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Average Environmental Engineer Salary in United Kingdom for 2026

An environmental engineer in United Kingdom earns about 65,900 GBP a year. That's 5% roughly in line with the national average of 69,700 GBP.

Pay ranges widely from country to country and from role to role. The lowest reported salaries in United Kingdom sit around 28,900 GBP a year, while the very top stretches to 105,800 GBP. Everything on this page is in British pound (GBP, symbol £), which lets you compare numbers like-for-like without worrying about exchange rates.

The numbers here are pulled together from official government wage data, large independent salary surveys, and aggregated worker-reported pay. Most reported salaries include the benefits that are common in United Kingdom, such as housing or transport allowances, which is worth keeping in mind if you're comparing against a country where those are usually paid on top.

To turn a gross salary in United Kingdom into a take-home figure, use our United Kingdom salary after tax calculator, which works the latest tax brackets and contributions through the math for you.

How much does an environmental engineer make in United Kingdom?

Average salary
65,900 GBP
5,491 GBP per month
Lowest reported
28,900 GBP
2,408 GBP per month
Highest reported
105,800 GBP
8,816 GBP per month

A typical environmental engineer working in United Kingdom brings home around 5,491 GBP a month before tax. Entry-level pay starts near 28,900 GBP, and the top of the ladder reaches roughly 105,800 GBP for the most experienced and specialised people in the role.

The wide gap between low end and top end reflects how much pay can vary inside the same job title. A junior environmental engineer working at a small local employer earns very different money from a senior at a multinational. Skills, employer, city and years in the seat all push the number around. For a cross-country comparison, see the environmental engineer salary in Guernsey or Jersey, both of which pay in the same currency.

How environmental engineer pay ranges in United Kingdom

A good way to think about salary in United Kingdom is to look at the distribution rather than the headline average. Half of all environmental engineers in United Kingdom earn less than 69,700 GBP a year, and the other half earn more. That middle number is the median, and it is usually more useful than the average for answering "is my pay normal here".

Looking at the quartiles fills in the picture. A quarter of earners take home less than 43,800 GBP (the 25th percentile), and a quarter clear 93,600 GBP (the 75th percentile). The middle 50% of environmental engineers sit somewhere inside that band, which is where the typical reader of this page probably lives.

The very lowest reported salaries sit around 28,900 GBP. The highest stretch to 105,800 GBP, though only a small fraction of earners ever reach that level. If you are deciding whether your own offer or current pay is reasonable, work out which of those four bands you would fall into and use that as your reference point.

28,900
Low
69,700
Median
105,800
High
43,800
25th
93,600
75th
The middle 50% sit between the 25th and 75th percentile Tails are the lowest and highest reported All figures in GBP

Environmental engineer pay by experience in United Kingdom

Years of experience is the single biggest lever on pay for an environmental engineer in United Kingdom, ahead of education and almost any other single factor. The longer you have been in the role, the more your employer can trust you to handle complexity, mentor others and act independently, all of which command higher pay. The chart below shows how the typical environmental engineer salary changes as you move through the career ladder.

  • 0-2 Years
    34,000 GBP
  • 2-5 Years
    +34% from previous
    45,600 GBP
  • 5-10 Years
    +48% from previous
    67,300 GBP
  • 10-15 Years
    +25% from previous
    84,200 GBP
  • 15-20 Years
    +7% from previous
    90,300 GBP
  • 20+ Years
    +10% from previous
    99,400 GBP

The single largest jump on the ladder is from 2 - 5 Years to 5 - 10 Years, where pay rises by about 48%. That is the point at which a environmental engineer typically goes from "competent in the role" to "the person other people in the team learn from", and the market pays well for that step.

Environmental engineer pay by education in United Kingdom

Education sits alongside experience as one of the biggest factors driving environmental engineer pay in United Kingdom. Higher qualifications consistently pull higher salaries, but the size of the gap tends to be smallest at junior levels and widens as people move up. Two people in the same role with the same years of experience but different degrees can end up earning very different money once they reach mid-career.

Below is the average environmental engineer salary in United Kingdom broken down by the highest level of education a worker has completed.

  • Bachelor's Degree
    38,000 GBP
  • Master's Degree
    +99% from previous
    75,800 GBP

Environmental engineer gender pay gap in United Kingdom

The gender pay gap is a stubborn feature of almost every labour market, and United Kingdom is no exception. Male environmental engineers in United Kingdom earn an average of 67,500 GBP a year, while female environmental engineers earn around 66,000 GBP. That works out to a 2% gap in favour of men, even when comparing people doing the same work.

A pay gap of this size has a real long-term cost. Over a typical thirty-year career it can add up to several years of pay, and it compounds through pensions, retirement contributions and bonus-linked stock. Some of the gap is explained by women being more likely to work part-time, take career breaks, or be steered toward lower-paying specialisations. Some of it is straightforward unequal pay for the same job, which is harder to defend.

