r/EnvironmentalEngineer

I graduated this past May and was wondering how long is necessary to prepare for the test? I understand it varies from person to person but I wanted a ballpark number based on the fact that I am a recent grad plus I have no idea how much of an understanding I should have over the material.

if you have a Masters in Engineering but not a bachelors and are not eligible for the FE/EIT/PE pathway, are there any possible jobs you could do? if so, what are they like and what are the salaries like?

A little late on posting but I passed the PE exam last Wednesday! What a relief that is!

I have a detailed post on my prep, so here is the link if you would like to learn about the resources I used and my experience the first time I attempted: https://www.reddit.com/r/PE_Exam/s/33W6fuNeMT

I had 60% qualitative and 40% quantitative questions on the exam this time. One thing that helped me the most was practicing the NCEES practice exam multiple times. On the actual exam, I came across two questions that were very similar to the practice exam, with only slight changes. Because I had worked through those problems several times, I was able to recognize the concepts and approach them with confidence. For the qualitative questions, the ALH series was incredibly helpful! I remember seeing about four questions on the actual exam that were very similar in style and topic to what I had practiced from those booklets. They really helped me prepare for the conceptual portion of the exam. Here is the link of the entire booklet: https://www.etsy.com/listing/4515432585/pe-environmental-qualitative-practice?ls=r&sr_prefetch=1&pf_from=shop_home&ref=items-pagination-6&dd=1&content_source=877d520b131de31a939423d85609a191%253ALT5785b9ab5d98ebdb4aca15f315d86f5f0c8666cd&logging_key=877d520b131de31a939423d85609a191%3ALT5785b9ab5d98ebdb4aca15f315d86f5f0c8666cd

They also offer individual chapter booklets. If you feel you're struggling in one specific topic and don't want to purchase the entire set, those can be a great option to focus your study where you need it most.

If you're deciding where to focus your study time, I'd definitely recommend making the NCEES practice exam book a priority and using the ALH series to strengthen your qualitative knowledge. They were the two resources that made the biggest difference for me this time.

I’m looking for engineers working in water resources, hydrology, environmental who could give some insight on their careers. I’m nearing graduation in ME and am interested in working in that field. What is your experience overall, some pros and cons, and how has a PE affected your career?

Hi! I’m interested in working in water purification. I’m not entirely sure which pathway I want to pursue in this industry, so I’d really appreciate if you all could tell me more about your role and how much you started out making and how much you’re making now (and after how many years).

For context, I’m currently an incoming freshman at Carnegie Mellon planning to study chemical engineering. If you have any recs for what I should do to enter this industry that would also be great. Also, please let me know if you recommend pursuing this field!

Thanks!

Hi, every bit of advice is welcome. I am currently in my last year of UNI at a top 110 Global university in the world. My GPA comes to around 3.00. I am currently doing a BSC of Envirometal science with a concentration. of biotechnology, these are the acknowledgements of our program Institution of Environmental Sciences (IES) and the Committee of Heads of Environmental Sciences (CHES) in the UK.

I wanted to know if I should get a master's in my field of environmental science or get it in environmental engineering

Thank you for the help

Hey there folks! I'm an international A level student soon applying to college and I wanted to apply to an environmental engineering bsc, but I've been noticing a lot on this sub Reddit that most of the people here mention they have a civil or chemical engineer bsc instead and got into the industry using them, though I may be misunderstanding them. (like, do you take an environmental engineer degree and can specialise into other aspects of it like the civil or chemical? Or literally came from a civil/chem background into the field)

Degree aside, I personally mostly want to work with water/air, whether it's waste management, water sustainability or air quality control and remediation.

Would it be better to get into that kind of work with another degree, or is environmental engineering still the more direct way to go about it? Is it possible to branch into other aspects using the same degree and not only purely do environmental work?

I'm not aiming for a top line high paying salary, but a predictable and stable job with good work life balance that's enough to comfortably live.

Thank y'all for your time and help in advance! 💖❤️

I’m 18 and trying to make one of the biggest decisions of my life right now. I’ve spent a lot of time trying to figure out what actually interests me. For years I’ve been fascinated by Earth’s resources, geology, natural systems, natural phenomena, and understanding how our planet works. At different points I’ve considered paleontology, geology, environmental science, mining engineering, Nuclear Engineering, Planetary Science and for the final finally lol petroleum engineering.
The thing is, I don’t think my interest stops at exploration alone. As much as I find discovery fascinating, I’ve realized I also want strong compensation, a career with demand, and a path where I can specialize deeply rather than staying broad. That’s one of the reasons petroleum engineering keeps pulling me back. Oil and gas genuinely interests me, but not simply because it’s oil. What attracts me is that it seems to sit at the intersection of understanding the Earth and actually doing something with that knowledge through resource extraction, production, drilling, reservoirs, subsurface systems, and large-scale engineering.
I also like the lifestyle aspects I’ve seen in parts of the industry. Rotational schedules, Travel opportunities, Field work, High earning potential. Working around real-world operations instead of being behind a desk 100% of the time My biggest concern is the trade-off. I constantly hear that Petroleum Engineering comes with More specialization, More exposure to industry booms and busts, Less flexibility than Mechanical, Chemical, or Civil Engineering. At the same time, I worry that if I choose a broader degree solely for flexibility, I might miss out on the exact parts of the industry that originally interested me.

