Is Environmental Engineer the Right STEM Career for Your Personality?

Home › STEM Compass › Careers › Environmental Engineer

+4%Growth 2024–34

7Traits it runs on

EngineeringFamily

PracticalityMeticulousnessCommunicationDetailCollaborationPatienceDataPlanet & EnvironmentHealth & HealingCommunity & Education

What the work is worth. Whether a neighborhood's water is safe and its air is breathable is often decided by an environmental engineer. It is public health, built.

An ordinary day. Design systems for clean water, waste treatment, air quality, and site remediation; model pollution; work with regulators and communities.

The path in. Bachelor's in environmental, civil, or chemical engineering.

From zero. The STEM Farm Energy / Utilities / Environmental Technology track starts at zero-STEM intake and ends in this kind of work, with verified proof at every gate.

Take the STEM Compass assessment Zero to Environmental Engineer →

The personality behind the work

Practicality. You are drawn to building functional things — physical or digital — that work in the real world.
Meticulousness. You record exact notes and follow strict procedures without being told to.
Communication. You can turn a complex finding into a clear story for people who do not share your training.
Detail Orientation. You remember complex facts and catch small errors before they become large ones.
Collaboration. You work well inside large teams with strict deadlines and shared ownership.
Patience. You accept that real proof takes months or years of testing, and you can wait for it.
Numbers & Data Affinity. You like living in numbers, tables, and measurements; quantitative work feels natural.

The assessment scores each of these traits from 0 to 100 and reports where this role would stretch you as well as where you already meet it.

Other careers in Engineering

Aerospace Engineer+6%Chemical Engineer+3%Civil Engineer+5%Electrical Engineer+7%Industrial Engineer+11%Marine Engineer & Naval Architect+6%Mechanical Engineer+9%

Environmental Engineer by labor market

Every commuting zone in the country, biggest first. Each page carries that market's real economy and the counties inside it.

