Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health Salary
In Montana, environmental scientists and specialists, including healths earn $80,260 at the median, or about $38.59 an hour. The range runs from $64K at the entry level to $125K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 97), that's roughly $82,742 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,129/month, or 22.3% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Montana. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $80K get you in Montana?
About environmental scientists and specialists, including healths
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What this looks like in Montana
Environmental scientists and specialists, including health pay in Montana tracks closely to the national median, $80K locally vs. $82K nationwide, a 2% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,129/month, 22.1% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Cost of living (RPP 97) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Montana
Entry-level environmental scientists and specialists, including healths (10th percentile) start around $64K. Mid-career wages sit at $80K. Top earners bring in $125K or more, a $61K spread from bottom to top.
Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health salary by metro in Montana
4 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Billings | $89K | +11% | 50 |
| Helena | $82K | +2% | 210 |
| Bozeman | $80K | +0% | 70 |
| Missoula | $78K | -3% | 90 |
Compare to other states
Track environmental scientists and specialists, including health salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Montana numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a environmental scientists and specialists, including health afford a 2BR apartment alone in Montana?
Yes — at the median salary of $80K, rent takes 22.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,129/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 Montana?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new environmental scientists and specialists, including healths typically earn — is $64K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,857/month. At HUD’s $1,129/month FMR, rent would take 29% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is environmental scientists and specialists, including health a high-paying job in Montana?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $80K locally vs. $82K nationally, a 2% difference.
How does Montana compare to the national average for environmental scientists and specialists, including healths?
Montana pays $80K median vs. the U.S. average of $82K — that’s -2%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 97), the purchasing-power equivalent is $83K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do environmental scientists and specialists, including healths make in Montana?
The median is $80,260 a year, that works out to about $39 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $64,290, and experienced environmental scientists and specialists, including healths can clear $124,800. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $80K enough to live in Montana?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,102/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,129/month, which eats 22.1% 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 Montana?
Montana has a Regional Price Parity of 97 (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 $82,742 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.