Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health Salary
In Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC, environmental scientists and specialists, including healths earn $69,930 at the median, or about $33.62 an hour. The range runs from $49K at the entry level to $90K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.49), which stretches that salary to about $79,026 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,095/month, or 23.4% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $70K get you in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton’s Regional Price Parity (88.49). 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 Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton
Pay for environmental scientists and specialists, including health in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton runs about 15% below the U.S. median of $82K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,095/month, 24.1% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 88.49 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 12% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Lower pay, lower costs, Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton can be a reasonable trade-off for environmental scientists and specialists, including healths who value affordability over top-dollar markets.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for environmental scientists and specialists, including healths in metros near Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Raleigh-Cary | $81K | $83K |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia | $73K | $75K |
| Durham-Chapel Hill | $83K | $85K |
| Wilmington | $65K | $68K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC
Entry-level environmental scientists and specialists, including healths (10th percentile) start around $49K. Mid-career wages sit at $70K. Top earners bring in $90K or more, a $41K 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 Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton?
Yes — at the median salary of $70K, rent takes 24.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,095/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 Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new environmental scientists and specialists, including healths typically earn — is $49K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,956/month. At HUD’s $1,095/month FMR, rent would take 37% 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 Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton?
Local pay runs 15% below the national median — $70K here vs. $82K nationally. Cost of living is 12% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton compare to the national average for environmental scientists and specialists, including healths?
Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton pays $70K median vs. the U.S. average of $82K — that’s -15%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.49), the purchasing-power equivalent is $79K — below the national median.
How much do environmental scientists and specialists, including healths make in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC?
The median is $69,930 a year, that works out to about $34 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $49,270, and experienced environmental scientists and specialists, including healths can clear $90,420. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $70K enough to live in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,536/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,095/month, which eats 24.1% 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 Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton?
Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton has a Regional Price Parity of 88.49 (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 $79,026 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.