For those already working in petroleum, drilling, production, reservoirs, completions, geology, mining, or energy:
Was Petroleum Engineering worth the trade-offs?
If you could go back, would you choose it again?
Did it satisfy your interest in Earth’s resources and subsurface systems?
How much do market cycles actually affect your career?
Do you ever wish you had chosen Mechanical or Chemical Engineering instead?
For someone whose interests are Earth’s resources first and oil & gas second, does Petroleum Engineering still make sense?
I’d appreciate honest answers from people who have actually worked in the industry for a few years and people whose just as curious or interested please engage. The knowledge took here would be very valuable.

I am a PCB student who just passed 12th this year and I am getting a BSc (hons) course in Aligarh Muslim University. India.

I have placed biochemistry at the top in my preference list but I might not be able to get it because of my rank and high cut off of biochem so I need some advice on what I should place on the second place

My options are geology or industrial chemistry

But I am just so confused I tried researching on reddit and other places and I saw some demotivating stuff about pursuing geology, I have also heard some not good stuff about industrial chemistry.

I am just very confused on what I should choose in between the two.

Also, I may or may not use the first year of my BSs(Hons) as a partial drop for neet preparation.......

But still I would be really grateful any advice I can get regarding what subject I should choose between geology and industrial chemistry

I’m 18 and trying to make one of the biggest decisions of my life right now. I’ve spent a lot of time trying to figure out what actually interests me. For years I’ve been fascinated by Earth’s resources, geology, natural systems, natural phenomena, and understanding how our planet works. At different points I’ve considered paleontology, geology, environmental science, mining engineering, Nuclear Engineering, Planetary Science and for the final finally lol petroleum engineering.
The thing is, I don’t think my interest stops at exploration alone. As much as I find discovery fascinating, I’ve realized I also want strong compensation, a career with demand, and a path where I can specialize deeply rather than staying broad. That’s one of the reasons petroleum engineering keeps pulling me back. Oil and gas genuinely interests me, but not simply because it’s oil. What attracts me is that it seems to sit at the intersection of understanding the Earth and actually doing something with that knowledge through resource extraction, production, drilling, reservoirs, subsurface systems, and large-scale engineering.
I also like the lifestyle aspects I’ve seen in parts of the industry. Rotational schedules, Travel opportunities, Field work, High earning potential. Working around real-world operations instead of being behind a desk 100% of the time My biggest concern is the trade-off. I constantly hear that Petroleum Engineering comes with More specialization, More exposure to industry booms and busts, Less flexibility than Mechanical, Chemical, or Civil Engineering. At the same time, I worry that if I choose a broader degree solely for flexibility, I might miss out on the exact parts of the industry that originally interested me.

For those already working in petroleum, drilling, production, reservoirs, completions, geology, mining, or energy:
Was Petroleum Engineering worth the trade-offs?
If you could go back, would you choose it again?
Did it satisfy your interest in Earth’s resources and subsurface systems?
How much do market cycles actually affect your career?
Do you ever wish you had chosen Mechanical or Chemical Engineering instead?
For someone whose interests are Earth’s resources first and oil & gas second, does Petroleum Engineering still make sense?
I’d appreciate honest answers from people who have actually worked in the industry for a few years and people whose just as curious or interested please engage. The knowledge took here would be very valuable.

Could anyone please tell me everything about environmental engineering in India from how to start, which colleges, is it male dominated, courses to join, scope for future, work-life balance, salaries, opportunities etc.

I am from Greece doing my college applications and as I was researching potential unis I can get into I stumbled into environmental engineering which sounded like an interesting subject. I can easily get accepted into this university and it is in a great city. I am however worried about certain aspects of this choice I about to make. So I am hoping someone more knowledgeable then me can provide me with additional info on these points.

First and foremost my parents especially my dad disapprove heavily on my idea of becoming an environmental engineer due to the fact that he is pressuring me to get into some of the more basic strains of engineering like civil and mechanical. It is making e question if I am making the right choice you know? Which the more I research I find them to be just more boring versions of environmental engineering.

Second of all there has been a couple of I people I know who have majored in environmental engineering and struggled with employment which is something I am worried about. In more detail two of my mom's friends couldn't get a job back in the 80s after graduating. My country has generally a big problem with youth unemployment. I am willing to utilise my EU rights and migrate if that turns out to be a problem with my life.

Another thing that is in my mind is whether or not I will be able to incorporate other strains of engineering into my degree. As my country offers minors in environmental engineering I want to ask if that locks me down in something rather specific and I would do better to minor into something more broad.

Finally I am curious about the work conditions of the subject. Anything that I should know that is not on the web.

Thanks!!!!