Environmental Engineering Technologists and Technicians Salary
In Lexington-Fayette, KY, environmental engineering technologists and technicians earn $50,260 at the median, or about $24.16 an hour. The range runs from $46K at the entry level to $77K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 92.89), which stretches that salary to about $54,107 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,272/month, about 38.5% of take-home, which is tight.
Where the paycheck goes
What $50K actually covers in Lexington-Fayette, month by month
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Lexington-Fayette’s Regional Price Parity (92.89). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About environmental engineering technologists and technicians
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What this looks like in Lexington-Fayette
Pay for environmental engineering technologists and technicians in Lexington-Fayette runs about 16% below the U.S. median of $60K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,272/month, which is 37.8% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 92.89 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 7% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for environmental engineering technologists and technicians.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for environmental engineering technologists and technicians in metros near Lexington-Fayette, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Louisville/Jefferson County | $47K | $50K |
| St. Louis | $61K | $64K |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood | $71K | $74K |
| Knoxville | $91K | $99K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Lexington-Fayette, KY
Entry-level environmental engineering technologists and technicians (10th percentile) start around $46K. Mid-career wages sit at $50K. Top earners bring in $77K or more, a $32K spread from bottom to top.
Environmental Engineering Technologists and Technicians pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Environmental Engineering Technologists and Technicians salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | $100K | +67% | 270 |
| Oregon | $81K | +35% | 140 |
| Tennessee | $80K | +34% | 450 |
| Alaska | $78K | +30% | 40 |
| Nevada | $75K | +26% | 70 |
| Maryland | $68K | +13% | 250 |
| Massachusetts | $67K | +12% | 320 |
| Arizona | $65K | +9% | 190 |
| Maine | $65K | +8% | N/A |
| South Carolina | $63K | +5% | 220 |
| New York | $63K | +4% | 470 |
| Idaho | $62K | +4% | 80 |
| Oklahoma | $62K | +3% | 370 |
| Kentucky | $61K | +3% | 200 |
| New Mexico | $61K | +2% | 130 |
| Louisiana | $61K | +2% | 100 |
| Colorado | $61K | +1% | N/A |
| New Jersey | $61K | +1% | 400 |
| Georgia | $61K | +1% | 670 |
| Utah | $60K | +1% | 120 |
| Alabama | $60K | +0% | 230 |
| Minnesota | $60K | +0% | 50 |
| California | $60K | +0% | 2,060 |
| Pennsylvania | $60K | +0% | 250 |
| Kansas | $59K | -1% | N/A |
| Montana | $59K | -2% | 80 |
| Iowa | $59K | -2% | 80 |
| Texas | $57K | -5% | 1,240 |
| Nebraska | $55K | -9% | 40 |
| South Dakota | $54K | -10% | 40 |
| North Carolina | $54K | -10% | 120 |
| Indiana | $53K | -11% | 130 |
| Virginia | $52K | -13% | N/A |
| Florida | $52K | -13% | 420 |
| Ohio | $52K | -14% | 630 |
| Hawaii | $52K | -14% | 50 |
| Illinois | $52K | -14% | 80 |
| Michigan | $51K | -15% | 220 |
| Wisconsin | $49K | -18% | 310 |
| West Virginia | $48K | -20% | 40 |
| Arkansas | $45K | -24% | 200 |
| New Hampshire | $40K | -33% | N/A |
| Mississippi | $37K | -39% | 100 |
Showing 1–10 of 43 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track environmental engineering technologists and technicians salary changes
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Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a environmental engineering technologists and technician afford a 2BR apartment alone in Lexington-Fayette?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $50K, rent takes 37.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,272/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,000/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for environmental engineering technologists and technicians in Lexington-Fayette?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new environmental engineering technologists and technicians typically earn — is $46K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,073/month. At HUD’s $1,272/month FMR, rent would take 41% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is environmental engineering technologists and technician a high-paying job in Lexington-Fayette?
Local pay runs 16% below the national median — $50K here vs. $60K nationally. Cost of living is 7% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Lexington-Fayette compare to the national average for environmental engineering technologists and technicians?
Lexington-Fayette pays $50K median vs. the U.S. average of $60K — that’s -16%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 92.89), the purchasing-power equivalent is $54K — below the national median.
How much do environmental engineering technologists and technicians make in Lexington-Fayette, KY?
The median is $50,260 a year, that works out to about $24 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $45,620, and experienced environmental engineering technologists and technicians can clear $77,390. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $50K enough to live in Lexington-Fayette?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,368/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,272/month, which eats 37.8% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a environmental engineering technologists and technicians salary go in Lexington-Fayette?
Lexington-Fayette has a Regional Price Parity of 92.89 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median environmental engineering technologists and technicians salary is worth about $54,107 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do environmental engineering technologists and technicians get paid the most?
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.