- Salary statistics
- Environmental engineer salary
Environmental engineer salary
Latest available salary statistics are for 2025. Compare average pay, salary range and related job listings.
39 800 - 53 400 SEK / month
Women earn 98% of what men do.
Naturvetenskapligt arbete
Related tools
Salary progression Environmental engineer
What does an environmental engineer do? – Tasks and work environment
An environmental engineer works on identifying, analyzing, and addressing environmental issues across various organizations and sectors. Tasks often include environmental investigations, permit processes, environmental impact assessments, and developing sustainable technical solutions to reduce environmental impact. The environmental engineer collaborates with authorities, companies, and other stakeholders to ensure compliance with laws and regulations, and to promote development towards a more sustainable society. The work environment varies between office work, field studies, and site visits at industries or construction sites, providing a dynamic and varied daily routine.
Salary development over time
Salary levels for environmental engineers have shown a clear positive trend over the past three years. In 2022, the average salary was 43,000 kronor per month, increasing to 49 400 kronor in 2023. In 2024, the average salary reached 49 900 kronor, representing a total increase of nearly 15% over three years. This strong salary growth reflects increasing demand for environmental expertise and a growing focus on sustainability issues in both private and public sectors. The salary increase has been particularly noticeable among private sector employees, where competition for skilled labor is intense. The trend indicates that the role of an environmental engineer is becoming increasingly strategic and valued as expectations for environmental performance rise.
Environmental engineer salary – complete overview
- Average salary: 49 900 kr/month
- Lowest salary: 38,100 kr/month (female, public sector, high school education)
- Highest salary: 55,800 kr/month (male, private sector, post-secondary education <3 years)
- Hourly wage: 298 kr
- Gender differences: Women earn 98% of what men do (women: 49 500 kr, men: 50 500 kr)
- Regional differences: Data on regional salary differences are not available for this profession
Education and qualifications
To work as an environmental engineer, a university or master's degree in environmental engineering, environmental science, or similar scientific fields is usually required. The education combines technical knowledge with environmental law and urban planning, often including internships or project work in collaboration with industry or authorities. Some employers also require specific certifications or experience in particular environmental issues.
- Formal degree: University or master's degree in environmental engineering/science (3–5 years)
- Certifications: Environmental management systems (e.g., ISO 14001), environmental auditing
- Internship: Often mandatory during studies
- Prerequisites: Recommended to have a scientific high school education
- Tips for choosing: Select a program with strong links to working life or specialization in environmental technology
Environmental engineers often work interdisciplinary and serve as a vital link between technology, environment, and society. The role often involves communicating complex environmental issues to decision-makers and the public, requiring both pedagogical skills and collaboration abilities.
Common benefits and compensations
Environmental engineers often enjoy perks such as wellness allowances, generous vacation policies, flexible working hours, and opportunities for remote work. Pension schemes and professional development are common, especially within larger companies and the public sector. Fieldwork may also include per diems and travel allowances.
Competition and challenges
The competition for positions as an environmental engineer is assessed as balanced nationally. This means there is neither a surplus nor a shortage of labor, providing stable conditions for job seekers. A challenge is that the labor market is broad, and demands for specialized knowledge are increasing, particularly in areas like environmental law, sustainability reporting, and advanced environmental technology. Regulations can also change rapidly, requiring continuous further education and monitoring of the industry to stay updated. At the same time, the profession is strongly influenced by societal development, where political decisions and new environmental goals impact the demand for expertise.
Tips for those aspiring to become an environmental engineer
To succeed as an environmental engineer, it is beneficial to combine analytical skills with a genuine interest in environmental and sustainability issues. Being meticulous and organized facilitates work with legislation and technical investigations. Communication skills are central – the ability to explain complex relationships to colleagues and external stakeholders is crucial. Flexibility and teamwork are important since the job often involves project work in interdisciplinary teams. An open mind for new methods and technologies is also advantageous, especially as environmental technology evolves rapidly. Building networks early during studies and gaining internships in various sectors increases opportunities to find your niche. Finally, demonstrating engagement and initiative, especially in roles like advisor or project leader, adds value.
Key facts about environmental engineers
- Educational level: University or master's degree (3–5 years)
- Work environment: Varied between office, field, and site visits
- Demand: Moderate, balanced labor market
- Typical work form: Project-based and interdisciplinary work
- Number of job openings in the profession: 143 (May 2024)
Career paths and future prospects
After three to five years in the profession, an environmental engineer can advance to roles such as environmental strategist, project manager in environmental technology, or specialist in areas like environmental certification and sustainability reporting. Some choose to work as consultants or take on managerial positions within larger organizations. According to the Swedish Public Employment Service's forecast for specialists in environmental protection and environmental technology, the job market is expected to remain stable with moderate opportunities and a balance between supply and demand. Over a five-year horizon, demand is expected to stay unchanged, offering good but not exceptional future prospects for the profession.
Common questions about environmental engineers
- What does an environmental engineer earn?
- An environmental engineer has an average salary of 49 900 kronor per month. - What are the gender differences in the profession?
