Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health Salary
In Rochester, MN, environmental scientists and specialists, including healths earn $94,580 at the median, or about $45.47 an hour. The range runs from $58K at the entry level to $142K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 90.82), which stretches that salary to about $104,140 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,407/month, or 23.7% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $95K get you in Rochester?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Rochester’s Regional Price Parity (90.82). 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.
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What this looks like in Rochester
Rochester sits well above the national pay line for environmental scientists and specialists, including health, local pay runs about 15% higher than the U.S. median of $82K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,407/month, 24.1% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 90.82 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 9% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Combined with manageable housing costs, Rochester offers a genuinely strong financial position for environmental scientists and specialists, including healths at the median.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for environmental scientists and specialists, including healths in metros near Rochester, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington | $98K | $93K |
| Duluth | $82K | $92K |
| Mankato | $82K | $91K |
| Des Moines-West Des Moines | $81K | $89K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Rochester, MN
Entry-level environmental scientists and specialists, including healths (10th percentile) start around $58K. Mid-career wages sit at $95K. Top earners bring in $142K or more, a $84K 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 Rochester?
Yes — at the median salary of $95K, rent takes 24.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,407/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 Rochester?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new environmental scientists and specialists, including healths typically earn — is $58K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,452/month. At HUD’s $1,407/month FMR, rent would take 41% 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 Rochester?
Local pay is 15% above the national median — $95K here vs. $82K nationally.
How does Rochester compare to the national average for environmental scientists and specialists, including healths?
Rochester pays $95K median vs. the U.S. average of $82K — that’s +15%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 90.82), the purchasing-power equivalent is $104K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do environmental scientists and specialists, including healths make in Rochester, MN?
The median is $94,580 a year, that works out to about $45 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $57,530, and experienced environmental scientists and specialists, including healths can clear $141,770. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $95K enough to live in Rochester?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,827/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,407/month, which eats 24.1% 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 Rochester?
Rochester has a Regional Price Parity of 90.82 (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 $104,140 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.