Environmental Engineer gender pay gap

2%

Men earn this much more than women on average in United Kingdom.

Men 67,500 GBP
Women 66,000 GBP

Pay raises for an environmental engineer in United Kingdom

Most countries hand out at least some kind of pay raise every year, typically when an employee's contract is reviewed or as a cost-of-living adjustment to keep wages roughly in step with inflation. The rhythm and size of those raises varies hugely between industries.

A typical worker doing this role in United Kingdom sees a raise of about 11% every 16 months, which works out to roughly 8% on an annual basis. That figure is the typical underlying rate; in years where inflation runs high you can usually expect a bit more, and in flat-economy years a bit less.

Across all jobs in United Kingdom, the national average raise is around 9% every 15 months.

By industry

Industries with the highest pay raises in United Kingdom:

  • Banking
  • Energy
  • Information Technology
  • Healthcare
  • Travel
  • Construction
  • Education

By experience level

Experienced workers tend to see larger raises. Retaining a senior is cheaper than replacing them, so employers fight harder for them.

  • Junior Level
    3% - 5%
  • Mid-Career
  • Senior Level
  • Top Management

Environmental engineer bonus rates in United Kingdom

Bonuses are the other half of total compensation, and they vary a lot between jobs and industries. Some roles are paid almost entirely in base salary; others lean heavily on bonus structures tied to revenue, project completion or company performance. Whether a job pays a bonus, how big it is, and how often it lands all factor into whether the headline salary is actually a good offer.

61%

61% of environmental engineers in United Kingdom reported a bonus of some kind in the past twelve months. That makes an environmental engineer a moderate-bonus role overall, which is useful context when you're weighing up a job offer where the base is below market.

Among those who did receive a bonus, the size of the payment varied substantially. Reported bonuses ranged from 2% to 7% of base salary. The remaining 39% of environmental engineers reported no bonus at all over the same period.

Which careers pay bonuses in United Kingdom

Revenue-facing roles tend to pay the biggest bonuses. Operational and support roles tend toward smaller, more predictable ones.

  • Finance
  • Architecture
  • Sales
  • Business Development
  • Marketing / Advertising
  • Information Technology
  • Healthcare
  • Insurance
  • Customer Service
  • Human Resources
  • Construction
  • Transport
  • Hospitality

Environmental engineer: public vs private sector pay

Public-sector pay in United Kingdom is about 7% more than private-sector pay for similar work. The private sector typically offers stronger upside and bigger bonuses; the public sector typically offers better benefits and stability.

Public vs private pay gap

6%

Public-sector workers earn this much more than private-sector workers in United Kingdom on average.

Public sector 72,700 GBP
Private sector 68,200 GBP

Environmental engineer salary by city and region in United Kingdom

Environmental engineer pay is not even across United Kingdom. The chart below shows the highest-paying cities and regions in the dataset, followed by the full location table.