- Women earn approximately 98% of what men do. Women have an average of 49 500 kronor, men 50 500 kronor. - What education is required to become an environmental engineer?
- Typically, a university or master's degree in environmental engineering or environmental science. - What is the job market like for environmental engineers?
- The job market is balanced with moderate opportunities and is expected to remain unchanged over the next five years. - Where are the highest salaries for environmental engineers?
- The highest salaries are among private sector employees, especially men with post-secondary education. - What are the tasks of an environmental engineer?
- Common tasks include environmental investigations, permit processes, environmental impact assessments, and developing sustainable technical solutions. - How many job openings are there in the profession?
- There are currently 143 job openings within the group of specialists in environmental protection and environmental technology.
Salary distributed by age and sector
| Age | Base salary | Monthly salary | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25-34 | 100% | 43300 kr | 43900 kr |
| 35-44 | 48700 kr | 49200 kr | |
| 45-54 | 55900 kr | 57000 kr | |
| 55-64 | 98% | 53600 kr | 54100 kr |
| Snitt | 98% | 49300 kr | 49900 kr |
| Age | Base salary | Monthly salary | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18-24 | 83% | 34900 kr | 35000 kr |
| 25-34 | 97% | 41400 kr | 41400 kr |
| 35-44 | 100% | 46200 kr | 46300 kr |
| 45-54 | 103% | 47800 kr | 47900 kr |
| 55-64 | 100% | 48300 kr | 48400 kr |
| 65-68 | 89% | 50900 kr | 51100 kr |
| Snitt | 99% | 46300 kr | 46400 kr |
| Age | Base salary | Monthly salary | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18-24 | 33900 kr | 34100 kr | |
| 25-34 | 98% | 41200 kr | 41200 kr |
| 35-44 | 101% | 46100 kr | 46200 kr |
| 45-54 | 103% | 47500 kr | 47600 kr |
| 55-64 | 100% | 48100 kr | 48200 kr |
| 65-68 | 87% | 50700 kr | 50900 kr |
| Snitt | 99% | 46100 kr | 46200 kr |
| Age | Base salary | Monthly salary | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25-34 | 91% | 43200 kr | 43300 kr |
| 35-44 | 92% | 46600 kr | 46700 kr |
| 45-54 | 103% | 49600 kr | 49700 kr |
| 55-64 | 96% | 49800 kr | 49800 kr |
| 65-68 | 53300 kr | 53300 kr | |
| Snitt | 99% | 47700 kr | 47800 kr |
| Age | Base salary | Monthly salary | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25-34 | 102% | 43900 kr | 44600 kr |
| 35-44 | 49600 kr | 50200 kr | |
| 55-64 | 101% | 56700 kr | 57400 kr |
| Snitt | 99% | 50300 kr | 51100 kr |
| Age | Base salary | Monthly salary | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25-34 | 102% | 43900 kr | 44600 kr |
| 35-44 | 49600 kr | 50200 kr | |
| 55-64 | 101% | 56700 kr | 57400 kr |
| Snitt | 99% | 50300 kr | 51100 kr |
| Age | Base salary | Monthly salary | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25-34 | 100% | 43300 kr | 43900 kr |
| 45-54 | 56000 kr | 57600 kr | |
| 55-64 | 98% | 54000 kr | 54500 kr |
| Snitt | 98% | 49700 kr | 50500 kr |
| Age | Base salary | Monthly salary | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18-24 | 83% | 38800 kr | 38900 kr |
| 25-34 | 97% | 42300 kr | 42500 kr |
| 35-44 | 100% | 46100 kr | 46200 kr |
| 45-54 | 103% | 46800 kr | 47000 kr |
| 55-64 | 100% | 48400 kr | 48400 kr |
| 65-68 | 89% | 53500 kr | 53600 kr |
| Snitt | 99% | 46600 kr | 46700 kr |
| Age | Base salary | Monthly salary | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25-34 | 98% | 41900 kr | 41900 kr |
| 35-44 | 101% | 45900 kr | 45900 kr |
| 45-54 | 103% | 46600 kr | 46800 kr |
| 55-64 | 100% | 48100 kr | 48200 kr |
| 65-68 | 87% | 53800 kr | 53900 kr |
| Snitt | 99% | 46400 kr | 46500 kr |
| Age | Base salary | Monthly salary | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25-34 | 91% | 45300 kr | 45600 kr |
| 35-44 | 92% | 50400 kr | 50400 kr |
| 45-54 | 103% | 48300 kr | 48500 kr |
| 55-64 | 96% | 51600 kr | 51600 kr |
| Snitt | 99% | 48100 kr | 48300 kr |
| Age | Base salary | Monthly salary | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25-34 | 102% | 43400 kr | 44200 kr |
| 45-54 | 59200 kr | 61300 kr | |
| 55-64 | 101% | 56300 kr | 57100 kr |
| Snitt | 99% | 50500 kr | 51400 kr |
| Age | Base salary | Monthly salary | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25-34 | 102% | 43400 kr | 44200 kr |
