual bonuses of 5 to 12% are typical at consulting firms. Government roles offer pension benefits and strong job security, though base salaries trend 10 to 15% lower than private sector. And on the tax side: texas has no state income tax, which can mean 5 to 10% more take home pay compared to California roles. Property taxes are above average, however, running about 1.8% of home value. When someone quotes you $103,000, ask what the total package looks like. The gap between base and total comp is where real money hides.
On negotiation: Use the no income tax advantage as a negotiation lever. Ask employers to match 90% of a Bay Area offer and show that your net pay will actually be higher. The range for Environmental Engineers in Austin runs from $80,000 to $130,000. That is not a narrow window. Where you land inside it depends almost entirely on whether you negotiate and how well you prepare.
Sources: BLS OES, H-1B LCA (DOL). COL: BEA Regional Price Parities (2025). Data verified by Justin Bartak, Founder & Chief AI Officer. Last verified July 1, 2026. Full methodology
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Common questions.
Environmental Engineer salary in other cities.
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