Environmental Engineering Degree in St. Louis, MO — Salary & ROI 2026
Environmental Engineering degree analysis for St. Louis, MO. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$63K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$92K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
2.9 yrs
in St. Louis
Cost of Living
97
index (100 = avg)
Environmental Engineering in St. Louis, MO Overview
St. Louis is one of Missouri's top college towns, with 23 institutions and a student population of 23,342. Public tuition averages $12,343/year here — near the national average for public universities. Environmental Engineering has seen growing enrollment nationally, reflecting rising employer demand for Water Treatment and Air Quality skills. The adjusted starting salary in St. Louis is approximately $63,050.
Category
Engineering
Local Colleges
23
Public Tuition
$12,343/yr
Private Tuition
$55,255/yr
Room & Board
$8,721/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$9,996/yr
Unemployment
4.5%
Graduation Rate
48%
Environmental Engineering Salary in St. Louis (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for St. Louis's cost of living index of 97 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Environmental Engineering salary: $65,000 starting, $95,000 mid-career, $120,000 senior level.St. Louis adjustment factor: 0.97x based on the local cost of living index.
Environmental Engineering ROI Calculator for St. Louis
Estimate your return on investment for a Environmental Engineering degree using local St. Louis tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $12,343 | Private avg: $55,255
St. Louis avg aid: $9,996/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$84,256
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$29,100
vs HS diploma in St. Louis
ROI Payback Period
2.9 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in St. Louis
$643,244
Lifetime earnings premium ($727,500) minus total education cost ($84,256)
Student Loan Payoff for Environmental Engineering in St. Louis
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in St. Louis for Environmental Engineering
Washington University in St. Louis
private
$60,590/yr
$242,360 total
Saint Louis University
private
$49,920/yr
$199,680 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
St. Louis Community College
$3,600/yr
Top Employers for Environmental Engineering in St. Louis
St. Louis offers opportunities in Engineering firms, Manufacturing, Defense contractors for Environmental Engineering graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key St. Louis Hiring Sectors for Engineering
Engineering firms
Manufacturing
Defense contractors
Energy companies
Construction firms
Common Environmental Engineering Job Titles
Environmental Engineering in Nearby Missouri Cities
Kansas City, MO
$61K starting · COL 94
44 colleges
Springfield, MO
$52K starting · COL 80
5 colleges
Columbia, MO
$55K starting · COL 84
10 colleges
Independence, MO
$56K starting · COL 85.8
5 colleges
Lee's Summit, MO
$62K starting · COL 95.5
4 colleges
OFallon, MO
$57K starting · COL 87.3
4 colleges
St. Joseph, MO
$59K starting · COL 90.4
3 colleges
St. Charles, MO
$54K starting · COL 83.4
3 colleges
Other Engineering Majors in St. Louis
Petroleum Engineering
$49K starting · 2.5 yr ROI
Computer Engineering
$49K starting · 3 yr ROI
Chemical Engineering
$80K starting · 3.2 yr ROI
Nuclear Engineering
$49K starting · 3.3 yr ROI
Electrical Engineering
$78K starting · 3.3 yr ROI
Aerospace Engineering
$78K starting · 3.5 yr ROI
Mechanical Engineering
$76K starting · 3.5 yr ROI
Mining Engineering
$49K starting · 3 yr ROI
Environmental Engineering Degree in St. Louis — FAQ
Data Sources: Salary data from BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook. Cost of living from BLS Regional Data. College data from NCES/IPEDS. Updated March 2026.
Explore More
Compare Environmental Engineering ROI in other cities, or explore other majors in St. Louis.