Environmental engineering masters programs specialize in water treatment, wastewater management, air pollution control, solid waste engineering, and sustainable infrastructure design. In 2025, these programs address the $50B+ EPA funding surge with 60-75% acceptance rates, hands-on water quality labs, stormwater modeling, and guaranteed $110K+ salaries at AECOM, CH2M (Jacobs), Veolia, and municipal water authorities. Graduates solve America’s PFAS contamination, aging infrastructure, and climate adaptation challenges
Top Environmental Engineering Masters Programs (2025 Rankings)
- University of California Berkeley – MS Environmental Engineering, Berkeley, CA: #1 US News ranking. Water quality engineering, environmental fluid mechanics leaders. EPA/NSF partnerships. 65% acceptance rate.
- Stanford University – MS Environmental Engineering, Stanford, CA: Sustainable water systems, climate adaptation focus. Silicon Valley water tech startups. $125K median salary.
- Georgia Institute of Technology – MS Environmental Engineering, Atlanta, GA: Affordable $25K tuition. Air quality, hazardous waste expertise. CDC/GA EPD collaborations.
- University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign – MS Environmental Engineering, Champaign, IL: Water treatment processes, groundwater remediation. $110K median salary. 70% acceptance.
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) – MS Environmental Engineering, Cambridge, MA: Parsons Lab leaders in environmental fluid mechanics. 60% acceptance rate.
- University of Michigan – MS Environmental Engineering, Ann Arbor, MI: Great Lakes water quality, PFAS research. Strong consulting firm recruiting.
- Johns Hopkins University – MS Environmental Engineering, Baltimore, MD: Online/part-time options for professionals. Water infrastructure focus.
- University of Texas at Austin – MS Environmental & Water Resources Engineering, Austin, TX: Drought management, Texas water crisis solutions. 75% acceptance rate.
- Drexel University – MS Environmental Engineering, Philadelphia, PA: Urban stormwater, combined sewer overflow remediation. 70% seats available.
- University of Wisconsin-Madison – MS Civil & Environmental Engineering, Madison, WI: Great Lakes restoration projects. Strong Midwest water agencies.
Program Comparison Table (2025)
| University | Duration | Total Tuition | Acceptance | Median Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UC Berkeley | 24 months | $55K | 65% | $122K |
| Stanford | 15 months | $75K | 50% | $125K |
| Georgia Tech | 24 months | $25K | 70% | $115K |
| UIUC | 24 months | $40K | 70% | $110K |
| MIT | 12 months | $65K | 60% | $128K |
Core Environmental Engineering Curriculum
- Water Treatment: Coagulation, filtration, disinfection, membrane processes
- Wastewater: Activated sludge, trickling filters, anaerobic digestion
- Air Quality: Scrubbers, electrostatic precipitators, VOC control
- Hydrology: Stormwater modeling (HEC-HMS), floodplain analysis
- Software: EPANET, SWMM, MODFLOW, WaterCAD
- Remediation: Pump & treat, permeable reactive barriers, bioremediation
Admission Requirements (2025)
Academic Prerequisites
- BS Civil, Chemical, Environmental Engineering (GPA 3.0+)
- Fluid mechanics, thermodynamics, microbiology
- Calculus, differential equations proficiency
Practical Experience
- Water/wastewater internships preferred
- Water quality lab experience advantage
- AutoCAD, GIS mapping skills competitive
Standardized Tests
- GRE: Optional (quant 160+ competitive)
- TOEFL 90+ for international students
Career Outcomes & Salaries
- Water Treatment Engineer: $105K-$140K (municipalities, Veolia)
- Environmental Consultant: $110K-$150K (AECOM, HDR)
- Wastewater Process Engineer: $108K-$145K (CH2M/Jacobs)
- Stormwater Manager: $115K-$155K (MS4 programs)
- Remediation Engineer: $112K-$148K (EPA Superfund)[web:397]
Industry Certifications Offered
- Professional Engineer (PE) Environmental License
- Certified Water Professional (CWP)
- LEED AP (sustainable design)
- Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP) cert
Scholarships & Funding
- EPA STAR Fellowships ($37K stipend)
- NSF Graduate Research Fellowship
- ASCE Environmental Engineering Scholarships
- Water Environment Federation (WEF) grants
Application Timeline (Fall 2026)
- Jan-Mar 2025: Water quality internships, certifications
- Apr-Jun 2025: EPANET/SWMM training
- Jul-Sep 2025: Applications (rolling deadlines)
- Oct-Dec 2025: EPA/NSF fellowships
- Aug 2026: Programs begin
Why Environmental Engineering 2025?
- $50B EPA Infrastructure: Bipartisan Infrastructure Law
- PFAS Crisis: 2,500+ Superfund sites needing engineers
- 60-75% Acceptance: High seats, national shortage
- Job Security: Clean water = essential service
- Public Impact: Solve climate + contamination challenges
UC Berkeley, Stanford, Georgia Tech, UIUC, and MIT represent America’s environmental engineering elite in 2025. These programs deliver water treatment mastery, PFAS remediation expertise, stormwater modeling skills, and 95%+ placement into $110K+ careers at AECOM, CH2M, and EPA. With $50B federal funding, PFAS litigation explosion, and aging water infrastructure crisis, environmental engineering graduates enjoy recession-proof job security cleaning America’s water, air, and land for generations to come.
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