Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health Salary
In Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA, environmental scientists and specialists, including healths earn $98,050 at the median, or about $47.14 an hour. The range runs from $64K at the entry level to $135K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 105.42), so that salary is closer to $93,009 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,922/month, about 31.2% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $98K get you in Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro’s Regional Price Parity (105.42). 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 Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro sits well above the national pay line for environmental scientists and specialists, including health, local pay runs about 19% higher than the U.S. median of $82K. Rent runs $1,922/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 33.3% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost-of-living overall is 5% above the national average (BEA RPP 105.42), so groceries and services cost more too. 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 Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Eugene-Springfield | $98K | $97K |
| Salem | $98K | $95K |
| Bend | $94K | $90K |
| Corvallis | $83K | $80K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA
Entry-level environmental scientists and specialists, including healths (10th percentile) start around $64K. Mid-career wages sit at $98K. Top earners bring in $135K or more, a $71K 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 Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $98K, rent takes 33.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,922/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,700/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 Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro?
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 $3,843/month. At HUD’s $1,922/month FMR, rent would take 50% 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 Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro?
Local pay is 19% above the national median — $98K here vs. $82K nationally. Keep in mind cost of living here is 5% above the national average, which offsets some of that premium.
How does Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro compare to the national average for environmental scientists and specialists, including healths?
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro pays $98K median vs. the U.S. average of $82K — that’s +19%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 105.42), the purchasing-power equivalent is $93K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do environmental scientists and specialists, including healths make in Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA?
The median is $98,050 a year, that works out to about $47 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $64,050, and experienced environmental scientists and specialists, including healths can clear $135,130. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $98K enough to live in Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,776/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,922/month, which eats 33.3% 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 Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro?
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro has a Regional Price Parity of 105.42 (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 $93,009 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.