Newark, NJ New York, NY Los Angeles–Long Beach–Anaheim, CA Chicago, IL Dallas, TX Fort Worth, TX Houston, TX Atlanta, GA Washington, DC Miami, FL Philadelphia, PA Phoenix–Mesa–Scottsdale, AZ Boston, MA–NH San Francisco–Oakland, CA Detroit, MI Seattle–Tacoma, WA Minneapolis, MN Tampa–St. Petersburg, FL San Diego, CA Denver–Aurora, CO Orlando, FL Charlotte, NC–SC Baltimore, MD St. Louis, MO San Antonio, TX Austin, TX Portland, OR–WA Sacramento, CA Pittsburgh, PA Las Vegas–Henderson–Paradise, NV Cincinnati, OH–KY Kansas City, MO–KS Columbus, OH Indianapolis, IN Nashville-Davidson, TN Murfreesboro, TN Cleveland, OH San Jose, CA Virginia Beach, VA Newport News, VA Jacksonville, FL Providence, RI–MA Raleigh, NC Milwaukee, WI Oklahoma City, OK Louisville/Jefferson County, KY–IN Richmond, VA Memphis, TN–MS–AR Salt Lake City, UT Fresno, CA Birmingham, AL Grand Rapids, MI Hartford, CT Buffalo, NY Tucson, AZ Tulsa, OK Rochester, NY Greenville, SC Omaha, NE–IA New Orleans, LA Knoxville, TN Bradenton–Sarasota–Venice, FL Bakersfield, CA Albuquerque, NM McAllen, TX Albany–Schenectady, NY Charleston, SC Baton Rouge, LA Allentown–Bethlehem, PA–NJ El Paso, TX–NM Columbia, SC Cape Coral, FL Lakeland, FL Boise City, ID Dayton, OH Stockton, CA Colorado Springs, CO Little Rock, AR Des Moines, IA Daytona Beach–Palm Coast–Port Orange, FL Winston-Salem, NC Madison, WI Wichita, KS Syracuse, NY Augusta-Richmond County consolidated government (balance), GA Fayetteville–Springdale–Rogers, AR–MO Harrisburg, PA Jackson, MS Spokane, WA Toledo, OH–MI Chattanooga, TN–GA Reno, NV–CA Portland, ME Scranton, PA Port St. Lucie, FL Huntsville, AL Pensacola, FL–AL Lexington-Fayette, KY Killeen, TX Springfield, MO Wilmington, NC Lansing, MI Fort Wayne, IN Springfield, MA–CT Santa Barbara, CA Savannah, GA Brownsville, TX Nashua, NH–MA Gulfport–Biloxi, MS Myrtle Beach–North Myrtle Beach, SC–NC Lafayette, LA Youngstown, OH Asheville, NC Mobile, AL Spartanburg, SC Anchorage, AK Canton, OH Trenton, NJ Tallahassee, FL Fayetteville, NC Montgomery, AL Shreveport, LA Eugene, OR Davenport, IA–IL Fort Collins, CO Hickory, NC Lubbock, TX Huntington, WV–KY–OH Peoria, IL Gainesville, FL Lincoln, NE Clarksville, TN–KY Rockford, IL Green Bay, WI Columbus, GA–AL South Bend, IN–MI Kennewick–Richland–Pasco, WA Roanoke, VA Sioux Falls, SD Longview, TX College Station–Bryan, TX Tuscaloosa, AL Duluth, MN–WI Cedar Rapids, IA Amarillo, TX Evansville, IN Fargo, ND–MN Lynchburg, VA Bend, OR Erie, PA Kalamazoo, MI Yakima, WA Prescott–Prescott Valley, AZ Tyler, TX Appleton, WI Lake Charles, LA Binghamton, NY Champaign, IL Fort Smith, AR–OK Topeka, KS Rochester, MN Panama City–Panama City Beach, FL Charlottesville, VA Lafayette, IN Burlington, VT Gainesville, GA Yuma, AZ–CA Athens-Clarke County, GA Monroe, LA Medford, OR Columbia, MO Jacksonville, NC Johnson City, TN St. George, UT Joplin, MO Warner Robins, GA Springfield, IL St. Cloud, MN Charleston, WV Houma, LA Bowling Green, KY Dover, DE Billings, MT Coeur d'Alene, ID Saginaw, MI Burlington, NC Abilene, TX Jackson, TN Greenville, NC Redding, CA Eau Claire, WI Idaho Falls, ID Odessa, TX La Crosse, WI–MN Terre Haute, IN Waterloo, IA Bloomington, IN Grand Junction, CO Logan, UT Kahului–Wailuku, HI Jackson, MI Hattiesburg, MS Bangor, ME State College, PA Traverse City–Garfield, MI Rapid City, SD Dothan, AL Valdosta, GA Wichita Falls, TX Rocky Mount, NC Alexandria, LA Dalton, GA Texarkana, TX–AR Sioux City, IA–NE–SD Albany, GA Morgantown, WV Harrisonburg, VA Bismarck, ND Jonesboro, AR Wausau, WI Manhattan, KS Morristown, TN Bozeman, MT Missoula, MT Elizabethtown–Radcliff, KY Wenatchee, WA Pittsfield, MA Ames, IA Mansfield, OH Twin Falls, ID San Angelo, TX Farmington, NM Altoona, PA St. Joseph, MO–KS Brunswick–St. Simons, GA Sheboygan, WI Anniston–Oxford, AL Owensboro, KY Muncie, IN Sandusky–Port Clinton, OH Williamsport, PA Steubenville–Weirton, OH–WV–PA Watertown, NY Beckley, WV Kankakee, IL Grand Forks, ND–MN Mankato, MN Gadsden, AL Cheyenne, WY Paducah, KY–IL Lima, OH Victoria, TX Hot Springs, AR Dubuque, IA–IL Decatur, IL Cape Girardeau, MO–IL Fairbanks, AK Pocatello, ID Parkersburg, WV–OH Columbus, IN Great Falls, MT Casper, WY Elmira, NY Grand Island, NE Minot, ND Lewiston, ID–WA Enid, OK Eagle Pass, TX Tupelo, MS Kearney, NE Ardmore, OK Cookeville, TN Lebanon, NH–VT Leesburg, VA Marion–Herrin, IL Mason City, IA Ottumwa, IA Willmar, MN Clovis, NM Meridian, MS Milledgeville, GA Pikeville, KY Pine Bluff, AR Richmond, KY Roanoke Rapids, NC Alexandria, MN Bardstown, KY Creston, IA Dublin, GA Farmville, VA Granite City, IL Hazard, KY Helena-West Helena, AR Henderson, KY Hilton Head Island, SC Marion, VA McComb, MS Mount Sterling, KY Quincy, IL Snyder, TX Starkville, MS Tifton, GA Yonkers, NY Alamosa, CO Bartlesville, OK Brainerd, MN Brookings, SD Brownwood, TX Burlington, IA–IL Columbia, TN Cumberland, MD–WV–PA Dickinson, ND Elko, NV Farmington, MO Fredericksburg, VA Garden City, KS