Best cities for a wastewater engineer
The best cities for wastewater engineers are Seattle, WA, Portland, OR, and Albuquerque, NM, based on factors like average salary and job availability per capita. Jobs and pay for wastewater engineers vary across the country, but we've determined the ten best cities for wastewater engineers in the U.S.
Whether you're starting your career as a wastewater engineer or considering a move, this list of the best cities for wastewater engineers to live in will help you decide. These aren't just the best-paying cities for wastewater engineers. We also consider how easy it is to find work as a wastewater engineer. While the absolute best city for wastewater engineers is Seattle, WA, there are plenty of other great places to consider.
Keep reading to learn more about the best cities for wastewater engineers in 2024.
If you're looking for a wastewater engineer job, here are five companies hiring now:
10 best cities for wastewater engineers in 2025
1. Seattle, WA
Total wastewater engineer jobs: 10 Average annual salary: $107,610 Lowest 10 percent warn: $69,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $167,000 Location quotient: 1.93 2. Portland, OR
Total wastewater engineer jobs: 3 Average annual salary: $109,116 Lowest 10 percent warn: $70,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $169,000 Location quotient: 1.44 3. Albuquerque, NM
Total wastewater engineer jobs: 1 Average annual salary: $92,068 Lowest 10 percent warn: $58,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $145,000 Location quotient: 1.22 4. Philadelphia, PA
Total wastewater engineer jobs: 3 Average annual salary: $89,049 Lowest 10 percent warn: $58,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $134,000 Location quotient: 1.01 5. Detroit, MI
Total wastewater engineer jobs: 0 Average annual salary: $92,645 Lowest 10 percent warn: $61,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $140,000 Location quotient: 0.00 6. Lexington, KY
Total wastewater engineer jobs: 2 Average annual salary: $83,554 Lowest 10 percent warn: $53,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $130,000 Location quotient: 5.24 7. Las Vegas, NV
Total wastewater engineer jobs: 0 Average annual salary: $95,208 Lowest 10 percent warn: $61,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $148,000 Location quotient: 0.00 8. North Las Vegas, NV
Total wastewater engineer jobs: 0 Average annual salary: $95,048 Lowest 10 percent warn: $61,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $147,000 Location quotient: 0.00 9. Nashville, TN
Total wastewater engineer jobs: 1 Average annual salary: $86,261 Lowest 10 percent warn: $54,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $136,000 Location quotient: 0.62 10. Henderson, NV
Total wastewater engineer jobs: 0 Average annual salary: $95,006 Lowest 10 percent warn: $61,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $147,000 Location quotient: 0.00
Best cities for wastewater engineers
- Seattle, WA
- Portland, OR
- Albuquerque, NM
- Philadelphia, PA
- Detroit, MI
- Lexington, KY
- Las Vegas, NV
- North Las Vegas, NV
- Nashville, TN
- Henderson, NV
- (10 wastewater engineer jobs)
- (3 wastewater engineer jobs)
- (1 wastewater engineer jobs)
- (3 wastewater engineer jobs)
- (0 wastewater engineer jobs)
- (2 wastewater engineer jobs)
- (0 wastewater engineer jobs)
- (0 wastewater engineer jobs)
- (1 wastewater engineer jobs)
- (0 wastewater engineer jobs)
Detailed list of the best cities for a wastewater engineer
| Rank | City | Average salary | Lowest 10% Earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Seattle, WA | $107,610 | $69,000 | 704,352 | 10 |
