# Environmental Engineers

US SOC code 17-2081. Markdown version of https://futurehistory.earth/timeline/17-2081

Also called: Air quality engineer, Hazardous waste engineer, Remediation engineer, Sustainability engineer, Carbon engineer.

## In brief

In May 2025, [BLS](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm25nat.zip) counted **38,340** US environmental engineers, with median pay of **$107,110** a year. Of the BLS counts since 2021, the highest was **45,440**, in May 2022. The earliest figure here is [an estimate](https://www.nationalacademies.org/read/25121/chapter/2) of **12,000** from 1950, not measured the same way as today's count. The last full technology era for environmental engineers: GIS-integrated site assessment, 2005 to 2020.

## What the sources say

### Official outlook

BLS projects employment to grow 6.3% from 2025 to 2035. Source: [BLS Employment Projections 2025-35](https://data.bls.gov/projections/nationalMatrix?queryParams=17-2081&ioType=o).

### AI exposure studies

- **50%** of this job's tasks are exposed to large language models. Not a forecast of job losses. [Eloundou and others, 2023](https://github.com/openai/GPTs-are-GPTs/blob/main/data/occ_level.csv)

Data as of BLS OEWS May 2025; BLS Employment Projections 2025-35. BLS publishes these counts as yearly survey snapshots and cautions against reading them as a precise trend.

## Environmental Engineers employment and pay by year

- On record since: 1850
- Latest US employment: 38,340 (May 2025). Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 [4]
- Latest US median pay: $107,110 (May 2025). Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 [6]
- Outlook: +6.3% by 2035. Source: BLS Employment Projections 2025-35 [20]

### All 26 years of cited US data

| Year | US employment | Annual pay (median unless marked) | Source |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1950 | 12,000 (estimate) | n/a | Est., National Academies of Sciences [1] |
| 1970 | 20,000 (estimate) | n/a | Est., Encyclopedia.com [2] |
| 1999 | 51,450 | $54,890 | BLS OEWS 1999 (employment) [3]; BLS OEWS September 2001 (pay) [5] |
| 2003 | 45,480 | $62,800 | BLS OEWS May 2003 [4] |
| 2004 | 47,690 | $66,480 | BLS OEWS May 2004 [4] |
| 2005 | 50,140 | $68,090 | BLS OEWS May 2005 [4] |
| 2006 | 51,370 | $69,940 | BLS OEWS May 2006 [4] |
| 2007 | 51,210 | $72,350 | BLS OEWS May 2007 [4] |
| 2008 | 52,590 | $74,020 | BLS OEWS May 2008 [4] |
| 2009 | 50,610 | $77,040 | BLS OEWS May 2009 [4] |
| 2010 | 49,800 | $78,740 | BLS OEWS May 2010 [4] |
| 2011 | 50,350 | $79,050 | BLS OEWS May 2011 [4] |
| 2012 | 50,850 | $80,890 | BLS OEWS May 2012 [4] |
| 2013 | 53,020 | $82,220 | BLS OEWS May 2013 [4] |
| 2014 | 53,240 | $83,360 | BLS OEWS May 2014 [4] |
| 2015 | 52,600 | $84,560 | BLS OEWS May 2015 [4] |
| 2016 | 52,280 | $84,890 | BLS OEWS May 2016 [4] |
| 2017 | 52,640 | $86,800 | BLS OEWS May 2017 [4] |
| 2018 | 53,070 | $87,620 | BLS OEWS May 2018 [4] |
| 2019 | 53,150 | $88,860 | BLS OEWS May 2019 [4] |
| 2020 | 50,260 | $92,120 | BLS OEWS May 2020 [4] |
| 2021 | 42,660 | $96,820 | BLS OEWS May 2021 [4] |
| 2022 | 45,440 | $96,530 | BLS OEWS May 2022 [4] |
| 2023 | 39,880 | $100,090 | BLS OEWS May 2023 [4] |
| 2024 | 37,950 | $104,170 | BLS OEWS May 2024 [4] |
| 2025 | 38,340 | $107,110 | BLS OEWS May 2025 [4] |

