💡 Why it matters: Floods, drought and the need for clean water affect millions of people. Engineers who design dams, boreholes, drains and treatment plants are increasingly needed.
🌍 Around the world
- Nigeria: Floods, drought and the need for clean water affect millions of Nigerians.
- United States: Jobs for environmental engineers (the closest US category) are projected to grow 6% from 2025 to 2035, faster than average (US Bureau of Labor Statistics).
💰 What it can pay
🇳🇬 Nigeria
- Starting out
- ₦1.4M – ₦3.3M
- Mid-career
- ₦4M – ₦9M
- Senior
- ₦10M – ₦24M
≈ ₦333k – ₦750k a month mid-career. Indicative estimate by Incusim.
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
Closest UK profile: Hydrologist. Typical starter to experienced salary. National Careers Service, 2026
🇺🇸 United States
Closest US category: Environmental engineers. Median pay; low and high are the 10th and 90th percentiles. US Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025
🇨🇦 Canada
Hourly wage low/median/high x 2,080 hours. Job Bank (Government of Canada), 2023-2024
Yearly pay before tax. UK, US and Canada figures come from the official sources named on each card. Nigeria has no official salary survey, so those are our indicative estimates. Real pay depends on the employer, the place, your skills and experience.
🛠️ What you actually do
- Design drainage, dams and water supply systems
- Study rainfall and river data to predict floods
- Plan water treatment and borehole schemes
- Check the quality and flow of water
- Work with towns and governments on water plans
⚡ Skills you'll need
- Maths
- Problem solving
- Data analysis
- Attention to detail
- Teamwork
Get ready at school
🇳🇬 Nigeria
- Do SIWES (Students' Industrial Work Experience Scheme) with a water board or consultancy
- Short courses in hydrology and water treatment
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
- Degree apprenticeship or graduate scheme with a water company or consultancy
- Civil engineering technician apprenticeship, then part-time study
🇺🇸 United States
- Internships with water utilities, consultancies or government agencies
- Associate degree at a community college, then transfer to a bachelor's programme
🇨🇦 Canada
- College diploma in engineering technology, then work as a technologist or transfer into a degree
- Co-op programmes that mix study with paid work placements
🗺️ Your path to this career
- 1Study Maths, Physics and Geography
- 2Take a civil or water resources degree
- 3Do a work placement with a water board or consultancy
- 4Learn modelling tools for floods and water flow
- 5Join a water agency, consultancy or charity
⏰ A day in the life
After heavy rain you walk along a blocked drain with a team, measuring water levels. Back at the office, you update a flood model on screen and recommend a wider channel for the community.