Environmental Science and Protection Technicians, Including Health Salary
In Charleston, WV, environmental science and protection technicians, including healths earn $59,090 at the median, or about $28.41 an hour. The range runs from $37K at the entry level to $69K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.72), which stretches that salary to about $66,603 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,036/month, or 26.7% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $59K get you in Charleston?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Charleston’s Regional Price Parity (88.72). 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 science and protection technicians, including healths
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What this looks like in Charleston
Environmental science and protection technicians, including health pay in Charleston tracks closely to the national median, $59K locally vs. $55K nationwide, a 7% difference. Rent runs $1,036/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 26.2% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 88.72 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 11% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for environmental science and protection technicians, including healths in metros near Charleston, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Beckley | $59K | $66K |
| Huntington-Ashland | $50K | $57K |
| Wheeling | $49K | $55K |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington | $62K | $61K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Charleston, WV
Entry-level environmental science and protection technicians, including healths (10th percentile) start around $37K. Mid-career wages sit at $59K. Top earners bring in $69K or more, a $32K spread from bottom to top.
Environmental Science and Protection Technicians, Including Health pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Environmental Science and Protection Technicians, Including Health salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | $67K | +22% | 850 |
| Nebraska | $66K | +20% | 140 |
| Connecticut | $66K | +20% | N/A |
| Minnesota | $65K | +19% | 450 |
| Rhode Island | $65K | +18% | 90 |
| New York | $62K | +13% | 1,960 |
| New Mexico | $62K | +13% | 500 |
| North Dakota | $61K | +12% | 140 |
| California | $61K | +11% | 6,010 |
| Colorado | $61K | +11% | 740 |
| Pennsylvania | $61K | +10% | 1,180 |
| Montana | $61K | +10% | 70 |
| Nevada | $60K | +10% | 390 |
| Illinois | $60K | +9% | 980 |
| Massachusetts | $59K | +8% | 330 |
| Oregon | $59K | +7% | 440 |
| Utah | $58K | +6% | 270 |
| Arizona | $58K | +5% | 590 |
| Hawaii | $57K | +3% | 260 |
| Tennessee | $57K | +3% | 320 |
| Ohio | $56K | +2% | 770 |
| Idaho | $55K | +1% | 200 |
| Wisconsin | $55K | +0% | 380 |
| Alaska | $55K | +0% | 440 |
| Maryland | $55K | +0% | 580 |
| Vermont | $55K | +0% | 50 |
| New Hampshire | $54K | -2% | 80 |
| West Virginia | $53K | -5% | 750 |
| New Jersey | $52K | -5% | 830 |
| Iowa | $52K | -6% | 470 |
| Maine | $52K | -6% | 150 |
| North Carolina | $52K | -6% | 1,100 |
| Michigan | $51K | -7% | 600 |
| Texas | $51K | -8% | 3,350 |
| Missouri | $50K | -9% | 380 |
| Wyoming | $49K | -10% | 150 |
| Virginia | $49K | -10% | 1,450 |
| Indiana | $49K | -11% | 780 |
| Florida | $49K | -11% | 2,090 |
| South Carolina | $49K | -12% | 500 |
| Arkansas | $48K | -12% | 160 |
| Oklahoma | $48K | -13% | 360 |
| Georgia | $48K | -13% | 1,110 |
| Kansas | $48K | -13% | 340 |
| Kentucky | $47K | -15% | 560 |
| Delaware | $46K | -17% | 150 |
| Alabama | $45K | -18% | 410 |
| South Dakota | $44K | -20% | 60 |
| Mississippi | $35K | -36% | 250 |
Showing 1–10 of 49 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track environmental science and protection technicians, including health salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Charleston numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a environmental science and protection technicians, including health afford a 2BR apartment alone in Charleston?
Yes — at the median salary of $59K, rent takes 26.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,036/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for environmental science and protection technicians, including healths in Charleston?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new environmental science and protection technicians, including healths typically earn — is $37K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,233/month. At HUD’s $1,036/month FMR, rent would take 46% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is environmental science and protection technicians, including health a high-paying job in Charleston?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $59K locally vs. $55K nationally, a 7% difference.
How does Charleston compare to the national average for environmental science and protection technicians, including healths?
Charleston pays $59K median vs. the U.S. average of $55K — that’s +7%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.72), the purchasing-power equivalent is $67K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do environmental science and protection technicians, including healths make in Charleston, WV?
The median is $59,090 a year, that works out to about $28 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $37,220, and experienced environmental science and protection technicians, including healths can clear $68,830. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $59K enough to live in Charleston?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,948/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,036/month, which eats 26.2% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a environmental science and protection technicians, including health salary go in Charleston?
Charleston has a Regional Price Parity of 88.72 (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 science and protection technicians, including health salary is worth about $66,603 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do environmental science and protection technicians, including healths 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.