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Water engineer salary
Average water engineer salary
$98,752
Understanding Water Engineer Salaries
The average salary for a water engineer in the United States is $98,752 per year. Salaries vary significantly based on factors such as location, years of experience, and specific job roles. For instance, entry-level positions may start lower, while seasoned professionals command higher wages.
Salary by State
Geographic location greatly influences earnings. States like California and Texas typically offer higher salaries due to demand for skilled engineers. For example, water engineers in California can expect salaries that exceed the national average.
Impact of Experience
Experience also plays a critical role in salary determination. Entry-level positions might start around $70,000, while highly experienced engineers can earn upwards of $120,000 annually. With additional certifications and specialization, professionals can further increase their earning potential.
Job Opportunities
Water engineers find employment in various sectors including government agencies, environmental organizations, and private firms. The demand for water engineers is expected to rise, offering numerous opportunities for growth and advancement in the field.
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Where can a Water Engineer earn more?
Water engineer salaries by experience level
Water engineer salary estimates from across the web
Average water engineer salary by state
The highest-paying states for water engineers are California, Idaho, and Washington. The lowest average water engineer salary states are Wisconsin, Ohio, and Minnesota.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for water engineers
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $124,121 | $59.67 |
| 2 | Idaho | $120,169 | $57.77 |
| 3 | Washington | $109,483 | $52.64 |
| 4 | Oregon | $106,943 | $51.41 |
| 5 | Nevada | $106,317 | $51.11 |
| 6 | Texas | $104,485 | $50.23 |
| 7 | Virginia | $103,609 | $49.81 |
| 8 | District of Columbia | $109,141 | $52.47 |
| 9 | Colorado | $99,564 | $47.87 |
| 10 | Louisiana | $105,411 | $50.68 |
| 11 | Arizona | $95,833 | $46.07 |
| 12 | Maine | $106,096 | $51.01 |
| 13 | New Mexico | $101,825 | $48.95 |
| 14 | Massachusetts | $98,320 | $47.27 |
| 15 | West Virginia | $94,447 | $45.41 |
| 16 | New Hampshire | $96,966 | $46.62 |
| 17 | Vermont | $94,426 | $45.40 |
| 18 | North Dakota | $94,798 | $45.58 |
| 19 | Utah | $92,153 | $44.30 |
| 20 | Michigan | $93,308 | $44.86 |
| 21 | Illinois | $94,244 | $45.31 |
| 22 | Delaware | $92,367 | $44.41 |
| 23 | Connecticut | $99,193 | $47.69 |
| 24 | Oklahoma | $95,565 | $45.94 |
| 25 | Maryland | $93,612 | $45.01 |
| 26 | Arkansas | $92,840 | $44.63 |
| 27 | Nebraska | $89,701 | $43.13 |
| 28 | Alaska | $93,712 | $45.05 |
| 29 | New Jersey | $93,796 | $45.09 |
| 30 | Rhode Island | $91,752 | $44.11 |
| 31 | Kentucky | $91,781 | $44.13 |
| 32 | Pennsylvania | $88,144 | $42.38 |
| 33 | New York | $88,917 | $42.75 |
| 34 | Montana | $88,382 | $42.49 |
| 35 | Florida | $84,969 | $40.85 |
| 36 | Kansas | $88,300 | $42.45 |
| 37 | Georgia | $85,565 | $41.14 |
| 38 | Tennessee | $87,404 | $42.02 |
| 39 | Iowa | $86,299 | $41.49 |
| 40 | North Carolina | $82,082 | $39.46 |
| 41 | Alabama | $79,464 | $38.20 |
| 42 | Wyoming | $80,294 | $38.60 |
| 43 | South Dakota | $82,209 | $39.52 |
| 44 | Wisconsin | $77,493 | $37.26 |
| 45 | Mississippi | $84,284 | $40.52 |
| 46 | Minnesota | $77,055 | $37.05 |
| 47 | Indiana | $76,969 | $37.00 |
| 48 | Ohio | $77,154 | $37.09 |
| 49 | South Carolina | $78,140 | $37.57 |
| 50 | Hawaii | $67,976 | $32.68 |
| 51 | Missouri | $73,292 | $35.24 |
Highest paying cities for water engineers
The highest-paying cities for water engineers are San Francisco, CA, Corvallis, OR, and San Antonio, TX.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco, CA | $133,022 | $63.95 |
| 2 | Corvallis, OR | $108,265 | $52.05 |
| 3 | San Antonio, TX | $105,129 | $50.54 |
| 4 | Virginia Beach, VA | $104,254 | $50.12 |
| 5 | Colorado Springs, CO | $100,457 | $48.30 |
| 6 | Phoenix, AZ | $96,276 | $46.29 |
| 7 | Chicago, IL | $94,403 | $45.39 |
| 8 | Kearny, NJ | $93,721 | $45.06 |
| 9 | Bowie, MD | $93,707 | $45.05 |
| 10 | Taylorsville, UT | $91,961 | $44.21 |
| 11 | New York, NY | $89,127 | $42.85 |
| 12 | Philadelphia, PA | $88,555 | $42.57 |
| 13 | Orlando, FL | $85,986 | $41.34 |
| 14 | Atlanta, GA | $85,197 | $40.96 |
| 15 | Akron, OH | $78,035 | $37.52 |
Water engineer salary details
A water engineer's salary ranges from $69,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $140,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a water engineer's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $140,000 | $11,667 | $67 |
| 75th Percentile | $118,000 | $9,833 | $57 |
| Average | $98,752 | $8,229 | $47 |
| 25th Percentile | $81,000 | $6,750 | $39 |
| 10th Percentile | $69,000 | $5,750 | $33 |
Highest paying water engineer jobs
The highest paying types of water engineers are director water and waste services, wastewater design engineer, and engineer.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wastewater Project Engineer | $76,181 | $6,348 | $36.63 | 23,130 |
| Water/Wastewater Engineer | $85,682 | $7,140 | $41.19 | 7,052 |
| Engineer | $92,076 | $7,673 | $44.27 | 618,207 |
| Water Resources Engineer | $80,432 | $6,703 | $38.67 | 38,911 |
Top companies hiring water engineers now:
Which companies pay water engineers the most?
