Biological Scientists, All Other Salary

Yes — at the median salary of $78K, rent takes 29.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,498/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.

The 10th-percentile wage — what new biological scientists, all others typically earn — is $50K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,996/month. At HUD’s $1,498/month FMR, rent would take 50% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.

Local pay runs 21% below the national median — $78K here vs. $99K nationally.

Vermont pays $78K median vs. the U.S. average of $99K — that’s -21%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 100.95), the purchasing-power equivalent is $77K — below the national median.

The median is $77,960 a year, that works out to about $37 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $49,940, and experienced biological scientists, all others can clear $109,300. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.

On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,044/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,498/month, which eats 29.7% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.

Vermont has a Regional Price Parity of 100.95 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median biological scientists, all other salary is worth about $77,226 in national-average purchasing power.

The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.