Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health Salary
In Amherst Town-Northampton, MA, environmental scientists and specialists, including healths earn $86,200 at the median, or about $41.44 an hour. The range runs from $61K at the entry level to $130K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 100.24), that's roughly $85,994 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,004/month, about 36.8% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $86K get you in Amherst Town-Northampton?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Amherst Town-Northampton’s Regional Price Parity (100.24). 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.
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What this looks like in Amherst Town-Northampton
Environmental scientists and specialists, including health pay in Amherst Town-Northampton tracks closely to the national median, $86K locally vs. $82K nationwide, a 5% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $2,004/month, which is 37.2% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 100.24) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for environmental scientists and specialists, including healths in metros near Amherst Town-Northampton, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton | $100K | $93K |
| Worcester | $104K | $101K |
| Springfield | $104K | $108K |
| Barnstable Town | $97K | $98K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Amherst Town-Northampton, MA
Entry-level environmental scientists and specialists, including healths (10th percentile) start around $61K. Mid-career wages sit at $86K. Top earners bring in $130K or more, a $69K spread from bottom to top.
Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $133K | +61% | 1,270 |
| California | $107K | +30% | 12,490 |
| Rhode Island | $101K | +23% | 330 |
| Massachusetts | $101K | +22% | 2,930 |
| Washington | $98K | +20% | 4,470 |
| Oregon | $97K | +19% | 1,370 |
| Texas | $92K | +12% | 5,630 |
| Alaska | $92K | +12% | 860 |
| Utah | $91K | +10% | 1,020 |
| Minnesota | $88K | +7% | 2,260 |
| New Mexico | $87K | +5% | 940 |
| Colorado | $86K | +5% | 2,580 |
| Georgia | $86K | +4% | 1,750 |
| North Dakota | $85K | +3% | 240 |
| Maryland | $84K | +2% | 1,760 |
| Nevada | $83K | +1% | 490 |
| Virginia | $82K | +0% | 2,850 |
| New York | $82K | -0% | 3,700 |
| West Virginia | $82K | -0% | 250 |
| Connecticut | $82K | -0% | 620 |
| Illinois | $82K | -1% | 1,550 |
| New Hampshire | $81K | -2% | 480 |
| Arizona | $81K | -2% | 1,970 |
| Montana | $80K | -2% | 570 |
| Hawaii | $80K | -3% | 670 |
| New Jersey | $79K | -4% | 3,150 |
| Iowa | $79K | -4% | 690 |
| Ohio | $79K | -4% | 2,460 |
| Kansas | $78K | -5% | 590 |
| Vermont | $77K | -6% | 490 |
| Tennessee | $77K | -7% | 1,230 |
| Pennsylvania | $76K | -7% | 3,020 |
| Michigan | $76K | -7% | 3,100 |
| Oklahoma | $76K | -8% | 520 |
| South Carolina | $75K | -9% | 490 |
| North Carolina | $74K | -10% | 4,150 |
| Wyoming | $74K | -10% | 410 |
| Wisconsin | $73K | -11% | 920 |
| Alabama | $72K | -12% | 870 |
| Kentucky | $71K | -14% | 1,000 |
| Idaho | $70K | -14% | 670 |
| Louisiana | $70K | -15% | 1,600 |
| South Dakota | $68K | -17% | 240 |
| Maine | $66K | -19% | 530 |
| Indiana | $65K | -21% | 1,290 |
| Delaware | $65K | -21% | 290 |
| Nebraska | $64K | -22% | 510 |
| Missouri | $61K | -26% | 1,380 |
| Florida | $61K | -26% | 5,950 |
| Mississippi | $58K | -30% | 390 |
| Arkansas | $57K | -30% | 270 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
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Frequently asked questions
Can a environmental scientists and specialists, including health afford a 2BR apartment alone in Amherst Town-Northampton?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $86K, rent takes 37.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,004/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,600/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for environmental scientists and specialists, including healths in Amherst Town-Northampton?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new environmental scientists and specialists, including healths typically earn — is $61K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,634/month. At HUD’s $2,004/month FMR, rent would take 55% 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 Amherst Town-Northampton?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $86K locally vs. $82K nationally, a 5% difference.
How does Amherst Town-Northampton compare to the national average for environmental scientists and specialists, including healths?
Amherst Town-Northampton pays $86K median vs. the U.S. average of $82K — that’s +5%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 100.24), the purchasing-power equivalent is $86K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do environmental scientists and specialists, including healths make in Amherst Town-Northampton, MA?
The median is $86,200 a year, that works out to about $41 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $60,560, and experienced environmental scientists and specialists, including healths can clear $129,980. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $86K enough to live in Amherst Town-Northampton?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,393/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,004/month, which eats 37.2% 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 scientists and specialists, including health salary go in Amherst Town-Northampton?
Amherst Town-Northampton has a Regional Price Parity of 100.24 (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 scientists and specialists, including health salary is worth about $85,994 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.