## Sources (87)

### Employment series

1. [National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (2019) -- "Environmental Engineering for the 21st Century" Chapter 2: history and emergence of the field](https://www.nationalacademies.org/read/25121/chapter/2), National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
2. [Encyclopedia.com -- "Environmental Engineering" (emergence and growth driven by 1970s regulation)](https://www.encyclopedia.com/environment/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/environmental-engineering), Encyclopedia.com
3. [BLS OES 1999 national estimates (flat file)](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oes99nat.zip), Bureau of Labor Statistics
4. BLS OEWS, national cross-industry estimates (flat file), Bureau of Labor Statistics. Editions: [2003](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm03nat.zip), [2004](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm04nat.zip), [2005](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm05nat.zip), [2006](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm06nat.zip), [2007](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm07nat.zip), [2008](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm08nat.zip), [2009](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm09nat.zip), [2010](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm10nat.zip), [2011](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm11nat.zip), [2012](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm12nat.zip), [2013](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm13nat.zip), [2014](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm14nat.zip), [2015](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm15nat.zip), [2016](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm16nat.zip), [2017](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm17nat.zip), [2018](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm18nat.zip), [2019](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm19nat.zip), [2020](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm20nat.zip), [2021](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm21nat.zip), [2022](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm22nat.zip), [2023](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm23nat.zip), [2024](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm24nat.zip), [2025](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm25nat.zip)

### Wage series

5. [BLS -- "Keeping the environment clean" (The Economics Daily, September 2001): environmental engineers' median annual earnings $54,890 in 1999](https://www.bls.gov/opub/ted/2001/sept/wk1/art04.htm), Bureau of Labor Statistics
6. BLS OEWS, national cross-industry estimates (flat file), Bureau of Labor Statistics. Editions: [2003](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm03nat.zip), [2004](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm04nat.zip), [2005](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm05nat.zip), [2006](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm06nat.zip), [2007](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm07nat.zip), [2008](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm08nat.zip), [2009](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm09nat.zip), [2010](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm10nat.zip), [2011](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm11nat.zip), [2012](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm12nat.zip), [2013](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm13nat.zip), [2014](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm14nat.zip), [2015](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm15nat.zip), [2016](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm16nat.zip), [2017](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm17nat.zip), [2018](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm18nat.zip), [2019](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm19nat.zip), [2020](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm20nat.zip), [2021](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm21nat.zip), [2022](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm22nat.zip), [2023](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm23nat.zip), [2025](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm25nat.zip)
7. [BLS OEWS May 2024, national cross-industry estimates (flat file)](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm24nat.zip), U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

