Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health Salary
In Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA, environmental scientists and specialists, including healths earn $81,220 at the median, or about $39.05 an hour. The range runs from $57K at the entry level to $119K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.7), which stretches that salary to about $88,571 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,318/month, or 25.7% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $81K get you in Des Moines-West Des Moines?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Des Moines-West Des Moines’s Regional Price Parity (91.7). 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 Des Moines-West Des Moines
Environmental scientists and specialists, including health pay in Des Moines-West Des Moines tracks closely to the national median, $81K locally vs. $82K nationwide, a 1% difference. Rent runs $1,318/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 25.8% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 91.7 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 8% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for environmental scientists and specialists, including healths in metros near Des Moines-West Des Moines, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Iowa City | $79K | $86K |
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island | $87K | $98K |
| Cedar Rapids | $87K | $98K |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington | $98K | $93K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA
Entry-level environmental scientists and specialists, including healths (10th percentile) start around $57K. Mid-career wages sit at $81K. Top earners bring in $119K 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 Des Moines-West Des Moines?
Yes — at the median salary of $81K, rent takes 25.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,318/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 Des Moines-West Des Moines?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new environmental scientists and specialists, including healths typically earn — is $57K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,422/month. At HUD’s $1,318/month FMR, rent would take 39% 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 Des Moines-West Des Moines?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $81K locally vs. $82K nationally, a 1% difference.
How does Des Moines-West Des Moines compare to the national average for environmental scientists and specialists, including healths?
Des Moines-West Des Moines pays $81K median vs. the U.S. average of $82K — that’s -1%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 91.7), the purchasing-power equivalent is $89K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do environmental scientists and specialists, including healths make in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA?
The median is $81,220 a year, that works out to about $39 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $57,040, and experienced environmental scientists and specialists, including healths can clear $119,340. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $81K enough to live in Des Moines-West Des Moines?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,110/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,318/month, which eats 25.8% 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 Des Moines-West Des Moines?
Des Moines-West Des Moines has a Regional Price Parity of 91.7 (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 $88,571 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.