Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health Salary
In Boulder, CO, environmental scientists and specialists, including healths earn $65,260 at the median, or about $31.38 an hour. The range runs from $65K at the entry level to $97K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 105.2), so that salary is closer to $62,034 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,033/month, about 46.5% of take-home, which is tight.
Where the paycheck goes
What $65K actually covers in Boulder, month by month
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Boulder’s Regional Price Parity (105.2). 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.
About environmental scientists and specialists, including healths
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What this looks like in Boulder
Pay for environmental scientists and specialists, including health in Boulder runs about 21% below the U.S. median of $82K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $2,033/month, which is 47.4% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost-of-living overall is 5% above the national average (BEA RPP 105.2), so groceries and services cost more too. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for environmental scientists and specialists, including health.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for environmental scientists and specialists, including healths in metros near Boulder, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial | $96K | $91K |
| Colorado Springs | $97K | $97K |
| Fort Collins-Loveland | $96K | $95K |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler | $81K | $78K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Boulder, CO
Entry-level environmental scientists and specialists, including healths (10th percentile) start around $65K. Mid-career wages sit at $65K. Top earners bring in $97K or more, a $32K 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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Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a environmental scientists and specialists, including health afford a 2BR apartment alone in Boulder?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $65K, rent takes 47.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,033/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,300/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 Boulder?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new environmental scientists and specialists, including healths typically earn — is $65K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,286/month. At HUD’s $2,033/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 scientists and specialists, including health a high-paying job in Boulder?
Local pay runs 21% below the national median — $65K here vs. $82K nationally.
How does Boulder compare to the national average for environmental scientists and specialists, including healths?
Boulder pays $65K median vs. the U.S. average of $82K — that’s -21%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 105.2), the purchasing-power equivalent is $62K — below the national median.
How much do environmental scientists and specialists, including healths make in Boulder, CO?
The median is $65,260 a year, that works out to about $31 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $65,260, and experienced environmental scientists and specialists, including healths can clear $97,060. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $65K enough to live in Boulder?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,286/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,033/month, which eats 47.4% 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 Boulder?
Boulder has a Regional Price Parity of 105.2 (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 $62,034 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.