### Tool eras

8. [National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (2019) -- "Environmental Engineering for the 21st Century" Chapter 2: origins in 19th-century public health engineering](https://www.nationalacademies.org/read/25121/chapter/2), National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
9. [Wikipedia -- American Academy of Environmental Engineers and Scientists: history (incorporated Delaware October 21, 1955; 1966 rename from sanitary to environmental engineering)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Academy_of_Environmental_Engineers_and_Scientists), Wikipedia
10. [EPA -- SWMM (Stormwater Management Model): history and development since the 1971 original release by the EPA](https://www.epa.gov/water-research/storm-water-management-model-swmm), US Environmental Protection Agency
11. [USGS -- MODFLOW and Related Programs: groundwater modeling software history and documentation](https://www.usgs.gov/mission-areas/water-resources/science/modflow-and-related-programs), US Geological Survey
12. [EPA -- Superfund's 40th Anniversary: A Look-Back at the Decades (NPL growth, remediation program history)](https://www.epa.gov/superfund/superfunds-40th-anniversary-look-back-decades), US Environmental Protection Agency
13. [EarthSoft -- EQuIS Environmental Information Management: history and development (first release 1993)](https://earthsoft.com/2013/02/27/equis-219-active-reports-in-equis-professional-1-hour/), EarthSoft
14. [ESRI -- ArcGIS Platform: history and development (environmental engineering applications)](https://www.esri.com/en-us/arcgis/geospatial-platform/overview?rsource=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.esri.com%2Fen-us%2Farcgis%2Fabout-arcgis%2Foverview), ESRI
15. [EPA -- NPDES eReporting: transition from paper to electronic compliance monitoring reports under the NPDES Electronic Reporting Rule (published October 22, 2015; 40 CFR parts 122, 123, 127)](https://www.epa.gov/compliance/npdes-ereporting), US Environmental Protection Agency
16. [IBM -- Environmental Intelligence Suite (EIS): AI-powered environmental monitoring, climate risk analytics, and regulatory compliance (2021 launch, 2025 platform)](https://www.ibm.com/products/environmental-intelligence-suite), IBM
17. [ESRI -- ArcGIS GeoAI and ArcGIS Image AI: geospatial machine learning for land-cover classification, environmental change detection, and site suitability (2023-2025)](https://www.esri.com/en-us/arcgis/products/arcgis-image/overview), ESRI
18. [EPA -- Inflation Reduction Act: $369B for clean energy and climate resilience driving NEPA, CWA, and CAA permitting demand](https://www.epa.gov/inflation-reduction-act), US Environmental Protection Agency
19. [BLS -- Occupational Outlook Handbook: Environmental Engineers 2024-2034 projections (+4% employment growth, 3,000 annual openings)](https://www.bls.gov/ooh/architecture-and-engineering/environmental-engineers.htm), Bureau of Labor Statistics

### Forecasts and exposure studies

20. [BLS Employment Projections 2025-35, National Employment Matrix: 17-2081 Environmental engineers (2025: 39.1 thousand; 2035: 41.6 thousand; +6.3%)](https://data.bls.gov/projections/nationalMatrix?queryParams=17-2081&ioType=o), Bureau of Labor Statistics
21. [Eloundou, Manning, Mishkin & Rock (2023), "GPTs are GPTs", occupation-level exposure data occ\_level.csv (O\*NET-SOC 17-2081.00, human-rated β 0.5)](https://github.com/openai/GPTs-are-GPTs/blob/main/data/occ_level.csv), OpenAI

### Historical notes

22. [Wikipedia -- John Snow (physician): the 1854 Broad Street cholera pump mapping as origin of the germ-theory-based sanitary engineering approach](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Snow), Wikipedia
23. [Wikipedia -- American Academy of Environmental Engineers and Scientists: incorporated Delaware October 21, 1955; originally the American Sanitary Engineering Intersociety Board](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Academy_of_Environmental_Engineers_and_Scientists), Wikipedia
24. [EPA -- History: EPA and Earth Day (December 2, 1970 EPA creation; April 22, 1970 first Earth Day)](https://www.epa.gov/history/epa-history-earth-day), US Environmental Protection Agency
25. [ScienceInsights -- "Why Was CERCLA Created: Love Canal and Superfund" (December 11, 1980 signing; Love Canal as primary catalyst)](https://scienceinsights.org/why-was-cercla-created-love-canal-and-superfund/), ScienceInsights
26. [EPA -- PFAS National Primary Drinking Water Regulation: Final Rule April 2024 (first-ever MCLs for PFOA at 4 ppt and PFOS at 4 ppt)](https://www.epa.gov/sdwa/and-polyfluoroalkyl-substances-pfas), US Environmental Protection Agency

### Predecessors & successors

27. [Wikipedia -- American Academy of Environmental Engineers and Scientists: history (organization emerged from ASCE Committee for the Advancement of Sanitary Engineering, 1952-1955; incorporated Delaware October 21, 1955)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Academy_of_Environmental_Engineers_and_Scientists), Wikipedia
28. [Encyclopedia.com -- "Environmental Engineering": chemical engineers as a major feeder into the environmental engineering profession from industrial pollution control work](https://www.encyclopedia.com/environment/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/environmental-engineering), Encyclopedia.com

