Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health Salary
In Hattiesburg, MS, environmental scientists and specialists, including healths earn $52,690 at the median, or about $25.33 an hour. The range runs from $37K at the entry level to $87K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 87.63), which stretches that salary to about $60,128 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,047/month, about 30.2% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $53K get you in Hattiesburg?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Hattiesburg’s Regional Price Parity (87.63). 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
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Hattiesburg
Pay for environmental scientists and specialists, including health in Hattiesburg runs about 36% below the U.S. median of $82K. Rent runs $1,047/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 30% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 87.63 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 12% 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 Hattiesburg, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Jackson | $58K | $65K |
| Gulfport-Biloxi | $65K | $72K |
| Baton Rouge | $70K | $77K |
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin | $78K | $81K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Hattiesburg, MS
Entry-level environmental scientists and specialists, including healths (10th percentile) start around $37K. Mid-career wages sit at $53K. Top earners bring in $87K or more, a $50K 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)
Track environmental scientists and specialists, including health salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Hattiesburg numbers change.
Related careers in Science
Frequently asked questions
Can a environmental scientists and specialists, including health afford a 2BR apartment alone in Hattiesburg?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $53K, rent takes 30% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,047/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,000/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 Hattiesburg?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new environmental scientists and specialists, including healths typically earn — is $37K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,208/month. At HUD’s $1,047/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 Hattiesburg?
Local pay runs 36% below the national median — $53K here vs. $82K nationally. Cost of living is 12% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Hattiesburg compare to the national average for environmental scientists and specialists, including healths?
Hattiesburg pays $53K median vs. the U.S. average of $82K — that’s -36%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 87.63), the purchasing-power equivalent is $60K — below the national median.
How much do environmental scientists and specialists, including healths make in Hattiesburg, MS?
The median is $52,690 a year, that works out to about $25 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $36,800, and experienced environmental scientists and specialists, including healths can clear $86,800. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $53K enough to live in Hattiesburg?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,492/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,047/month, which eats 30% 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 Hattiesburg?
Hattiesburg has a Regional Price Parity of 87.63 (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 $60,128 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.