Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health Salary
In Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL, environmental scientists and specialists, including healths earn $68,920 at the median, or about $33.14 an hour. The range runs from $45K at the entry level to $110K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 114.16), so that salary is closer to $60,371 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,436/month, about 50.9% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $69K get you in Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach’s Regional Price Parity (114.16). 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 Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach
Pay for environmental scientists and specialists, including health in Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach runs about 16% below the U.S. median of $82K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $2,436/month, which is 51.4% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost-of-living overall is 14% above the national average (BEA RPP 114.16), 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 healths.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for environmental scientists and specialists, including healths in metros near Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater | $63K | $62K |
| Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford | $65K | $64K |
| Tallahassee | $54K | $57K |
| Jacksonville | $60K | $61K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL
Entry-level environmental scientists and specialists, including healths (10th percentile) start around $45K. Mid-career wages sit at $69K. Top earners bring in $110K or more, a $65K 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
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Frequently asked questions
Can a environmental scientists and specialists, including health afford a 2BR apartment alone in Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $69K, rent takes 51.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,436/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,400/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 Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new environmental scientists and specialists, including healths typically earn — is $45K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,713/month. At HUD’s $2,436/month FMR, rent would take 90% 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 Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach?
Local pay runs 16% below the national median — $69K here vs. $82K nationally.
How does Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach compare to the national average for environmental scientists and specialists, including healths?
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach pays $69K median vs. the U.S. average of $82K — that’s -16%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 114.16), the purchasing-power equivalent is $60K — below the national median.
How much do environmental scientists and specialists, including healths make in Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL?
The median is $68,920 a year, that works out to about $33 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $45,210, and experienced environmental scientists and specialists, including healths can clear $109,840. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $69K enough to live in Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,739/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,436/month, which eats 51.4% 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 Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach?
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach has a Regional Price Parity of 114.16 (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 $60,371 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.