| 45-54 | 59200 kr | 61300 kr | |
| 55-64 | 101% | 56300 kr | 57100 kr |
| Snitt | 99% | 50500 kr | 51400 kr |
| Age | Base salary | Monthly salary | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25-34 | 100% | 43300 kr | 43800 kr |
| 35-44 | 49000 kr | 49600 kr | |
| 55-64 | 98% | 53200 kr | 53500 kr |
| Snitt | 98% | 48900 kr | 49500 kr |
| Age | Base salary | Monthly salary | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18-24 | 83% | 32000 kr | 32200 kr |
| 25-34 | 97% | 41000 kr | 41000 kr |
| 35-44 | 100% | 46200 kr | 46300 kr |
| 45-54 | 103% | 48300 kr | 48400 kr |
| 55-64 | 100% | 48200 kr | 48400 kr |
| 65-68 | 89% | 47400 kr | 47700 kr |
| Snitt | 99% | 46100 kr | 46200 kr |
| Age | Base salary | Monthly salary | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18-24 | 32000 kr | 32200 kr | |
| 25-34 | 98% | 40900 kr | 40900 kr |
| 35-44 | 101% | 46200 kr | 46400 kr |
| 45-54 | 103% | 48000 kr | 48100 kr |
| 55-64 | 100% | 48100 kr | 48200 kr |
| 65-68 | 87% | 46400 kr | 46700 kr |
| Snitt | 99% | 45900 kr | 46000 kr |
| Age | Base salary | Monthly salary | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25-34 | 91% | 41700 kr | 41700 kr |
| 35-44 | 92% | 46200 kr | 46200 kr |
| 45-54 | 103% | 50100 kr | 50100 kr |
| 55-64 | 96% | 49300 kr | 49300 kr |
| Snitt | 99% | 47600 kr | 47600 kr |
| Age | Base salary | Monthly salary | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25-34 | 102% | 44400 kr | 45100 kr |
| 35-44 | 50600 kr | 51400 kr | |
| 55-64 | 101% | 57200 kr | 57800 kr |
| Snitt | 99% | 50200 kr | 50900 kr |
| Age | Base salary | Monthly salary | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25-34 | 102% | 44400 kr | 45100 kr |
| 35-44 | 50600 kr | 51400 kr | |
| 55-64 | 101% | 57200 kr | 57800 kr |
| Snitt | 99% | 50200 kr | 50900 kr |
About the data
All information displayed on this page is based on data from the Swedish Central Bureau of Statistics (SCB), the Swedish Tax Agency and the Swedish employment agency. Learn more about our data and data sources here.
All figures are gross salaries, meaning salaries before tax. The average salary, or mean salary, is calculated by adding up the total salary for all individuals within the profession and dividing it by the number of individuals. For specific job categories, we have also considered various criteria such as experience and education.
Profession Environmental engineer has the SSYK code 2183, which we use to match against the SCB database to obtain the latest salary statistics.
-
Environmental Auditor at HS Certification
Specialists in environmental protection and environmental technology
Wed, 24 Jun 2026 - 00:18 -
Environmental and Health Inspector for Berg and Härjedalen
Specialists in environmental protection and environmental technology
Tue, 23 Jun 2026 - 21:36 -
Environmental Coordinator at Linxens Sweden AB in Ängelholm
Specialists in environmental protection and environmental technology
Mon, 22 Jun 2026 - 22:37 -
Environmental Engineer at Tingsryd Municipality
Specialists in environmental protection and environmental technology
Mon, 22 Jun 2026 - 22:12 -
Environmental and Health Protection Inspector for Berg and Härjedalen Municipalities
Specialists in environmental protection and environmental technology
Mon, 22 Jun 2026 - 21:14
Compare salary, work tasks and job outlook in adjacent occupations to find roles with similar skills or pay levels.
-
Average salary: 42 600 SEK/month • Naturvetenskapligt arbete
Plant and animal biologists
Compare with Environmental engineer
Tue, 23 Jun 2026 - 16:52 -
Average salary: 49 400 SEK/month • Naturvetenskapligt arbete
Geologists and geophysicists etc.
Compare with Environmental engineer
Wed, 24 Jun 2026 - 05:38 -
Average salary: 67 900 SEK/month • Naturvetenskapligt arbete
Pharmacologists and biomedical scientists
Compare with Environmental engineer
Tue, 23 Jun 2026 - 21:04 -
Average salary: 42 600 SEK/month • Naturvetenskapligt arbete
Plant and animal biologists
Compare with Environmental engineer
Wed, 24 Jun 2026 - 03:12 -
Average salary: 48 100 SEK/month • Naturvetenskapligt arbete
Cell and molecular biologists etc.
Compare with Environmental engineer
Tue, 23 Jun 2026 - 23:19 -
Average salary: 49 400 SEK/month • Naturvetenskapligt arbete
Geologists and geophysicists etc.
Compare with Environmental engineer
Wed, 24 Jun 2026 - 05:22