Water engineer salaries at Chevron and Samsung Electronics Device Solutions (Semiconductor & Display) are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average water engineer salary at companies like Goodwin Recruiting and Projects are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chevron | $131,981 | $63.45 |
| 2 | Samsung Electronics Device Solutions (Semiconductor & Display) | $113,676 | $54.65 |
| 3 | Goodwin Recruiting | $112,715 | $54.19 |
| 4 | Projects | $108,049 | $51.95 |
| 5 | Jacobs Enterprises | $107,713 | $51.79 |
| 6 | Colorado State Express | $107,712 | $51.78 |
| 7 | Texas Instruments | $107,258 | $51.57 |
| 8 | National Water Main Cleaning | $106,278 | $51.10 |
| 9 | Ghd Inc | $105,854 | $50.89 |
| 10 | Associated University | $105,452 | $50.70 |
| 11 | Snc-lavalin Project Services, Inc. | $105,365 | $50.66 |
| 12 | Aquatech | $104,868 | $50.42 |
| 13 | Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts | $103,328 | $49.68 |
| 14 | Cliffs | $102,281 | $49.17 |
| 15 | Tesla | $101,753 | $48.92 |
| 16 | Los Alamos National Laboratory | $101,482 | $48.79 |
| 17 | Hyatt Hotels | $98,833 | $47.52 |
| 18 | Micron Technology | $98,369 | $47.29 |
| 19 | Oak Ridge Associated Universities, Inc. | $98,187 | $47.21 |
| 20 | Intel | $96,845 | $46.56 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Water Engineer salary by industry
The average water engineer salary varies across industries:
- The average water engineer salary in the insurance industry is $107,605, the highest of any industry.
- The average water engineer salary in the finance industry is $104,209.
- Water engineers in the professional industry earn an average salary of $75,161, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for water engineers
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Insurance | $107,605 | $51.73 |
| 2 | Manufacturing | $104,209 | $50.10 |
| 3 | Technology | $79,968 | $38.45 |
| 4 | Professional | $75,161 | $36.14 |
High paying water engineer jobs
Water engineer salary trends
The average water engineer salary has risen by $14,011 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average water engineer earned $84,741 annually, but today, they earn $98,752 a year. That works out to a 9% change in pay for water engineers over the last decade.
Compare water engineer salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average water engineer salary over time
Compare water engineer salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Water engineer salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $98,800 | $47.48 | +3.5% |
| 2024 | $95,300 | $45.80 | +1.4% |
| 2023 | $93,900 | $45.16 | +0.9% |
| 2022 | $93,000 | $44.74 | +2.2% |
| 2021 | $91,000 | $43.75 | +0.4% |
Recently added water engineer salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arcadis | Water Engineer | Rochester, NY | 06/29/2025 | $70,000 |
| Tandmassociates | Principal Water Engineer | Columbus, OH | 06/29/2025 | $104,500 |
| Aecom | Senior Water Engineer | Kansas City, MO | 06/27/2025 | $100,000 |
| Allstem Connections | Ultra-Pure Water Engineer | Boise, ID | 06/27/2025 | $120,316 |
| American Water Resources Association | Utilities Senior Water Engineer | Riverside, CA | 06/26/2025 | $131,616 |
| Colorado Springs Utilities | Water Rights Engineer III/IV | Colorado Springs, CO | 06/26/2025 | $107,120 |
| Peckham & McKenney Executive Search | Utilities Senior Water Engineer-City of | Riverside, CA | 06/26/2025 | $131,616 |
| Liberty Behavioral & Community Services | Class 2 Water Treatment Engineer | West Virginia | 06/25/2025 | $52,175 |
| Gannett Fleming | Senior Water Engineer (Large Diameter Water Lines) | Houston, TX | 06/21/2025 | $138,000 |
| Stantec Inc. | Water Reuse Engineer | Las Vegas, NV | 06/21/2025 | $88,300 |
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