Greendale–Lawrenceburg–Hidden Valley, IN–OH Greenville, MS Greenville, TX Hays, KS Houghton Lake, MI Kirksville, MO Lake City, FL Las Vegas, NM Milbank, SD Mitchell, SD Norfolk, NE North Platte, NE Oxford, MS Rice Lake, WI Safford, AZ Sedalia, MO Tallulah, LA Waynesville, NC West Plains, MO Aberdeen, SD Alliance, NE Americus, GA Batesville, AR Bluefield, WV–VA Bradford, PA–NY Cadillac, MI Centralia, IL Chamberlain, SD Columbus, NE De Queen, AR Dodge City, KS Douglas, GA Dumas, TX Edwards–Avon, CO Evanston, WY Findlay, OH Fort Leonard Wood–St. Robert–Waynesville, MO Germantown, MD Graham, TX Hammond, IN Hastings, NE Hutchinson, KS Marinette–Menominee, WI–MI Maysville, KY–OH McCook, NE Natchez, MS–LA O'Neill, NE Olney, IL Ord, NE Plainview, TX Portsmouth, OH–KY Somerset, KY Storm Lake, IA Warrenton–New Baltimore, VA Washington, NC Williston, ND Worthington, MN Yankton, SD Alice, TX Alpena, MI Altus, OK Andalusia, AL Andrews, NC Athens, OH Beloit, KS Boone, NC Bowman, ND Broken Bow, NE Carrington, ND Chillicothe, MO Colby, KS Concordia, KS Danville, KY Denison, IA El Dorado, AR Elkins, WV Emporia, KS Falls City, NE Fort Dodge, IA Gallup, NM Glasgow, KY Grafton, ND Greenwood, MS Guymon, OK Harrisburg, IL Jamestown, ND Lamar, CO Liberal, KS Lisbon, ND Lufkin, TX Marquette, MI McAlester, OK Mexia, TX Miami, OK Moberly, MO Mobridge, SD Muskogee, OK Nacogdoches, TX Nebraska City, NE Osceola, IA Otsego, MN Pampa, TX Parsons, KS Pierre, SD Platteville, WI Plattsburgh, NY Poplar Bluff, MO Pratt, KS Richfield, UT Salina, KS Scott City, KS Sidney, NE Sioux Center, IA Spirit Lake, IA Sterling, CO Tappahannock, VA The Dalles, OR Trenton, MO Valentine, NE Weatherford, OK Wise–Norton, VA Woodstock, GA Woodward, OK Aberdeen, WA Alpine, TX Ashland, WI Blytheville, AR Brady, TX Childress, TX Colstrip, MT Covington, VA Decorah, IA Devils Lake, ND Dyersburg, TN Gillette, WY Glasgow, MT Gonzales, TX Great Bend, KS Greensburg, IN Hamilton, AL Harrison, AR Heber Springs, AR Hobbs, NM Houghton–Hancock, MI Hugoton, KS Iowa Falls, IA Ironwood, MI–WI Jackson, WY Kalispell, MT Kenai, AK Kerrville, TX Klamath Falls–Altamont, OR Laramie, WY Lexington, VA Logansport, IN Martinsville, VA Maryville, MO Middlesborough, KY–TN Miles City, MT Mountain Home, AR Norton, KS Paris, TN Parkston, SD Petoskey, MI Rhinelander, WI Richmond, IN–OH Riverton, WY Rugby, ND Russellville, AR Sault Ste. Marie, MI Searcy, AR Shelby, MT Sheridan, WY Steamboat Springs, CO Stillwater, OK Susanville, CA Sweetwater, TX Uvalde, TX Vernal, UT Vernon, TX Village of Four Seasons, MO Vincennes, IN Washington Court House, OH Alamogordo, NM Atwood, KS Baker, MT Burley, ID Burlington, CO Chincoteague, VA Cody, WY Condon, OR Crescent City, CA Crossville, TN Goodland, KS Gunnison, CO Juneau, AK Keene, NH La Grande, OR Lewistown, MT Livingston, MT Ludington, MI Magnolia, AR McCall, ID Moab, UT Moses Lake, WA Nevada, MO Newport, OR North Eagle Butte, SD Philip, SD Plentywood, MT Price, UT Rock Springs, WY Roseau, MN Roseburg, OR Roswell, NM Salmon, ID Seminole, TX Sequim, WA Summersville, WV Toms River, NJ Torrington, WY Trinidad, CO Ukiah, CA Valley City, ND Winner, SD Akutan, AK Bethel, AK Buffalo, SD Burns, OR Chester, MT Delta, UT Dillingham, AK Dillon, MT Eastpoint, FL Enterprise, OR Eureka, CA Fort Stockton, TX Friday Harbor, WA Grand Marais, MN Haines, AK Harlan, KY Hilo, HI Honolulu, HI Hooper Bay, AK Hyannis, NE International Falls, MN John Day, OR Jordan, MT Kapaa, HI Ketchikan, AK Kodiak–Mill Bay, AK Kotzebue, AK Lakeview, OR Malta, MT Matador, TX Metlakatla, AK Nantucket, MA Nome, AK Petersburg, AK Presque Isle, ME Salida, CO Sanderson, TX Sitka, AK Skagway, AK Taos, NM Thompson Falls, MT Unalaska, AK Utqiaġvik, AK Vineyard Haven–Edgartown–Oak Bluffs, MA Winnett, MT Wrangell city and, AK Zapata–Medina, TX

How people searched for this

Questions people ask

What traits does a environmental engineer need?

Practicality, meticulousness, communication, detail orientation, collaboration, patience and numbers & data affinity. STEM Compass scores each of them and shows your gap or margin on every one.

How fast is environmental engineer employment growing?

+4% between 2024 and 2034 according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections.

How do I start from zero?

The STEM Farm Energy / Utilities / Environmental Technology track begins at zero-STEM intake — no degree, no experience assumed — and ends in this kind of work with verified proof at every gate.

Sources. Career traits, education paths and value lines are the STEM Compass assessment library. Employment growth is U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2024–2034. County economic types are USDA Economic Research Service County Typology Codes (2025); labor markets are Census commuting zones (2020). Salary is not shown anywhere in this campaign on purpose: the assessment measures fit and what the work is worth to the world.

Is Environmental Engineer your STEM career?