Sun shines behind cattails at the UW Arboretum

Natural Resources and Environmental Engineering Option

Conserving soil and water resources is critical to our future. Expanding populations, rising temperatures, and increasing needs for food, goods, and services are placing an ever growing demand upon our precious soil and water resources. Natural resources and environmental engineers are finding ways to manage and conserve our resources today so that we can meet the demands of the future.

Natural resources and environmental engineers work with all kinds of natural resources, such as water, soil, plants, and air. For example, they could be responsible for the design of livestock or wildlife watering stations in a natural forest or the design of a recycling waste management system on a dairy farm. These engineers plan and design conservation practices on the landscape to better manage runoff and soil erosion to protect water quality. Graduates find challenging and rewarding work with engineering and environmental consultants, with government agencies such as the Forest Service, and with companies such as Valmont Irrigation and Creative Habitat.

Where might I work?

Examples of positions that recent Natural Resources and Environmental Engineering graduates have taken include:

  • Engineer, City of Madison Engineering
  • Environmental Engineer – Eder Associates
  • Environmental Technician – RMT, Inc.
  • Landfill Manager – Superior Services, Inc.
  • Permitting Engineer, The Probst Group
  • Surveying Technician, CA – Grothman & Associates
  • Technical Assistance – Dane County LCD
  • Water Resources Engineer, AECOM
  • Water Resources Engineer, Montgomery Associates Resource Solutions
Aecom, The Probst Group, EPA, and City of Madison logos

What is a typical starting salary?

  • Typical starting salaries vary from $50,000 to $60,000.

For more salary information, visit the CALS Graduate Salary Survey results.