by our College Data Analytics Team
[Environmental Engineering](/majors/engineering/environmental-engineering/) is a field where your choice of school can shape what you earn after graduation. The highest-paying schools turn a environmental engineering degree into the strongest early-career earnings.
College Factual analyzed 43 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the highest-paying environmental engineering schools.
What’s on this page:
Below are the schools whose environmental engineering graduates go on to earn the most.
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute tops our 2026 list of the highest-paying environmental engineering schools in the United States. Located in the city of Troy, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is a private not-for-profit institution. Environmental Engineering graduates of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute earn a median of about $88,236 a year early in their careers.
Students chasing top earnings in environmental engineering will find them at California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo, which ranked #2. Located in the suburb of San Luis Obispo, California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo is a public institution. After graduating, environmental engineering degree recipients from California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo typically earn about $86,311 annually.
Strong graduate earnings at Georgia Institute Of Technology Main Campus earned it the #3 place for environmental engineering. Located in the city of Atlanta, Georgia Institute Of Technology Main Campus is a public institution. Students who complete the environmental engineering program here go on to a median salary of roughly $86,952.
A rank of #4 makes Texas Tech University one of the highest-paying schools for environmental engineering. Texas Tech University is a public school located in the city of Lubbock. Early-career environmental engineering graduates from Texas Tech University make a median of around $76,708 per year.
A rank of #5 makes Cornell University one of the highest-paying schools for environmental engineering. Set in the city of Ithaca, Cornell University is a private not-for-profit institution. Environmental Engineering graduates of Cornell University earn a median of about $87,212 a year early in their careers.
Colorado School Of Mines earned the #6 position for environmental engineering graduate earnings this year. Located in the suburb of Golden, Colorado School Of Mines is a public institution. Students who complete the environmental engineering program here go on to a median salary of roughly $83,766.
Ohio State University Main Campus landed the #7 spot for environmental engineering salaries this year. Ohio State University Main Campus is a public school located in the city of Columbus. Environmental Engineering graduates of Ohio State University Main Campus earn a median of about $84,092 a year early in their careers.
Oregon State University landed the #8 spot for environmental engineering salaries this year. Located in the city of Corvallis, Oregon State University is a public institution. Early-career environmental engineering graduates from Oregon State University make a median of around $81,214 per year.
University Of Delaware placed #9 among the highest-paying schools for environmental engineering. Set in the suburb of Newark, University Of Delaware is a public institution. Early-career environmental engineering graduates from University Of Delaware make a median of around $82,285 per year.
Clemson University came in at #10 for environmental engineering graduate earnings this year. Clemson University is a public school located in the suburb of Clemson. After graduating, environmental engineering degree recipients from Clemson University typically earn about $78,185 annually.
Purdue University Main Campus came in at #11 for environmental engineering graduate earnings this year. Located in the city of West Lafayette, Purdue University Main Campus is a public institution. After graduating, environmental engineering degree recipients from Purdue University Main Campus typically earn about $71,861 annually.
University Of Colorado Boulder landed the #12 spot for environmental engineering salaries this year. University Of Colorado Boulder is a public school located in the city of Boulder. Early-career environmental engineering graduates from University Of Colorado Boulder make a median of around $84,918 per year.
University Of Wisconsin Platteville ranked #13 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying environmental engineering schools. Located in the town of Platteville, University Of Wisconsin Platteville is a public institution. Students who complete the environmental engineering program here go on to a median salary of roughly $74,875.
Colorado State University Fort Collins came in at #14 for environmental engineering graduate earnings this year. Set in the city of Fort Collins, Colorado State University Fort Collins is a public institution. Early-career environmental engineering graduates from Colorado State University Fort Collins make a median of around $77,901 per year.
Cuny City College placed #15 among the highest-paying schools for environmental engineering. Cuny City College is a public school located in the city of New York. Students who complete the environmental engineering program here go on to a median salary of roughly $81,630.
University Of Michigan Ann Arbor placed #16 among the highest-paying schools for environmental engineering. Set in the city of Ann Arbor, University Of Michigan Ann Arbor is a public institution. After graduating, environmental engineering degree recipients from University Of Michigan Ann Arbor typically earn about $88,990 annually.
Drexel University earned the #17 position for environmental engineering graduate earnings this year. Located in the city of Philadelphia, Drexel University is a private not-for-profit institution. Environmental Engineering graduates of Drexel University earn a median of about $78,581 a year early in their careers.
Michigan Technological University came in at #18 for environmental engineering graduate earnings this year. Michigan Technological University is a public school located in the town of Houghton. After graduating, environmental engineering degree recipients from Michigan Technological University typically earn about $77,977 annually.
Clarkson University placed #19 among the highest-paying schools for environmental engineering. Set in the town of Potsdam, Clarkson University is a private not-for-profit institution. Environmental Engineering graduates of Clarkson University earn a median of about $73,390 a year early in their careers.
University Of New Hampshire Main Campus ranked #20 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying environmental engineering schools. Located in the town of Durham, University Of New Hampshire Main Campus is a public institution. Environmental Engineering graduates of University Of New Hampshire Main Campus earn a median of about $80,259 a year early in their careers.
University Of California Riverside came in at #21 for environmental engineering graduate earnings this year. University Of California Riverside is a public school located in the city of Riverside. Students who complete the environmental engineering program here go on to a median salary of roughly $81,979.
Florida Gulf Coast University placed #22 among the highest-paying schools for environmental engineering. Set in the suburb of Fort Myers, Florida Gulf Coast University is a public institution. Students who complete the environmental engineering program here go on to a median salary of roughly $79,256.
North Carolina State University At Raleigh earned the #23 position for environmental engineering graduate earnings this year. North Carolina State University At Raleigh is a public school located in the city of Raleigh. Students who complete the environmental engineering program here go on to a median salary of roughly $67,251.
University Of Florida placed #24 among the highest-paying schools for environmental engineering. University Of Florida is a public school located in the city of Gainesville. Students who complete the environmental engineering program here go on to a median salary of roughly $74,218.
University Of Vermont ranked #25 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying environmental engineering schools. University Of Vermont is a public school located in the city of Burlington. Students who complete the environmental engineering program here go on to a median salary of roughly $71,254.
Not far behind, these schools also produced high-earning environmental engineering graduates:
Looking for a different degree level? Compare highest-paid Environmental Engineering rankings across degree levels:
This ranking is produced by College Factual, 2026 edition. Schools are ranked on the median early-career earnings of their environmental engineering graduates, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard field-of-study earnings and IPEDS).
Ranking method: College Major Earnings · 43 schools evaluated.
*Salary figures reflect median early-career earnings (about 5 years after graduation) and may vary by how long a person takes to complete their degree.
More about our data sources and methodologies.
