Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health Salary
In Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA, environmental scientists and specialists, including healths earn $104,110 at the median, or about $50.05 an hour. The range runs from $62K at the entry level to $147K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 106.44), so that salary is closer to $97,811 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,201/month, about 34.4% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $104K get you in Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario’s Regional Price Parity (106.44). 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 Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario sits well above the national pay line for environmental scientists and specialists, including health, local pay runs about 27% higher than the U.S. median of $82K. Rent runs $2,201/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 34.8% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost-of-living overall is 6% above the national average (BEA RPP 106.44), 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 Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom | $108K | $102K |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim | $105K | $93K |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont | $127K | $110K |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | $106K | $95K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA
Entry-level environmental scientists and specialists, including healths (10th percentile) start around $62K. Mid-career wages sit at $104K. Top earners bring in $147K or more, a $85K 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 Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $104K, rent takes 34.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,201/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,900/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 Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new environmental scientists and specialists, including healths typically earn — is $62K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,735/month. At HUD’s $2,201/month FMR, rent would take 59% 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 Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario?
Local pay is 27% above the national median — $104K here vs. $82K nationally. Keep in mind cost of living here is 6% above the national average, which offsets some of that premium.
How does Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario compare to the national average for environmental scientists and specialists, including healths?
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario pays $104K median vs. the U.S. average of $82K — that’s +27%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 106.44), the purchasing-power equivalent is $98K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do environmental scientists and specialists, including healths make in Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA?
The median is $104,110 a year, that works out to about $50 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $62,250, and experienced environmental scientists and specialists, including healths can clear $146,980. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $104K enough to live in Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $6,317/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,201/month, which eats 34.8% 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 Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario?
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario has a Regional Price Parity of 106.44 (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 $97,811 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.