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 6 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 New York. Set in the city of Troy, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is a private not-for-profit institution. After graduating, environmental engineering degree recipients from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute typically earn about $88,236 annually.
Students chasing top earnings in environmental engineering will find them at Cornell University, which ranked #2. Located in the city of Ithaca, Cornell University is a private not-for-profit institution. After graduating, environmental engineering degree recipients from Cornell University typically earn about $87,212 annually.
Students chasing top earnings in environmental engineering will find them at Cuny City College, which ranked #3. Cuny City College is a public school located in the city of New York. Environmental Engineering graduates of Cuny City College earn a median of about $81,630 a year early in their careers.
Strong graduate earnings at Clarkson University earned it the #4 place for environmental engineering. Located in the town of Potsdam, Clarkson University is a private not-for-profit institution. Students who complete the environmental engineering program here go on to a median salary of roughly $73,390.
University At Buffalo produces some of the highest-paid graduates in environmental engineering, landing the #5 spot this year. Set in the suburb of Buffalo, University At Buffalo is a public institution. Students who complete the environmental engineering program here go on to a median salary of roughly $74,767.
Syracuse University ranked #6 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying environmental engineering schools. Set in the city of Syracuse, Syracuse University is a private not-for-profit institution. Students who complete the environmental engineering program here go on to a median salary of roughly $49,297.
This ranking is produced by College Factual, 2026 edition. The methodology measures the salaries environmental engineering graduates go on to earn early in their careers, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard field-of-study earnings and IPEDS).
Ranking method: College Major Earnings · 6 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.