  • England
  • Scotland
  • Birmingham
  • Leeds
  • Bristol
  • Kingston upon Hull
  • Leicester
  • Bradford
  • London
  • Nottingham
LocationTypeAverageMedianRange
EnglandRegion125,400 GBP134,100 GBP56,800-195,500 GBP
ScotlandRegion90,900 GBP86,100 GBP47,800-139,100 GBP
BirminghamCity81,200 GBP86,600 GBP35,000-127,700 GBP
LeedsCity75,900 GBP77,300 GBP36,400-119,700 GBP
BristolCity74,700 GBP83,700 GBP33,800-121,800 GBP
Kingston upon HullCity74,500 GBP68,500 GBP39,400-112,700 GBP
LeicesterCity74,500 GBP78,400 GBP33,500-115,600 GBP
BradfordCity74,100 GBP69,800 GBP39,100-114,900 GBP
LondonCity73,700 GBP80,400 GBP34,000-118,900 GBP
NottinghamCity73,700 GBP73,100 GBP39,100-114,900 GBP
LiverpoolCity73,500 GBP77,300 GBP36,400-116,400 GBP
GlasgowCity73,300 GBP76,000 GBP35,000-116,400 GBP
SheffieldCity73,200 GBP78,200 GBP35,100-116,400 GBP
BrightonCity73,100 GBP74,500 GBP33,300-112,700 GBP
BelfastCity72,800 GBP76,900 GBP32,200-114,900 GBP
SwanseaCity72,800 GBP72,000 GBP34,400-111,700 GBP
EdinburghCity71,400 GBP69,200 GBP38,100-108,200 GBP
CoventryCity71,000 GBP67,300 GBP37,100-109,000 GBP
PlymouthCity71,000 GBP69,400 GBP37,300-109,000 GBP
SomersetCity70,900 GBP71,600 GBP34,000-109,700 GBP
OxfordCity70,800 GBP69,700 GBP33,000-109,000 GBP
ManchesterCity70,600 GBP68,500 GBP38,700-108,200 GBP
AberdeenCity70,100 GBP67,800 GBP34,000-107,300 GBP
NewcastleCity70,100 GBP68,200 GBP34,000-107,300 GBP
CardiffCity70,000 GBP73,100 GBP33,000-108,200 GBP
WolverhamptonCity69,400 GBP76,800 GBP32,900-114,600 GBP
PeterboroughCity69,200 GBP73,300 GBP31,400-108,200 GBP
PortsmouthCity67,800 GBP72,700 GBP30,200-109,000 GBP
YorkCity67,800 GBP64,200 GBP37,200-105,200 GBP
DerbyCity67,800 GBP68,800 GBP34,000-107,300 GBP
ArmaghCity67,800 GBP68,200 GBP34,000-107,300 GBP
SouthamptonCity66,900 GBP62,300 GBP35,100-100,700 GBP
PooleCity66,700 GBP66,200 GBP30,700-102,700 GBP
GloucesterCity65,800 GBP69,700 GBP33,600-105,200 GBP
DundeeCity65,100 GBP72,400 GBP28,900-105,200 GBP
NewportCity64,900 GBP68,900 GBP27,300-100,700 GBP
DerryCity64,300 GBP62,500 GBP33,300-95,900 GBP
LincolnCity64,200 GBP61,200 GBP35,400-99,700 GBP
CambridgeCity63,700 GBP63,100 GBP35,500-100,400 GBP
HartlepoolCity63,500 GBP71,700 GBP30,800-102,700 GBP
LisburnCity62,500 GBP63,000 GBP30,800-95,000 GBP
NorwichCity61,700 GBP66,400 GBP29,600-98,700 GBP
ChesterCity61,600 GBP66,900 GBP26,900-98,000 GBP
WinchesterCity61,500 GBP64,500 GBP31,400-96,800 GBP
WalesRegion61,500 GBP62,300 GBP31,400-97,100 GBP
NewryCity61,500 GBP65,700 GBP29,300-100,500 GBP
SalisburyCity61,400 GBP62,600 GBP30,100-91,700 GBP
DurhamCity60,900 GBP65,500 GBP26,200-92,600 GBP
ExeterCity60,600 GBP59,200 GBP31,700-95,100 GBP
WakefieldCity60,400 GBP62,600 GBP26,900-93,800 GBP
CanterburyCity60,200 GBP59,900 GBP30,800-92,200 GBP
WellsCity60,100 GBP58,500 GBP32,200-94,100 GBP
StrontianCity59,800 GBP57,000 GBP29,600-88,300 GBP
Northern IrelandRegion59,000 GBP58,000 GBP29,600-91,900 GBP
StromnessCity58,700 GBP64,600 GBP25,800-95,500 GBP
StirlingCity58,600 GBP61,300 GBP30,800-94,300 GBP
RiponCity58,200 GBP55,500 GBP30,800-89,900 GBP
TruroCity56,800 GBP57,400 GBP29,600-90,600 GBP
InvernessCity56,600 GBP63,900 GBP27,000-93,100 GBP
BangorCity56,400 GBP54,200 GBP31,200-86,100 GBP
AbingdonCity55,300 GBP56,100 GBP31,200-85,800 GBP
St DavidsCity54,700 GBP50,600 GBP27,200-83,000 GBP
KirkwallCity54,600 GBP51,900 GBP27,700-84,800 GBP

Environmental Engineer in United Kingdom: FAQs

  • How much does an environmental engineer make per month in United Kingdom?

    An environmental engineer in United Kingdom earns about 5,491 GBP a month before tax, based on an annual average of 65,900 GBP.

  • What's the salary range for an environmental engineer in United Kingdom?

    Entry-level environmental engineers in United Kingdom start near 28,900 GBP. Top-end pay reaches around 105,800 GBP. The middle 50% of earners sit between 43,800 and 93,600 GBP.

  • Is the median environmental engineer salary in United Kingdom higher or lower than the average?

    The median is 69,700 GBP, higher than the average of 65,900 GBP. Half of environmental engineers in United Kingdom earn below the median, half earn above it.

  • What's the gender pay gap for environmental engineers in United Kingdom?

    Men working as an environmental engineer in United Kingdom earn around 2% more than women on average (67,500 vs 66,000 GBP a year).

  • Do environmental engineers in United Kingdom get bonuses?

    About 61% of environmental engineers in United Kingdom reported a bonus in the past 12 months. Reported bonuses ranged from 2% to 7% of base salary.

  • Do environmental engineers earn more in the public or private sector in United Kingdom?

    In United Kingdom, the public sector pays an environmental engineer about 7% more on average. Public-sector pay tends to be steadier; private-sector pay tends to offer bigger upside.

  • How often do environmental engineers in United Kingdom get a pay raise?

    An environmental engineer in United Kingdom sees a raise of around 11% every 16 months, equivalent to roughly 8% a year.