Health Education Specialists Salary
In Missoula, MT, health education specialists earn $53,840 at the median, or about $25.88 an hour. The range runs from $37K at the entry level to $84K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 96.44), that's roughly $55,827 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,361/month, about 38.5% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $54K get you in Missoula?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Missoula’s Regional Price Parity (96.44). 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 health education specialists
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What this looks like in Missoula
Pay for health education specialists in Missoula runs about 16% below the U.S. median of $64K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,361/month, which is 37.8% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 96.44) 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 health education specialistss.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for health education specialists in metros near Missoula, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Bozeman | $47K | $46K |
| Billings | $51K | $55K |
| Boise City | $69K | $70K |
| Sioux Falls | $58K | $64K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Missoula, MT
Entry-level health education specialists (10th percentile) start around $37K. Mid-career wages sit at $54K. Top earners bring in $84K or more, a $48K spread from bottom to top.
Health Education Specialists pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Health Education Specialists salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maryland | $104K | +63% | 2,220 |
| District of Columbia | $103K | +61% | 680 |
| Georgia | $99K | +55% | 3,210 |
| Pennsylvania | $81K | +26% | 2,690 |
| Minnesota | $78K | +22% | 1,250 |
| Washington | $77K | +21% | 1,750 |
| Iowa | $76K | +18% | 540 |
| Oregon | $76K | +18% | 840 |
| Rhode Island | $75K | +18% | 150 |
| Colorado | $74K | +16% | 750 |
| Wisconsin | $74K | +16% | 900 |
| New Jersey | $74K | +15% | 1,420 |
| Alaska | $72K | +12% | 310 |
| New Hampshire | $70K | +9% | 250 |
| Vermont | $68K | +6% | 180 |
| Connecticut | $67K | +4% | 400 |
| Kentucky | $65K | +2% | 760 |
| Alabama | $65K | +2% | 540 |
| Ohio | $65K | +1% | 1,970 |
| South Carolina | $65K | +1% | 470 |
| Virginia | $64K | -0% | 690 |
| Hawaii | $64K | -1% | 190 |
| California | $64K | -1% | 12,520 |
| Arizona | $63K | -1% | 1,140 |
| Delaware | $63K | -1% | 340 |
| Kansas | $63K | -2% | 520 |
| West Virginia | $63K | -2% | 400 |
| Wyoming | $63K | -2% | 90 |
| New York | $63K | -2% | 4,150 |
| Oklahoma | $62K | -3% | 820 |
| Arkansas | $62K | -3% | 200 |
| Nevada | $62K | -3% | 270 |
| Idaho | $61K | -4% | 370 |
| Illinois | $60K | -6% | 1,010 |
| Utah | $60K | -7% | 490 |
| North Dakota | $60K | -7% | 200 |
| Texas | $59K | -7% | 5,320 |
| Maine | $58K | -9% | 490 |
| Indiana | $58K | -9% | 1,380 |
| North Carolina | $58K | -9% | 2,110 |
| New Mexico | $58K | -9% | 660 |
| Louisiana | $58K | -10% | 470 |
| Massachusetts | $58K | -10% | 2,420 |
| South Dakota | $57K | -10% | 190 |
| Missouri | $57K | -11% | N/A |
| Nebraska | $57K | -11% | 230 |
| Michigan | $56K | -12% | 1,480 |
| Montana | $51K | -20% | 240 |
| Mississippi | $51K | -20% | 410 |
| Tennessee | $50K | -23% | 490 |
| Florida | $46K | -28% | N/A |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track health education specialists salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Missoula numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a health education specialist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Missoula?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $54K, rent takes 37.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,361/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,100/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for health education specialists in Missoula?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new health education specialists typically earn — is $37K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,199/month. At HUD’s $1,361/month FMR, rent would take 62% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is health education specialist a high-paying job in Missoula?
Local pay runs 16% below the national median — $54K here vs. $64K nationally.
How does Missoula compare to the national average for health education specialists?
Missoula pays $54K median vs. the U.S. average of $64K — that’s -16%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 96.44), the purchasing-power equivalent is $56K — below the national median.
How much do health education specialists make in Missoula, MT?
The median is $53,840 a year, that works out to about $26 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $36,650, and experienced health education specialists can clear $84,170. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $54K enough to live in Missoula?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,603/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,361/month, which eats 37.8% 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 health education specialists salary go in Missoula?
Missoula has a Regional Price Parity of 96.44 (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 health education specialists salary is worth about $55,827 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do health education specialists 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.