Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health Salary
In Reading, PA, environmental scientists and specialists, including healths earn $66,730 at the median, or about $32.08 an hour. The range runs from $51K at the entry level to $119K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 97.06), that's roughly $68,751 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,575/month, about 35.2% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $67K get you in Reading?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Reading’s Regional Price Parity (97.06). 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
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Reading
Pay for environmental scientists and specialists, including health in Reading runs about 19% below the U.S. median of $82K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,575/month, which is 35.5% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 97.06) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. 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 Reading, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington | $78K | $76K |
| Pittsburgh | $65K | $69K |
| Harrisburg-Carlisle | $82K | $83K |
| Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton | $75K | $75K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Reading, PA
Entry-level environmental scientists and specialists, including healths (10th percentile) start around $51K. Mid-career wages sit at $67K. Top earners bring in $119K or more, a $68K 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
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Reading numbers change.
Related careers in Science
Frequently asked questions
Can a environmental scientists and specialists, including health afford a 2BR apartment alone in Reading?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $67K, rent takes 35.5% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,575/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,300/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 Reading?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new environmental scientists and specialists, including healths typically earn — is $51K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,077/month. At HUD’s $1,575/month FMR, rent would take 51% 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 Reading?
Local pay runs 19% below the national median — $67K here vs. $82K nationally.
How does Reading compare to the national average for environmental scientists and specialists, including healths?
Reading pays $67K median vs. the U.S. average of $82K — that’s -19%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 97.06), the purchasing-power equivalent is $69K — below the national median.
How much do environmental scientists and specialists, including healths make in Reading, PA?
The median is $66,730 a year, that works out to about $32 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $51,290, and experienced environmental scientists and specialists, including healths can clear $119,390. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $67K enough to live in Reading?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,440/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,575/month, which eats 35.5% 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 Reading?
Reading has a Regional Price Parity of 97.06 (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 $68,751 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.