Environmental Science and Protection Technicians, Including Health Salary
In Columbia, SC, environmental science and protection technicians, including healths earn $51,290 at the median, or about $24.66 an hour. The range runs from $37K at the entry level to $109K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 93.66), which stretches that salary to about $54,762 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,276/month, about 37.9% of take-home, which is tight.
Where the paycheck goes
What $51K actually covers in Columbia, month by month
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Columbia’s Regional Price Parity (93.66). 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 Columbia
Environmental science and protection technicians, including health pay in Columbia tracks closely to the national median, $51K locally vs. $55K nationwide, a 7% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,276/month, which is 36.8% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 93.66 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 6% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for environmental science and protection technicians, including healths in metros near Columbia, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Charleston-North Charleston | $48K | $48K |
| Greenville-Anderson-Greer | $49K | $52K |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell | $48K | $48K |
| Raleigh-Cary | $58K | $59K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Columbia, SC
Entry-level environmental science and protection technicians, including healths (10th percentile) start around $37K. Mid-career wages sit at $51K. Top earners bring in $109K or more, a $71K 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 Columbia numbers change.
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Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a environmental science and protection technicians, including health afford a 2BR apartment alone in Columbia?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $51K, rent takes 36.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,276/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 science and protection technicians, including healths in Columbia?
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 $2,613/month. At HUD’s $1,276/month FMR, rent would take 49% 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 Columbia?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $51K locally vs. $55K nationally, a 7% difference.
How does Columbia compare to the national average for environmental science and protection technicians, including healths?
Columbia pays $51K median vs. the U.S. average of $55K — that’s -7%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 93.66), the purchasing-power equivalent is $55K — below the national median.
How much do environmental science and protection technicians, including healths make in Columbia, SC?
The median is $51,290 a year, that works out to about $25 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $37,440, and experienced environmental science and protection technicians, including healths can clear $108,610. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $51K enough to live in Columbia?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,466/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,276/month, which eats 36.8% 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 science and protection technicians, including health salary go in Columbia?
Columbia has a Regional Price Parity of 93.66 (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 $54,762 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.