by our College Data Analytics TeamA major in General Environmental Engineering explores Environmental/environmental Health Engineering. A Program That Prepares Individuals To Apply Mathematical And Scientific Principles To The Design, Development And Operational Evaluation Of Systems For Controlling Contained Living Environments And For Monitoring And Controlling Factors In The External Natural Environment, Including Pollution Control, Waste And Hazardous Material Disposal, Health And Safety Protection, Conservation, Life Support, And Requirements For Protection Of Special Materials And Related Work Environments. Examples: [Environmental Engineering], [Environmental Management Engineering]. Continue reading for the important information every general environmental engineering student should know — including career paths, salary data, the skills you will develop, and the best colleges offering general environmental engineering programs.
Nationwide, general environmental engineering draws strong interest, with 2,844 degrees awarded annually.
Our 2026 Best General Environmental Engineering Schools ranking analyzes these 157 schools to determine the best overall colleges for general environmental engineering students. Continue reading to check out one of our many unbiased rankings of general environmental engineering programs later in this article.
Studies in General Environmental Engineering build a specific mix of skills, knowledge, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in the occupations general environmental engineering graduates commonly enter.
Skills developed in a general environmental engineering program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:
Based on O*NET data, a general environmental engineering major emphasizes the following knowledge areas:
There are several general environmental engineering degree levels. The table below shows the typical length of the most common levels, and how many graduates earn each one.
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Associate Degree | 2 years | 1 |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 1,858 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 831 |
| Doctorate | At least 4 years | 154 |
People currently working in careers related to general environmental engineering tend to have obtained the following education levels.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Doctoral degree | 34.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree | 28.1% |
| Master’s degree | 11.6% |
| Post-master’s certificate | 10.8% |
| Post-doctoral training | 10.1% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 1.8% |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 1.5% |
| First professional degree | 1.0% |
| Postsecondary certificate | 0.8% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 0.2% |
See the chart below to get an idea of what level of education most of those in general environmental engineering careers hold.
Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*
Studying general environmental engineering opens doors to a variety of career paths. These are some of the most common occupations related to general environmental engineering.
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to general environmental engineering.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Engineering Teachers, Postsecondary | 1,297,204 | -2.0% |
| Biofuels/Biodiesel Technology and Product Development Managers | 440,884 | 8.0% |
| Fire-Prevention and Protection Engineers | 334,450 | -0.8% |
| Architectural and Engineering Managers | 207,139 | 9.0% |
| Health and Safety Engineers, Except Mining Safety Engineers and Inspectors | 101,952 | 0.4% |
| Environmental Engineers | 83,613 | 9.8% |
The U.S. Department of Education tracks median earnings of general environmental engineering graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. These numbers tend to grow as graduates gain experience.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $65,973 |
| 4 years | $73,709 |
| 5 years | $82,616 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.
Salaries for general environmental engineering graduates vary widely by occupation. The following table shows the top highest-paying careers general environmental engineering grads often go into.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Fire-Prevention and Protection Engineers | $122,967 |
| Health and Safety Engineers, Except Mining Safety Engineers and Inspectors | $122,201 |
| Architectural and Engineering Managers | $101,277 |
| Biofuels/Biodiesel Technology and Product Development Managers | $89,263 |
| Environmental Engineers | $79,896 |
| Engineering Teachers, Postsecondary | $79,889 |
With 157 different general environmental engineering programs to choose from, finding the best fit can be a challenge. We have analyzed these schools to produce unbiased general environmental engineering school rankings to help you.
More about our data sources and methodologies.
