Environmental Science and Protection Technicians, Including Health Salary
In Iowa, environmental science and protection technicians, including healths earn $52,020 at the median, or about $25.01 an hour. The range runs from $38K at the entry level to $80K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.86), which stretches that salary to about $58,542 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,064/month, about 31.1% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Iowa. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $52K get you in Iowa?
About environmental science and protection technicians, including healths
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What this looks like in Iowa
Environmental science and protection technicians, including health pay in Iowa tracks closely to the national median, $52K locally vs. $55K nationwide, a 6% difference. Rent runs $1,064/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 30.9% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 88.86 (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.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Iowa
Entry-level environmental science and protection technicians, including healths (10th percentile) start around $38K. Mid-career wages sit at $52K. Top earners bring in $80K or more, a $42K spread from bottom to top.
Environmental Science and Protection Technicians, Including Health salary by metro in Iowa
3 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Iowa City | $64K | +22% | 110 |
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island | $53K | +2% | 40 |
| Des Moines-West Des Moines | $47K | -10% | 130 |
Compare to other states
Track environmental science and protection technicians, including health salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Iowa numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a environmental science and protection technicians, including health afford a 2BR apartment alone in Iowa?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $52K, rent takes 30.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,064/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 Iowa?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new environmental science and protection technicians, including healths typically earn — is $38K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,274/month. At HUD’s $1,064/month FMR, rent would take 47% 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 Iowa?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $52K locally vs. $55K nationally, a 6% difference.
How does Iowa compare to the national average for environmental science and protection technicians, including healths?
Iowa pays $52K median vs. the U.S. average of $55K — that’s -6%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.86), the purchasing-power equivalent is $59K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do environmental science and protection technicians, including healths make in Iowa?
The median is $52,020 a year, that works out to about $25 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $37,900, and experienced environmental science and protection technicians, including healths can clear $80,390. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $52K enough to live in Iowa?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,441/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,064/month, which eats 30.9% 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 Iowa?
Iowa has a Regional Price Parity of 88.86 (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 $58,542 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.