by our College Data Analytics Team
[Environmental Engineering](/majors/engineering/environmental-engineering/) programs reward a close look at where graduates go on to earn the most. A top-earning program sends graduates into careers with strong starting pay.
College Factual analyzed 43 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the highest-paying environmental engineering schools.
What’s on this page:
Where you study environmental engineering affects what graduates go on to earn. That is why we built our Highest Paid Environmental Engineering Graduates ranking. We rank each school on the early-career earnings of its environmental engineering graduates to surface the highest-paying programs.
Read more about our methodology
Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we offer several rankings, including this Highest Paid Environmental Engineering Graduates list, to help you choose. Want schools in a particular part of the country? Narrow the list by region or state.
Want to compare schools head to head? Try our College Combat tool to weigh the factors that matter most to you.
If you want to know which schools send environmental engineering graduates into the highest-paying careers, see the list below.
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute earned the #1 spot for highest-paid environmental engineering graduates in the United States. 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.
California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo produces some of the highest-paid graduates in environmental engineering, landing the #2 spot this year. Located in the suburb of San Luis Obispo, California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo is a public institution. Early-career environmental engineering graduates from California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo make a median of around $86,311 per year.
Students chasing top earnings in environmental engineering will find them at Georgia Institute Of Technology Main Campus, which ranked #3. Georgia Institute Of Technology Main Campus is a public school located in the city of Atlanta. After graduating, environmental engineering degree recipients from Georgia Institute Of Technology Main Campus typically earn about $86,952 annually.
Texas Tech University came in at #4 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying environmental engineering schools. Set in the city of Lubbock, Texas Tech University is a public institution. Students who complete the environmental engineering program here go on to a median salary of roughly $76,708.
Cornell University produces some of the highest-paid graduates in environmental engineering, landing the #5 spot this year. 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.
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Colorado School Of Mines ranked #6 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying environmental engineering schools. Located in the suburb of Golden, Colorado School Of Mines is a public institution. After graduating, environmental engineering degree recipients from Colorado School Of Mines typically earn about $83,766 annually.
Ohio State University Main Campus came in at #7 for environmental engineering graduate earnings this year. Located in the city of Columbus, Ohio State University Main Campus is a public institution. After graduating, environmental engineering degree recipients from Ohio State University Main Campus typically earn about $84,092 annually.
Oregon State University ranked #8 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying environmental engineering schools. Set in the city of Corvallis, Oregon State University is a public institution. After graduating, environmental engineering degree recipients from Oregon State University typically earn about $81,214 annually.
University Of Delaware placed #9 among the highest-paying schools for environmental engineering. University Of Delaware is a public school located in the suburb of Newark. After graduating, environmental engineering degree recipients from University Of Delaware typically earn about $82,285 annually.
Clemson University ranked #10 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying environmental engineering schools. Clemson University is a public school located in the suburb of Clemson. Environmental Engineering graduates of Clemson University earn a median of about $78,185 a year early in their careers.
Purdue University Main Campus came in at #11 for environmental engineering graduate earnings this year. Purdue University Main Campus is a public school located in the city of West Lafayette. Early-career environmental engineering graduates from Purdue University Main Campus make a median of around $71,861 per year.
University Of Colorado Boulder came in at #12 for environmental engineering graduate earnings this year. University Of Colorado Boulder is a public school located in the city of Boulder. Environmental Engineering graduates of University Of Colorado Boulder earn a median of about $84,918 a year early in their careers.
University Of Wisconsin Platteville ranked #13 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying environmental engineering schools. University Of Wisconsin Platteville is a public school located in the town of Platteville. After graduating, environmental engineering degree recipients from University Of Wisconsin Platteville typically earn about $74,875 annually.
Colorado State University Fort Collins earned the #14 position for environmental engineering graduate earnings this year. Set in the city of Fort Collins, Colorado State University Fort Collins is a public institution. Students who complete the environmental engineering program here go on to a median salary of roughly $77,901.
Cuny City College placed #15 among the highest-paying schools for environmental engineering. Located in the city of New York, Cuny City College is a public institution. Environmental Engineering graduates of Cuny City College earn a median of about $81,630 a year early in their careers.
University Of Michigan Ann Arbor landed the #16 spot for environmental engineering salaries this year. Set in the city of Ann Arbor, University Of Michigan Ann Arbor is a public institution. Early-career environmental engineering graduates from University Of Michigan Ann Arbor make a median of around $88,990 per year.
Drexel University came in at #17 for environmental engineering graduate earnings this year. Drexel University is a private not-for-profit school located in the city of Philadelphia. Students who complete the environmental engineering program here go on to a median salary of roughly $78,581.
Michigan Technological University ranked #18 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying environmental engineering schools. Located in the town of Houghton, Michigan Technological University is a public institution. Early-career environmental engineering graduates from Michigan Technological University make a median of around $77,977 per year.
Clarkson University came in at #19 for environmental engineering graduate earnings this year. 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 Of New Hampshire Main Campus came in at #20 for environmental engineering graduate earnings this year. Located in the town of Durham, University Of New Hampshire Main Campus is a public institution. After graduating, environmental engineering degree recipients from University Of New Hampshire Main Campus typically earn about $80,259 annually.
University Of California Riverside ranked #21 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying environmental engineering schools. University Of California Riverside is a public school located in the city of Riverside. Early-career environmental engineering graduates from University Of California Riverside make a median of around $81,979 per year.
Florida Gulf Coast University ranked #22 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying environmental engineering schools. Florida Gulf Coast University is a public school located in the suburb of Fort Myers. Early-career environmental engineering graduates from Florida Gulf Coast University make a median of around $79,256 per year.
North Carolina State University At Raleigh landed the #23 spot for environmental engineering salaries this year. Located in the city of Raleigh, North Carolina State University At Raleigh is a public institution. Early-career environmental engineering graduates from North Carolina State University At Raleigh make a median of around $67,251 per year.
University Of Florida placed #24 among the highest-paying schools for environmental engineering. Located in the city of Gainesville, University Of Florida is a public institution. Early-career environmental engineering graduates from University Of Florida make a median of around $74,218 per year.
University Of Vermont ranked #25 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying environmental engineering schools. Located in the city of Burlington, University Of Vermont is a public institution. Early-career environmental engineering graduates from University Of Vermont make a median of around $71,254 per year.
Not far behind, these schools also produced high-earning environmental engineering graduates:
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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 · 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.
