Water/Wastewater Engineers
Design or oversee projects involving provision of potable water, disposal of wastewater and sewage, or prevention of flood-related damage. Prepare environmental documentation for water resources, regulatory program compliance, data management and analysis, and field work. Perform hydraulic modeling and pipeline design.
Also called: Consulting Engineer, County Engineer, Dimensional Engineer, Engineer, Hydraulics Engineer, Hydrologic Modeler
Median pay
$100,840
Pay for the broader BLS group “Civil Engineers”
Pay range (10th–90th)
$68,240 – $163,220
People employed
367,840
Whole BLS group
Holland code
RIC
Realistic · Investigative · Conventional
Updated October 2026 · Data: O*NET 31.0 and BLS OEWS May 2025 · How we match careers
Is this career right for you?
These are the things that stand out in this job compared with other U.S. jobs (O*NET 31.0 work context). Answer honestly.
- 1.Do you want variety, with new tasks often?
- 2.Are you OK working more than 40 hours a week?
- 3.Are you comfortable sitting at a desk most of the day?
The hard parts
- Tight deadlines are common
Water/Wastewater Engineers pay by state
Highest-paying states
Annual median pay by state (50 states and DC with published data). Source: BLS OEWS May 2025, for the broader group “Civil Engineers”.
What water/wastewater engineers do
- 01Provide technical direction or supervision to junior engineers, engineering or computer-aided design (CAD) technicians, or other technical personnel.
- 02Review and critique proposals, plans, or designs related to water or wastewater treatment systems.
- 03Design domestic or industrial water or wastewater treatment plants, including advanced facilities with sequencing batch reactors (SBR), membranes, lift stations, headworks, surge overflow basins, ultraviolet disinfection systems, aerobic digesters, sludge lagoons, or control buildings.
- 04Evaluate the operation and maintenance of water or wastewater systems to identify ways to improve their efficiency.
- 05Design or select equipment for use in wastewater processing to ensure compliance with government standards.
- 06Design pumping systems, pumping stations, pipelines, force mains, or sewers for the collection of wastewater.
Skills that matter most
- Reading Comprehension
- Writing
- Critical Thinking
- Mathematics
- Active Listening
- Speaking
Knowledge
- Engineering and Technology
- Design
- English Language
- Mathematics
- Building and Construction
Education and first steps
Share of workers by required education, as reported to O*NET.
How people get started
- Usually needs a bachelor's degree (O*NET Job Zone 4).
- Related work experience: over 6 months, up to and including 1 year.
- On-the-job training: over 6 months, up to and including 1 year.
- A professional certification is often expected.
Most common answers from O*NET 31.0 Education, Training and Experience.
Interest fit (Holland code)
O*NET occupational interest scores, scale 1–7. Take the Free Career Test to compare with your own.
Career changes
Change from water/wastewater engineers
- Water Resource Specialists93% · group pay
- Brownfield Redevelopment Specialists and Site Managers85% · group pay
- Conservation Scientists80% · —
- Environmental Restoration Planners78% · group pay
- Hydrologists78% · —
Change into water/wastewater engineers
Jobs whose skills carry over best (skill match, their median pay).
- Water Resource Specialists93% · $167,220
- Biofuels/Biodiesel Technology and Product Development Managers83% · $171,270
- Brownfield Redevelopment Specialists and Site Managers82% · $141,900
- Hydrologists81% · $96,600
- Conservation Scientists80% · $73,010
Majors that lead here
- Civil Engineering, General
- Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering
- Structural Engineering
- Transportation and Highway Engineering
- Water Resources Engineering
- Civil Engineering, Other
- Construction Engineering
From the NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk.