Hazardous Materials Removal Workers Salary
In Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX, hazardous materials removal workers earn $43,200 at the median, or about $20.77 an hour. The range runs from $39K at the entry level to $59K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 98.63), that's roughly $43,800 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,573/month, about 50.6% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $43K get you in Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands’s Regional Price Parity (98.63). 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 hazardous materials removal workers
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands
Pay for hazardous materials removal workers in Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands runs about 13% below the U.S. median of $49K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,573/month, which is 51.4% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 98.63) 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 hazardous materials removal workerss.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for hazardous materials removal workers in metros near Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington | $44K | $43K |
| Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos | $45K | $46K |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels | $43K | $46K |
| Corpus Christi | $43K | $46K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX
Entry-level hazardous materials removal workers (10th percentile) start around $39K. Mid-career wages sit at $43K. Top earners bring in $59K or more, a $20K spread from bottom to top.
Hazardous Materials Removal Workers pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Hazardous Materials Removal Workers salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York | $73K | +48% | 4,090 |
| Illinois | $61K | +24% | 1,980 |
| Alaska | $60K | +22% | 140 |
| District of Columbia | $60K | +22% | 50 |
| North Dakota | $60K | +22% | 170 |
| Washington | $60K | +22% | 3,250 |
| Tennessee | $60K | +22% | 570 |
| Colorado | $60K | +21% | 1,400 |
| Missouri | $59K | +20% | 370 |
| Minnesota | $59K | +20% | 730 |
| Hawaii | $58K | +18% | 340 |
| California | $56K | +13% | 7,340 |
| New Jersey | $56K | +13% | 2,250 |
| New Hampshire | $55K | +12% | 140 |
| Montana | $55K | +10% | 250 |
| New Mexico | $53K | +8% | 680 |
| South Dakota | $51K | +4% | 190 |
| Arizona | $51K | +2% | 800 |
| Iowa | $50K | +1% | 270 |
| Oregon | $50K | +1% | 1,130 |
| Idaho | $50K | +1% | 600 |
| Massachusetts | $50K | +0% | 2,770 |
| Utah | $49K | -0% | 530 |
| South Carolina | $49K | -1% | 870 |
| Georgia | $49K | -1% | 460 |
| Maryland | $49K | -2% | 660 |
| Wyoming | $49K | -2% | 30 |
| Nebraska | $49K | -2% | 210 |
| Pennsylvania | $48K | -3% | 1,590 |
| Wisconsin | $48K | -3% | 590 |
| Kentucky | $48K | -4% | 460 |
| Nevada | $48K | -4% | 400 |
| Maine | $47K | -4% | 190 |
| Connecticut | $47K | -5% | 750 |
| Vermont | $47K | -5% | 70 |
| Indiana | $47K | -6% | 990 |
| Rhode Island | $47K | -6% | 330 |
| Ohio | $47K | -6% | 830 |
| West Virginia | $46K | -6% | 130 |
| Michigan | $46K | -6% | 1,610 |
| Kansas | $46K | -8% | 480 |
| Virginia | $45K | -8% | 930 |
| Texas | $44K | -10% | 4,450 |
| Oklahoma | $44K | -10% | 650 |
| Delaware | $44K | -11% | N/A |
| North Carolina | $43K | -13% | 1,250 |
| Florida | $42K | -14% | 1,780 |
| Mississippi | $39K | -20% | 250 |
| Alabama | $39K | -22% | 350 |
| Louisiana | $38K | -23% | 880 |
| Arkansas | $37K | -26% | 440 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track hazardous materials removal workers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands numbers change.
Related careers in Construction & Trades
Frequently asked questions
Can a hazardous materials removal worker afford a 2BR apartment alone in Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $43K, rent takes 51.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,573/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $900/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for hazardous materials removal workers in Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new hazardous materials removal workers typically earn — is $39K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,342/month. At HUD’s $1,573/month FMR, rent would take 67% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is hazardous materials removal worker a high-paying job in Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands?
Local pay runs 13% below the national median — $43K here vs. $49K nationally.
How does Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands compare to the national average for hazardous materials removal workers?
Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands pays $43K median vs. the U.S. average of $49K — that’s -13%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 98.63), the purchasing-power equivalent is $44K — below the national median.
How much do hazardous materials removal workers make in Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX?
The median is $43,200 a year, that works out to about $21 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $39,040, and experienced hazardous materials removal workers can clear $59,270. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $43K enough to live in Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,063/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,573/month, which eats 51.4% 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 hazardous materials removal workers salary go in Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands?
Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands has a Regional Price Parity of 98.63 (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 hazardous materials removal workers salary is worth about $43,800 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do hazardous materials removal workers 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.