Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets (Unaudited) (USD $)	Jan. 31, 2014	Jul. 31, 2013
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 8,132,624	$ 9,444,660
Investment securities available for sale	1,402,486	1,463,864
Contract receivables, net of allowance for doubtful accounts and contract adjustments of $5,336,972 and $5,592,800, respectively	41,232,938	47,134,007
Deferred income taxes	4,383,739	4,308,538
Income tax receivable	3,193,874	4,355,260
Other current assets	2,620,298	1,784,826
Total current assets	60,965,959	68,491,155
Property, building and equipment, net of accumulated depreciation of $26,470,095 and $24,569,139, respectively	8,838,104	10,122,801
Deferred income taxes	1,090,061	1,089,060
Other assets	1,915,654	1,978,668
Total assets	72,809,778	81,681,684
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable	8,436,227	9,864,138
Lines of credit	2,011,374	6,528,691
Accrued payroll costs	6,868,620	7,102,910
Current portion of long-term debt and capital lease obligations	432,586	199,658
Billings in excess of revenue	6,170,984	6,437,730
Other accrued liabilities	4,381,700	4,070,073
Total current liabilities	28,301,491	34,203,200
Income taxes payable	124,793	124,793
Deferred income taxes	462,787	462,787
Long-term debt and capital lease obligations	427,572	251,614
Commitments and contingencies (Note 16)	0	0
Shareholders' equity:
Preferred stock, par value $.01 per share (2,000,000 shares authorized; no shares issued)	0	0
Capital in excess of par value	17,106,362	20,016,873
Retained earnings	23,928,045	25,365,853
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)	(352,950)	(84,527)
Treasury stock, at cost (Class A common: 39,224 and 79,110 shares; Class B common: 64,801 shares)	(1,223,899)	(1,798,233)
Total Ecology and Environment, Inc. shareholders' equity	39,501,496	43,543,904
Noncontrolling interests	3,991,639	3,095,386
Total shareholders' equity	43,493,135	46,639,290
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	72,809,778	81,681,684
Class A [Member]
Shareholders' equity:
Common stock	26,851	26,851
Class B [Member]
Shareholders' equity:
Common stock	$ 17,087	$ 17,087