Jobs for the Major
How this major affects a job search
How this major affects a job search:
You're primed for a job right out of the gate. Well, kind of. It's not like they're just handing careers out, although this field is on the rise for sure.
With an environmental engineering degree, you have the know-how for a specific kind of career, and everyone knows it. What helps even above and beyond the paper and the good grades is practical experience. Want to start earning the big bucks as soon as possible? Use those summers for volunteering in cooperative engineering programs. You'll have an edge over the competition.
If you chose this major, chances are you have a solid idea of what you want to do in life. Which is great. Your next step is to get licensed as a professional engineer. That's PE for short, but it has nothing to do with dodgeball.
Common Career Fields
Environmental Protection Agency. Work for Uncle Sam and get some of that government cash everyone's going on about. With private industries being unwilling to police themselves—and let's be honest, if there's no profit in it for them, why would they—it's up to the EPA to step in. Environmental engineers are in big demand. In addition to identifying problems, they have the practical training to come up with solutions, too. Crazy, right?
Environmental Engineer. This one is kind of a given. When a major has the same name as a job title, chances are it's a good fit for employment. You'll want a Master's degree to pursue this level of work, but you're in for a penny, so why not be in for a pound?
Water Engineer. This is a more specific kind of environmental engineer. What's the one thing everyone needs to live? No, not Assassin's Creed. Water. And food, but food needs water to be made, so we're calling it the same thing. The point is that every town, city, village, megalopolis, bandit hideout, and so on needs a source of clean water. In this line of work, you would be providing just that, from reclaiming wastewater to finding new sources of groundwater.
Army Corps Engineers. Hey, soldiers need to not die of cholera, same as the rest of us. More soldiers died of disease than from enemy fire in the majority of wars up to the modern day. That's right, sitting around in your foxhole was more dangerous—well, statistically speaking, anyway—than charging a machine gun nest. We don't recommend either. If you want to use your training for the military, here's a good place for you.
Geologist. That sounds boring. What is that, rocks? Yes. Rocks. But there are lots of pretty important rocks, and pulling them out of the ground seems pretty popular these days. Environmental engineers make sure that act, which is usually referred to as "mining" in polite company, has the smallest possible impact on humans and animals.
Researcher. Rather not get your hands dirty? Well, then…pull them out of that mound of raw sewage and stick them into these books. Actually, wash them first. Researchers in this field may work on anything from neutralizing pollutants, to figuring out the best way to get oil off of a seagull. It's better to simulate these things in the lab first rather than dumping toxic waste in someone's backyard.
Environmental Consulting. This really sounds like you'll be asking the environment, "Hey, trees, creatures of the forest, and gently-blowing wind? Yes, you guys. This car has 200,000 miles on it and looks like Godzilla has been using it for a toothbrush. Should I buy it?" "No," whispers the forest.
It's not that. Wouldn't that be useful, though? We try to ask the forest for advice, but squirrels just steal our shoes. What about our dating problems?
An environmental consultant is at the front lines. They talk to companies to see if anything has gone awry. They assess potential environmental impacts and how to diminish them. So instead of cleaning messes, you're preventing future messes.
Current unemployment of the major
6.0%Percentage of majors who get a higher degree after college
55%Stats obtained from this source.