| 2 | Portland, OR | $109,116 | $70,000 | 639,863 | 3 |
| 3 | Albuquerque, NM | $92,068 | $58,000 | 559,277 | 1 |
| 4 | Philadelphia, PA | $89,049 | $58,000 | 1,567,872 | 3 |
| 5 | Detroit, MI | $92,645 | $61,000 | 672,795 | - |
| 6 | Lexington, KY | $83,554 | $53,000 | 318,449 | 2 |
| 7 | Las Vegas, NV | $95,208 | $61,000 | 632,912 | - |
| 8 | North Las Vegas, NV | $95,048 | $61,000 | 238,702 | - |
| 9 | Nashville, TN | $86,261 | $54,000 | 660,388 | 1 |
| 10 | Henderson, NV | $95,006 | $61,000 | 292,969 | - |
| 11 | New Orleans, LA | $103,677 | $63,000 | 391,495 | - |
| 12 | Chandler, AZ | $90,160 | $58,000 | 247,477 | 1 |
| 13 | Reno, NV | $98,339 | $63,000 | 245,255 | - |
| 14 | Pittsburgh, PA | $85,972 | $56,000 | 303,625 | 2 |
| 15 | San Antonio, TX | $90,787 | $56,000 | 1,492,510 | 1 |
| 16 | Sacramento, CA | $109,569 | $71,000 | 495,234 | 1 |
| 17 | El Paso, TX | $94,203 | $60,000 | 683,080 | - |
| 18 | Phoenix, AZ | $90,289 | $58,000 | 1,615,017 | 3 |
| 19 | Memphis, TN | $85,209 | $53,000 | 652,717 | - |
| 20 | Austin, TX | $90,579 | $56,000 | 947,890 | 1 |
| 21 | Laredo, TX | $90,239 | $55,000 | 257,156 | - |
| 22 | Corpus Christi, TX | $89,618 | $55,000 | 325,733 | - |
| 23 | Lubbock, TX | $90,470 | $57,000 | 252,506 | - |
| 24 | Houston, TX | $89,557 | $55,000 | 2,303,482 | - |
| 25 | San Francisco, CA | $109,992 | $71,000 | 870,887 | - |
| 26 | Oakland, CA | $109,836 | $71,000 | 420,005 | - |
| 27 | Fremont, CA | $109,501 | $71,000 | 233,136 | - |
| 28 | San Jose, CA | $109,282 | $71,000 | 1,025,350 | - |
| 29 | Stockton, CA | $109,274 | $71,000 | 307,072 | - |
| 30 | Glendale, AZ | $90,328 | $58,000 | 245,895 | - |
| 31 | Scottsdale, AZ | $90,194 | $58,000 | 246,645 | - |
| 32 | Boston, MA | $97,993 | $62,000 | 673,184 | 2 |
| 33 | Gilbert, AZ | $90,120 | $58,000 | 237,133 | - |
| 34 | Mesa, AZ | $90,114 | $58,000 | 484,587 | - |
| 35 | Fort Worth, TX | $88,101 | $55,000 | 854,113 | - |
| 36 | Arlington, TX | $87,992 | $55,000 | 392,772 | - |
| 37 | Dallas, TX | $87,639 | $54,000 | 1,317,929 | - |
| 38 | Oklahoma City, OK | $81,007 | $50,000 | 638,367 | 1 |
| 39 | Irving, TX | $87,621 | $54,000 | 238,289 | - |
| 40 | Tucson, AZ | $89,658 | $57,000 | 530,706 | - |
| 41 | Garland, TX | $87,207 | $54,000 | 234,943 | - |
| 42 | Louisville, KY | $82,787 | $53,000 | 597,337 | - |
| 43 | Los Angeles, CA | $104,014 | $68,000 | 3,976,322 | 3 |
| 44 | Plano, TX | $87,013 | $54,000 | 286,057 | - |
| 45 | Fresno, CA | $107,495 | $69,000 | 522,053 | - |
| 46 | Anchorage, AK | $92,152 | $62,000 | 298,192 | - |
| 47 | Bakersfield, CA | $105,920 | $69,000 | 376,380 | - |
| 48 | Washington, DC | $109,007 | $72,000 | 681,170 | 1 |
| 49 | Long Beach, CA | $103,586 | $67,000 | 470,130 | - |
| 50 | Lincoln, NE | $77,562 | $49,000 | 280,364 | 1 |
Highest paying cities for wastewater engineers
| Rank | City | Avg. wastewater engineer salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Redding, CA | $107,844 |
| 2 | Seattle, WA | $107,610 |
| 3 | Reading, MA | $97,545 |
| 4 | Piscataway, NJ | $94,587 |
| 5 | Baltimore, MD | $93,837 |
| 6 | Southfield, MI | $92,595 |
| 7 | Philadelphia, PA | $89,049 |
| 8 | Sarasota, FL | $81,904 |
| 9 | Chicago, IL | $81,729 |
| 10 | Stockbridge, GA | $80,424 |
| 11 | Dubuque, IA | $79,986 |
| 12 | Denver, CO | $78,728 |
| 13 | Charlotte, NC | $77,847 |
| 14 | Appleton, WI | $75,347 |
| 15 | Duluth, MN | $74,435 |
| 16 | Salt Lake City, UT | $72,144 |
| 17 | Indianapolis, IN | $70,603 |
Wastewater engineer best cities FAQs
Have more questions? See all answers to common architecture and engineering questions.
Search for wastewater engineer jobs
Updated January 8, 2025