Environmental Science and Protection Technicians, Including Health Salary
In Washington, environmental science and protection technicians, including healths earn $67,160 at the median, or about $32.29 an hour. The range runs from $47K at the entry level to $106K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 102.01), that's roughly $65,837 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,830/month, about 39.2% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Washington. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $67K get you in Washington?
About environmental science and protection technicians, including healths
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What this looks like in Washington
Washington sits well above the national pay line for environmental science and protection technicians, including health, local pay runs about 22% higher than the U.S. median of $55K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,830/month, which is 39.5% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 102.01) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. The pay premium is real, but so are the offsets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Washington
Entry-level environmental science and protection technicians, including healths (10th percentile) start around $47K. Mid-career wages sit at $67K. Top earners bring in $106K or more, a $59K spread from bottom to top.
Environmental Science and Protection Technicians, Including Health salary by metro in Washington
2 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue | $60K | -10% | 270 |
| Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater | $51K | -23% | 30 |
Compare to other states
Track environmental science and protection technicians, including health salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Washington numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a environmental science and protection technicians, including health afford a 2BR apartment alone in Washington?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $67K, rent takes 39.5% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,830/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,400/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 Washington?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new environmental science and protection technicians, including healths typically earn — is $47K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,842/month. At HUD’s $1,830/month FMR, rent would take 64% 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 Washington?
Local pay is 22% above the national median — $67K here vs. $55K nationally.
How does Washington compare to the national average for environmental science and protection technicians, including healths?
Washington pays $67K median vs. the U.S. average of $55K — that’s +22%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 102.01), the purchasing-power equivalent is $66K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do environmental science and protection technicians, including healths make in Washington?
The median is $67,160 a year, that works out to about $32 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $47,360, and experienced environmental science and protection technicians, including healths can clear $106,490. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $67K enough to live in Washington?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,636/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,830/month, which eats 39.5% 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 Washington?
Washington has a Regional Price Parity of 102.01 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median environmental science and protection technicians, including health salary is worth about $65,837 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.