Updated · 2026 tax rules · Data: IRS, BLS, BEA, HUD · How we calculate

Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health Salary in Seattle, WA

Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health in the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA metro area earn a median $102,980 a year — 25% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $81,276 take-home, or $6,773 a month.

Median salary
$102,980
$49.51 per hour
Typical range
$78,950 – $155,760
10th to 90th percentile
Jobs in Seattle, WA
2,490
2.08× national concentration
▲4.1%
Pay trend: The median for environmental scientists and specialists, including health in Seattle, WA rose from $98,950 (May 2024) to $102,980 (May 2025). That beat inflation (2.4%), a real raise of about 1.7%.

Take-home pay calculator

Pre-filled with the median environmental scientists and specialists, including health salary in Seattle, WA. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.

Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health in Seattle, WA
Deductions, kids & local tax

2026 tax year. Federal brackets from IRS Rev. Proc. 2025-32.

Your take-home pay
$81,276
per year · effective tax rate 21.1%
$6,773Monthly
$3,387Twice a month
$3,126Every 2 weeks
$39.08Hourly
  • Federal income tax$13,826
  • Social Security (6.2%)$6,385
  • Medicare (1.45%)$1,493
  • Washington income tax$0
  • Take-home pay$81,276

Marginal rate: 22% federal + 0.00% state

Got an offer somewhere else? Compare it with this one after taxes and rent →

Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health pay by experience in Seattle, WA

PercentileSalaryHourlyTake-home / yrPer month
10th percentile (entry level)$78,950$37.96$64,371$5,364
25th percentile$81,240$39.06$65,982$5,499
Median (50th)$102,980$49.51$81,276$6,773
75th percentile$128,050$61.56$98,788$8,232
90th percentile (top earners)$155,760$74.88$117,728$9,811

Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Washington resident, 2026 tax rules.

What $102,980 buys in Seattle, WA

Prices in Seattle, WA are 11.1% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.51× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median environmental scientists and specialists, including health's $81,276 take-home pay has the buying power of $73,134 in a typical American city.

1-bedroom rent
$2,022
30% of monthly take-home
2-bedroom rent
$2,379
35% of monthly take-home
Left after 1-BR rent
$4,751
per month for everything else

Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.

Seattle, WA has 2.1× the national concentration of environmental scientists and specialists, including health jobs — a strong local market for this occupation.

Best-paying cities for environmental scientists and specialists, including health, adjusted for cost of living

Seattle, WA ranks #1 of 5 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.

#Metro areaMedian salaryTake-homeReal value*
1Seattle, WA $102,980$81,276$73,134
2Sacramento, CA $108,430$77,847$72,979
3Washington, DC $108,160$78,695$72,275
4Los Angeles, CA $105,340$76,000$66,922
5New York, NY $85,510$64,966$57,715

*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 5 metros →

About the job: environmental scientists and specialists, including health

Conduct research or perform investigation for the purpose of identifying, abating, or eliminating sources of pollutants or hazards that affect either the environment or public health. Using knowledge of various scientific disciplines, may collect, synthesize, study, report, and recommend action based on data derived from measurements or observations of air, food, soil, water, and other sources.

Typical education
Bachelor's degree
Work experience
None required
On-the-job training
None
Job outlook, 2025–35
+6.1% (faster than average)

Source: BLS Standard Occupational Classification and Employment Projections, 2025–35.

Frequently asked questions

How much does a environmental scientists and specialists, including health make in Seattle, WA?

The median environmental scientists and specialists, including health salary in the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA metro area is $102,980 a year, or about $49.51 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $81,240 and $128,050.

What is a environmental scientists and specialists, including health’s take-home pay in Seattle, WA?

On the median $102,980 salary, a single filer living in Washington takes home about $81,276 a year ($6,773 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare in 2026.

Is Seattle, WA a good place to work as a environmental scientists and specialists, including health?

Pay here is 25% above the national median of $82,220. Local prices are 11.1% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $73,134 would in a typical U.S. city. Seattle, WA ranks #1 of 5 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.

Can a environmental scientists and specialists, including health afford rent in Seattle, WA?

HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Seattle, WA is $2,022 a month ($2,379 for two bedrooms) — 30% of a median environmental scientists and specialists, including health’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.

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