Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health Salary
In Trenton-Princeton, NJ, environmental scientists and specialists, including healths earn $78,010 at the median, or about $37.51 an hour. The range runs from $52K at the entry level to $122K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 103.18), that's roughly $75,606 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,950/month, about 38.3% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $78K get you in Trenton-Princeton?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Trenton-Princeton’s Regional Price Parity (103.18). 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 Trenton-Princeton
Environmental scientists and specialists, including health pay in Trenton-Princeton tracks closely to the national median, $78K locally vs. $82K nationwide, a 5% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,950/month, which is 38.7% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 103.18) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. 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 Trenton-Princeton, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Atlantic City-Hammonton | $83K | $84K |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City | $86K | $76K |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington | $78K | $76K |
| Albany-Schenectady-Troy | $79K | $80K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Trenton-Princeton, NJ
Entry-level environmental scientists and specialists, including healths (10th percentile) start around $52K. Mid-career wages sit at $78K. Top earners bring in $122K or more, a $70K 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 Trenton-Princeton?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $78K, rent takes 38.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,950/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,500/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 Trenton-Princeton?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new environmental scientists and specialists, including healths typically earn — is $52K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,119/month. At HUD’s $1,950/month FMR, rent would take 63% 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 Trenton-Princeton?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $78K locally vs. $82K nationally, a 5% difference.
How does Trenton-Princeton compare to the national average for environmental scientists and specialists, including healths?
Trenton-Princeton pays $78K median vs. the U.S. average of $82K — that’s -5%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 103.18), the purchasing-power equivalent is $76K — below the national median.
How much do environmental scientists and specialists, including healths make in Trenton-Princeton, NJ?
The median is $78,010 a year, that works out to about $38 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $51,980, and experienced environmental scientists and specialists, including healths can clear $121,880. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $78K enough to live in Trenton-Princeton?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,035/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,950/month, which eats 38.7% 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 Trenton-Princeton?
Trenton-Princeton has a Regional Price Parity of 103.18 (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 $75,606 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.