Environmental Science and Protection Technicians, Including Health Salary
In South Carolina, environmental science and protection technicians, including healths earn $48,700 at the median, or about $23.41 an hour. The range runs from $37K at the entry level to $103K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 93.17), which stretches that salary to about $52,270 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,263/month, about 38% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across South Carolina. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $49K get you in South Carolina?
About environmental science and protection technicians, including healths
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in South Carolina
Pay for environmental science and protection technicians, including health in South Carolina runs about 12% below the U.S. median of $55K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,263/month, which is 38.2% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 93.17 (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 science and protection technicians, including healths.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, South Carolina
Entry-level environmental science and protection technicians, including healths (10th percentile) start around $37K. Mid-career wages sit at $49K. Top earners bring in $103K or more, a $65K spread from bottom to top.
Environmental Science and Protection Technicians, Including Health salary by metro in South Carolina
3 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Columbia | $51K | +5% | 100 |
| Greenville-Anderson-Greer | $49K | +0% | 40 |
| Charleston-North Charleston | $48K | -1% | 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 South Carolina numbers change.
Related careers in Science
Frequently asked questions
Can a environmental science and protection technicians, including health afford a 2BR apartment alone in South Carolina?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $49K, rent takes 38.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,263/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 South Carolina?
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 $2,246/month. At HUD’s $1,263/month FMR, rent would take 56% 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 South Carolina?
Local pay runs 12% below the national median — $49K here vs. $55K nationally. Cost of living is 7% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does South Carolina compare to the national average for environmental science and protection technicians, including healths?
South Carolina pays $49K median vs. the U.S. average of $55K — that’s -12%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 93.17), the purchasing-power equivalent is $52K — below the national median.
How much do environmental science and protection technicians, including healths make in South Carolina?
The median is $48,700 a year, that works out to about $23 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 $102,550. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $49K enough to live in South Carolina?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,307/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,263/month, which eats 38.2% 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 South Carolina?
South Carolina has a Regional Price Parity of 93.17 (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 $52,270 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.