Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health Salary
In North Carolina, environmental scientists and specialists, including healths earn $74,130 at the median, or about $35.64 an hour. The range runs from $49K at the entry level to $126K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 92.66), which stretches that salary to about $80,002 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,284/month, or 25.9% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across North Carolina. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $74K get you in North Carolina?
About environmental scientists and specialists, including healths
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What this looks like in North Carolina
Environmental scientists and specialists, including health pay in North Carolina tracks closely to the national median, $74K locally vs. $82K nationwide, a 10% difference. Rent runs $1,284/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 26.9% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 92.66 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 7% 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.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, North Carolina
Entry-level environmental scientists and specialists, including healths (10th percentile) start around $49K. Mid-career wages sit at $74K. Top earners bring in $126K or more, a $77K spread from bottom to top.
Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health salary by metro in North Carolina
10 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Durham-Chapel Hill | $83K | +12% | 430 |
| Raleigh-Cary | $81K | +10% | 1,120 |
| Jacksonville | $76K | +2% | 50 |
| Asheville | $73K | -2% | 190 |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia | $73K | -2% | 740 |
| Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton | $70K | -6% | 40 |
| Greensboro-High Point | $69K | -6% | 200 |
| Winston-Salem | $67K | -10% | 170 |
| Wilmington | $65K | -12% | 260 |
| Fayetteville | $62K | -16% | 100 |
Compare to other states
Track environmental scientists and specialists, including health salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when North Carolina numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a environmental scientists and specialists, including health afford a 2BR apartment alone in North Carolina?
Yes — at the median salary of $74K, rent takes 26.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,284/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 North Carolina?
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 $2,959/month. At HUD’s $1,284/month FMR, rent would take 43% 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 North Carolina?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $74K locally vs. $82K nationally, a 10% difference.
How does North Carolina compare to the national average for environmental scientists and specialists, including healths?
North Carolina pays $74K median vs. the U.S. average of $82K — that’s -10%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 92.66), the purchasing-power equivalent is $80K — below the national median.
How much do environmental scientists and specialists, including healths make in North Carolina?
The median is $74,130 a year, that works out to about $36 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $49,320, and experienced environmental scientists and specialists, including healths can clear $125,930. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $74K enough to live in North Carolina?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,767/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,284/month, which eats 26.9% 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 North Carolina?
North Carolina has a Regional Price Parity of 92.66 (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 $80,002 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.