Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets (Unaudited) (USD $)	Apr. 30, 2014	Jul. 31, 2013
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 6,970,725	$ 9,444,660
Investment securities available for sale	1,400,027	1,463,864
Contract receivables, net of allowance for doubtful accounts and contract adjustments of $5,340,200 and $5,592,800, respectively	43,675,999	47,134,007
Deferred income taxes	4,453,154	4,308,538
Income tax receivable	2,839,603	4,355,260
Other current assets	1,980,668	1,784,826
Total current assets	61,320,176	68,491,155
Property, building and equipment, net of accumulated depreciation of $27,597,985 and $24,569,139, respectively	8,170,588	10,122,801
Deferred income taxes	1,090,568	1,089,060
Other assets	1,942,458	1,978,668
Total assets	72,523,790	81,681,684
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable	7,164,325	9,864,138
Lines of credit	1,002,366	6,528,691
Accrued payroll costs	8,078,395	7,102,910
Income taxes payable	535,533	0
Current portion of long-term debt and capital lease obligations	420,729	199,658
Billings in excess of revenue	6,307,184	6,437,730
Other accrued liabilities	4,122,457	4,070,073
Total current liabilities	27,630,989	34,203,200
Income taxes payable	124,793	124,793
Deferred income taxes	658,210	462,787
Long-term debt and capital lease obligations	411,796	251,614
Commitments and contingencies (Note 16)
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	17,042,290	20,016,873
Retained earnings	23,605,181	25,365,853
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)	(151,844)	(84,527)
Treasury stock, at cost (Class A common: 39,612 and 79,110 shares; Class B common: 64,801 shares)	(1,223,899)	(1,798,233)
Total Ecology and Environment, Inc. shareholders' equity	39,315,666	43,543,904
Noncontrolling interests	4,382,336	3,095,386
Total shareholders' equity	43,698,002	46,639,290
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	72,523,790	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