Consolidated Statemets of Income (USD $)	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Apr. 30, 2012	Apr. 30, 2011	Apr. 30, 2012	Apr. 30, 2011
Consolidated Statemets of Income [Abstract]
Revenue	$ 36,011,087	$ 41,119,836	$ 118,496,292	$ 125,011,790
Cost of professional services and other direct operating expenses	13,560,046	15,624,627	41,906,831	48,766,310
Subcontract costs	5,971,336	7,598,498	24,671,421	22,455,230
Administrative and indirect operating expenses	10,967,127	11,173,563	33,796,454	31,821,627
Marketing and related costs	4,311,887	4,095,808	12,137,894	11,268,955
Depreciation and amortization	626,568	428,312	1,502,607	1,288,410
Income from operations	574,123	2,199,028	4,481,085	9,411,258
Interest expense	(100,554)	(81,497)	(264,530)	(253,369)
Interest income	54,771	18,154	86,637	93,351
Other income (expense)	48,063	47,682	168,586	39,499
Gain on sale of assets	0	232,194	0	290,526
Net foreign exchange gain (loss)	(73,059)	171,475	(199,908)	184,489
Income before income tax provision	503,344	2,587,036	4,271,870	9,765,754
Income tax provision (benefit)	(277,775)	933,279	782,409	3,513,231
Net income	781,119	1,653,757	3,489,461	6,252,523
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	(725,178)	(224,373)	(1,770,239)	(1,206,552)
Net income attributable to Ecology and Environment, Inc.	$ 55,941	$ 1,429,384	$ 1,719,222	$ 5,045,971
Net income per common share: basic and diluted (in dollars per share)	$ 0.01	$ 0.34	$ 0.41	$ 1.19
Weighted average common shares outstanding: basic and diluted (in shares)	4,245,059	4,236,993	4,230,204	4,222,759