Studies & Degrees in Environmental Engineering
Environmental Engineering Study Programs
Environmental engineering applies engineering methods to protect public health and the natural environment. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) describes environmental engineers as people who use engineering disciplines to develop solutions to problems of planetary health, with work that may involve waste treatment, site remediation and pollution control technology. In practice this means designing drinking water and wastewater plants, controlling air emissions, managing solid and hazardous waste, cleaning contaminated soil and assessing the environmental impact of projects.
The degree is an engineering degree first. Students start with mathematics, physics, chemistry and biology, and then take engineering subjects drawn mainly from civil and chemical engineering. At Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI), for example, the courses include Water Treatment, Hydraulics, Hazardous and Industrial Waste Management, Kinetics and Reactor Design, and Soil Mechanics. According to the BLS, programmes involve academic instruction, laboratory study and fieldwork. The subject differs from environmental science, which studies how natural systems work but does not train students to design treatment plants and infrastructure.
Qualifications and levels
- United States. A bachelor's degree in engineering is the usual entry qualification. The BLS states that bachelor's programmes usually take 4 years and that some universities have 5-year programmes leading to both a bachelor's and a master's degree. Accreditation matters: ABET accredits programmes, not institutions, and a degree from an accredited programme is usually necessary to become a licensed engineer. Some universities use other names for the degree. At Stanford University the major is called Environmental Systems Engineering, with a focus on coastal, energy, freshwater or urban systems.
- Latin America. Engineering degrees are longer professional degrees. At the Universidad Técnica Federico Santa María in Valparaíso, Chile, Ingeniería Civil Ambiental lasts 5 years (10 academic semesters) and leads to the professional title of Ingeniero Civil Ambiental. At the Escuela Politécnica Nacional in Quito, Ecuador, Ingeniería Ambiental lasts nine academic periods, is taught on campus and leads to the title of Ingeniera/o Ambiental.
- Spain. Official bachelor's degrees (grados) have 240 ECTS credits and official master's degrees have 60, 90 or 120 ECTS credits. Environmental engineering is offered both as a grado and as a master's specialisation for graduates of other engineering degrees.
- Master's degree and PhD. A master's degree allows graduates of civil, chemical or general engineering to specialise in water, air quality, waste or energy. A doctorate leads to research and university teaching.
Where to study it
SpainExchange lists 89 active schools for environmental engineering. Forty-one are in the United States, nine in Spain, five in Chile and four in Brazil. Ecuador, Colombia, Australia and the United Kingdom have three each, and Canada, Ireland, Germany and China two each. Examples are Stanford University, the Colorado School of Mines, Purdue University and Worcester Polytechnic Institute in the United States, the Universidad Técnica Federico Santa María in Chile, the Escuela Politécnica Nacional and the Escuela Superior Politécnica del Litoral in Ecuador, the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar in Germany and the Universidad Alfonso X El Sabio in Spain.
Teaching is in English in the United States, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia and Canada, in Spanish in Spain and Spanish-speaking Latin America, and in Portuguese in Brazil. Check the language of each programme with the school, since some universities teach master's programmes in English.
When comparing programmes, check whether the degree is accredited or officially recognised in the country where you want to work, how much laboratory and field work is included, whether internships or cooperative education are offered, and which specialisations (water, air, waste, energy, remediation) the school covers.
Careers
Environmental engineers work for engineering and consulting firms, water and waste utilities, industry, and public environmental agencies. Typical tasks are designing treatment systems, preparing environmental reports and permits, inspecting facilities for compliance with regulations and managing remediation projects.
In the United States, environmental engineers held about 39,100 jobs in 2025, according to the BLS. The largest employers were engineering services (24%), state government (20%) and management, scientific and technical consulting services (19%). The BLS projects employment to grow 6 percent from 2025 to 2035. A licence is not required for entry-level jobs there; experienced engineers can obtain a Professional Engineer (PE) licence. These figures refer to the United States only. Rules for practising as an engineer differ by country, so ask the school how its degree is recognised where you plan to work.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between environmental engineering and environmental science?
Environmental science studies how natural systems work and how they are affected. Environmental engineering is an engineering degree: it trains students to design solutions such as water treatment plants, waste systems and pollution control.
How long does an environmental engineering degree take?
About four years in the United States, where the BLS says bachelor's programmes usually take 4 years. In Spain an official bachelor's degree has 240 ECTS credits. In Chile, Ingeniería Civil Ambiental at the Universidad Técnica Federico Santa María lasts 5 years.
Which school subjects do I need?
Mathematics, physics, chemistry and biology. The Escuela Politécnica Nacional, for example, says it is desirable for applicants to have a basic grounding in physics, mathematics, chemistry and the fundamentals of biology.
Why does ABET accreditation matter?
In the United States, a degree from an accredited programme is usually necessary to become a licensed engineer. ABET accredits individual programmes, not whole universities, so check the specific degree.