SalariesWhat the occupation covers
Manage, improve, and protect natural resources to maximize their use without damaging the environment. May conduct soil surveys and develop plans to eliminate soil erosion or to protect rangelands. May instruct farmers, agricultural production managers, or ranchers in best ways to use crop rotation, contour plowing, or terracing to conserve soil and water; in the number and kind of livestock and forage plants best suited to particular ranges; and in range and farm improvements, such as fencing and reservoirs for stock watering. Excludes “Zoologists and Wildlife Biologists” (19-1023) and “Foresters” (19-1032).
Official definition from the Standard Occupational Classification, code 19-1031.
The pay range
Pay differs a lot inside one occupation, with experience, employer and place. The table shows where the lines fall.
| Share of workers | A year | A month* | A week* | An hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lowest 10% earn less than | $47,550 | $3,962 | $914 | $22.86 |
| Lowest 25% earn less than | $57,700 | $4,808 | $1,110 | $27.74 |
| Median (half earn less, half more) | $73,010 | $6,084 | $1,404 | $35.10 |
| Top 25% earn more than | $91,560 | $7,630 | $1,761 | $44.02 |
| Top 10% earn more than | $110,410 | $9,201 | $2,123 | $53.08 |
* Month and week are the yearly figure divided by 12 and by 52, worked out here for convenience. BLS publishes the yearly and hourly figures.
How it compares
The median for all occupations in the United States was $50,980 a year. The median for Conservation Scientists is $73,010, which is 43% higher. Among the 48 occupations of the field Life, Physical, and Social Science, it ranks number 33 by median pay. With 25,950 jobs, it makes up about 1.7 of every 10,000 jobs in the country.
Conservation Scientists pay by state
The highest median pay was in District of Columbia ($99,400), Colorado ($84,820) and Maryland ($83,290). The lowest was in Virgin Islands ($50,080), Florida ($51,130) and South Carolina ($52,310). The most jobs were in California (2,110), Texas (1,970) and Washington (1,270). The occupation is most concentrated in Virgin Islands, where its share of all jobs is 8.2 times the national share.
No state matches.
| State | Jobs | Median a year | Average a year | Median an hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | 110 | $99,400 | $99,050 | $47.79 |
| Colorado | 1,230 | $84,820 | $89,530 | $40.78 |
| Maryland | 470 | $83,290 | $89,820 | $40.04 |
| Idaho | 300 | $81,330 | $76,560 | $39.10 |
| Wyoming | 150 | $81,310 | $78,740 | $39.09 |
| Oregon | 1,020 | $80,790 | $89,550 | $38.84 |
| Louisiana | 190 | $80,190 | $81,950 | $38.56 |
| California | 2,110 | $79,810 | $88,030 | $38.37 |
| Wisconsin | 970 | $79,540 | $77,760 | $38.24 |
| Alaska | 290 | $79,260 | $88,860 | $38.10 |
| Utah | 410 | $78,850 | $80,840 | $37.91 |
| Massachusetts | 760 | $78,740 | $82,710 | $37.85 |
| Washington | 1,270 | $78,450 | $81,300 | $37.72 |
| Virginia | 480 | $77,380 | $92,610 | $37.20 |
| North Dakota | 340 | $77,280 | $79,540 | $37.15 |
| Alabama | 110 | $77,000 | $80,870 | $37.02 |
| New York | 640 | $76,990 | $80,440 | $37.01 |
| New Mexico | 330 | $76,800 | $79,030 | $36.92 |
| Nebraska | 220 | $76,400 | $77,930 | $36.73 |
| South Dakota | 360 | $76,400 | $76,060 | $36.73 |
| Rhode Island | 60 | $76,130 | $92,230 | $36.60 |
| Maine | 290 | $75,900 | $77,100 | $36.49 |
| New Hampshire | 130 | $74,650 | $74,300 | $35.89 |
| Montana | 560 | $73,920 | $76,360 | $35.54 |
| Connecticut | 140 | $73,860 | $80,940 | $35.51 |
| Arkansas | 230 | $73,320 | $77,620 | $35.25 |
| Nevada | 210 | $73,030 | $72,640 | $35.11 |
| Kentucky | 180 | $71,980 | $74,970 | $34.61 |
| Minnesota | 770 | $71,280 | $74,570 | $34.27 |
| Puerto Rico | 50 | $71,280 | $74,470 | $34.27 |
| Oklahoma | 310 | $71,270 | $72,090 | $34.26 |
| Tennessee | 250 | $70,500 | $75,250 | $33.90 |
| Vermont | 100 | $70,130 | $73,780 | $33.72 |
| West Virginia | 160 | $69,910 | $75,350 | $33.61 |
| Illinois | 730 | $69,590 | $75,750 | $33.46 |
| Georgia | 360 | $69,240 | $81,120 | $33.29 |
| Iowa | 610 | $69,240 | $71,620 | $33.29 |
| Texas | 1,970 | $68,620 | $71,060 | $32.99 |
| Kansas | 220 | $67,200 | $72,850 | $32.31 |
| Arizona | 410 | $66,750 | $71,390 | $32.09 |
| Hawaii | 220 | $65,740 | $76,190 | $31.61 |
| Indiana | 430 | $64,570 | $68,990 | $31.04 |
| North Carolina | 540 | $64,460 | $72,190 | $30.99 |
| New Jersey | 500 | $64,020 | $69,610 | $30.78 |
| Delaware | 80 | $63,850 | $66,560 | $30.70 |
| Michigan | 820 | $63,500 | $74,140 | $30.53 |
| Ohio | 680 | $63,160 | $66,660 | $30.37 |
| Missouri | 600 | $63,130 | $67,070 | $30.35 |
| Pennsylvania | 900 | $61,480 | $63,760 | $29.56 |
| Mississippi | 470 | $59,510 | $66,940 | $28.61 |
| South Carolina | 300 | $52,310 | $60,250 | $25.15 |
| Florida | 950 | $51,130 | $61,760 | $24.58 |
| Virgin Islands | 40 | $50,080 | $52,670 | $24.08 |
Sorted by median pay, highest first. "Not published" means BLS did not release that figure for the state, usually because too few employers were surveyed. "$239,200 or more" is the highest value BLS reports in the state tables.
Similar occupations by pay
- Zoologists and Wildlife Biologists$76,780 a year
- Historians$76,750 a year
- Foresters$76,400 a year
- Forensic Science Technicians$72,060 a year
- Anthropologists and Archeologists$70,770 a year
- Survey Researchers$69,460 a year
Common questions
How much do Conservation Scientists earn in the United States?
The median pay was $73,010 a year in May 2025, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $47,550 and the highest-paid 10% more than $110,410.
How many people work as Conservation Scientists?
About 25,950 jobs in the United States in May 2025, not counting the self-employed.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Checked in November 2026. Figures are for employees, before tax, and leave out overtime pay and benefits. They are official statistics, not advice or a pay offer; see bls.gov/oes for the original tables.