### Present-day analysis

- [O\*NET 30.3 — Environmental Engineers (17-2081.00)](https://www.onetonline.org/link/summary/17-2081.00), accessed 2026-05-23
- [BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook — Environmental Engineers: +6% growth 2024–2034; median annual wage $100,090 (May 2024)](https://www.bls.gov/ooh/architecture-and-engineering/environmental-engineers.htm), accessed 2026-05-23
- [Eloundou et al. 2024 — GPTs are GPTs (Science): occupational LLM exposure framework](https://arxiv.org/abs/2303.10130), accessed 2026-05-23
- [EPA — PFAS National Primary Drinking Water Regulation: Final Rule, April 2024 (first-ever MCLs for PFOA and PFOS)](https://www.epa.gov/sdwa/and-polyfluoroalkyl-substances-pfas), accessed 2026-05-23
- [EPA — Designation of PFAS as CERCLA Hazardous Substances: Proposed Rule 2024 and enforcement implications](https://www.epa.gov/superfund/designation-perfluorooctanoic-acid-pfoa-and-perfluorooctanesulfonic-acid-pfos-cercla), accessed 2026-05-23
- [EPA — Clean Power Plan 2.0 (CPP-2): Final Rule 2024, GHG emissions standards for power plants under Clean Air Act Section 111](https://www.epa.gov/stationary-sources-air-pollution/greenhouse-gas-standards-and-guidelines-fossil-fuel-fired-power), accessed 2026-05-23
- [SEC — The Enhancement and Standardization of Climate-Related Disclosures: Final Rule March 2024 (Scope 1/2 disclosures, FY2025 for large accelerated filers)](https://www.sec.gov/rules-regulations/2024/03/s7-10-22), accessed 2026-05-23
- [IRA — Inflation Reduction Act of 2022: $369B for clean energy and climate resilience; AAEES workforce demand analysis](https://www.epa.gov/inflation-reduction-act), accessed 2026-05-23
- [IBM — Environmental Intelligence Suite (EIS): AI-powered environmental monitoring, climate risk analytics, and regulatory compliance (2025 platform)](https://www.ibm.com/products/environmental-intelligence-suite), accessed 2026-05-23
- [ESRI — ArcGIS GeoAI and ArcGIS Image AI: geospatial machine learning for land-cover classification, environmental change detection, and site suitability (2025)](https://www.esri.com/en-us/arcgis/products/arcgis-image/overview), accessed 2026-05-23
- [EarthSoft — EQuIS Environmental Information Management: AI-powered sample data management, exceedance flagging, and regulatory reporting](https://earthsoft.com/2013/02/27/equis-219-active-reports-in-equis-professional-1-hour/), accessed 2026-05-23
- [Watershed — AI-powered GHG accounting and Scope 1/2/3 carbon inventory platform for corporate sustainability and SEC disclosure (2025)](https://watershed.com/), accessed 2026-05-23
- [Autodesk Innovyze — AI-powered water and wastewater infrastructure modeling (InfoWorks ICM, InfoSewer); Autodesk acquisition 2021](https://www.autodesk.com/products/infoworks-icm/overview), accessed 2026-05-23
- [ENR — AI Tools Transforming Environmental Engineering Practice: permitting, remediation, and climate analytics (2025 industry survey)](https://www.enr.com/topics/environmental), accessed 2026-05-23
- [AAEES — American Academy of Environmental Engineers and Scientists: workforce report and PE licensure trends (2025)](https://www.aaees.org/), accessed 2026-05-23
- [Persefoni — AI-powered carbon accounting and climate disclosure platform; TCFD and GHG Protocol Corporate Standard alignment (2025)](https://www.persefoni.com/), accessed 2026-05-23

How to read these figures: https://futurehistory.earth/methodology. Every figure links to its own source; gaps stay gaps.