Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health Salary
In Alabama, environmental scientists and specialists, including healths earn $72,490 at the median, or about $34.85 an hour. The range runs from $41K at the entry level to $115K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.36), which stretches that salary to about $82,039 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,085/month, or 22.8% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Alabama. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $72K get you in Alabama?
About environmental scientists and specialists, including healths
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What this looks like in Alabama
Pay for environmental scientists and specialists, including health in Alabama runs about 12% below the U.S. median of $82K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,085/month, 23.3% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 88.36 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 12% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Lower pay, lower costs, Alabama can be a reasonable trade-off for environmental scientists and specialists, including healths who value affordability over top-dollar markets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Alabama
Entry-level environmental scientists and specialists, including healths (10th percentile) start around $41K. Mid-career wages sit at $72K. Top earners bring in $115K or more, a $74K spread from bottom to top.
Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health salary by metro in Alabama
6 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Decatur | $83K | +15% | 40 |
| Huntsville | $78K | +8% | 100 |
| Mobile | $74K | +2% | 60 |
| Birmingham | $73K | +0% | 130 |
| Montgomery | $69K | -5% | 290 |
| Daphne-Fairhope-Foley | $60K | -18% | 40 |
Compare to other states
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Frequently asked questions
Can a environmental scientists and specialists, including health afford a 2BR apartment alone in Alabama?
Yes — at the median salary of $72K, rent takes 23.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,085/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for environmental scientists and specialists, including healths in Alabama?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new environmental scientists and specialists, including healths typically earn — is $41K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,476/month. At HUD’s $1,085/month FMR, rent would take 44% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is environmental scientists and specialists, including health a high-paying job in Alabama?
Local pay runs 12% below the national median — $72K here vs. $82K nationally. Cost of living is 12% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Alabama compare to the national average for environmental scientists and specialists, including healths?
Alabama pays $72K median vs. the U.S. average of $82K — that’s -12%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.36), the purchasing-power equivalent is $82K — below the national median.
How much do environmental scientists and specialists, including healths make in Alabama?
The median is $72,490 a year, that works out to about $35 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $41,260, and experienced environmental scientists and specialists, including healths can clear $114,900. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $72K enough to live in Alabama?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,660/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,085/month, which eats 23.3% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a environmental scientists and specialists, including health salary go in Alabama?
Alabama has a Regional Price Parity of 88.36 (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 scientists and specialists, including health salary is worth about $82,039 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do environmental scientists and specialists, 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.