Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health Salary
In Charleston, WV, environmental scientists and specialists, including healths earn $74,090 at the median, or about $35.62 an hour. The range runs from $51K at the entry level to $112K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.72), which stretches that salary to about $83,510 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,036/month, or 21.3% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $74K get you in Charleston?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Charleston’s Regional Price Parity (88.72). 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 Charleston
Environmental scientists and specialists, including health pay in Charleston tracks closely to the national median, $74K locally vs. $82K nationwide, a 10% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,036/month, 21.6% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 88.72 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 11% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. 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 Charleston, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Huntington-Ashland | $82K | $93K |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington | $78K | $76K |
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson | $84K | $80K |
| Columbus | $82K | $86K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Charleston, WV
Entry-level environmental scientists and specialists, including healths (10th percentile) start around $51K. Mid-career wages sit at $74K. Top earners bring in $112K or more, a $62K 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 Charleston?
Yes — at the median salary of $74K, rent takes 21.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,036/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 Charleston?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new environmental scientists and specialists, including healths typically earn — is $51K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,039/month. At HUD’s $1,036/month FMR, rent would take 34% 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 Charleston?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $74K locally vs. $82K nationally, a 10% difference.
How does Charleston compare to the national average for environmental scientists and specialists, including healths?
Charleston pays $74K median vs. the U.S. average of $82K — that’s -10%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.72), the purchasing-power equivalent is $84K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do environmental scientists and specialists, including healths make in Charleston, WV?
The median is $74,090 a year, that works out to about $36 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $50,650, and experienced environmental scientists and specialists, including healths can clear $112,400. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $74K enough to live in Charleston?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,800/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,036/month, which eats 21.6% 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 Charleston?
Charleston has a Regional Price Parity of 88.72 (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 $83,510 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.