SalariesWhat the occupation covers
Provide technical assistance regarding the conservation of soil, water, forests, or related natural resources. May compile data pertaining to size, content, condition, and other characteristics of forest tracts under the direction of foresters, or train and lead forest workers in forest propagation and fire prevention and suppression. May assist conservation scientists in managing, improving, and protecting rangelands and wildlife habitats. Excludes “Conservation Scientists” (19-1031) and “Foresters” (19-1032).
Official definition from the Standard Occupational Classification, code 19-4071.
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 | $40,330 | $3,361 | $776 | $19.39 |
| Lowest 25% earn less than | $47,360 | $3,947 | $911 | $22.77 |
| Median (half earn less, half more) | $54,560 | $4,547 | $1,049 | $26.23 |
| Top 25% earn more than | $68,600 | $5,717 | $1,319 | $32.98 |
| Top 10% earn more than | $83,630 | $6,969 | $1,608 | $40.21 |
* 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 Forest and Conservation Technicians is $54,560, which is 7% higher. Among the 48 occupations of the field Life, Physical, and Social Science, it ranks number 45 by median pay. With 30,410 jobs, it makes up about 2.0 of every 10,000 jobs in the country.
Forest and Conservation Technicians pay by state
The highest median pay was in North Dakota ($68,600), Alaska ($68,160) and Maryland ($64,980). The lowest was in Missouri ($33,920), Kansas ($41,660) and Kentucky ($43,660). The most jobs were in California (6,640), Oregon (2,530) and Idaho (2,020). The occupation is most concentrated in Montana, where its share of all jobs is 17.6 times the national share.
No state matches.
| State | Jobs | Median a year | Average a year | Median an hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Dakota | 160 | $68,600 | $63,950 | $32.98 |
| Alaska | 500 | $68,160 | $71,560 | $32.77 |
| Maryland | 130 | $64,980 | $66,050 | $31.24 |
| Wisconsin | 620 | $62,700 | $60,590 | $30.14 |
| Louisiana | 210 | $59,370 | $62,920 | $28.55 |
| Minnesota | 580 | $58,990 | $61,040 | $28.36 |
| California | 6,640 | $58,120 | $63,680 | $27.94 |
| New York | 190 | $58,030 | $59,980 | $27.90 |
| Colorado | 1,040 | $57,550 | $62,090 | $27.67 |
| Pennsylvania | 420 | $57,370 | $59,770 | $27.58 |
| Alabama | 180 | $56,720 | $57,630 | $27.27 |
| Arizona | 1,310 | $56,660 | $59,980 | $27.24 |
| Massachusetts | not published | $56,480 | $58,660 | $27.15 |
| Oregon | 2,530 | $55,910 | $60,180 | $26.88 |
| South Carolina | 180 | $55,910 | $59,070 | $26.88 |
| South Dakota | 350 | $54,770 | $60,160 | $26.33 |
| West Virginia | 100 | $54,600 | $57,630 | $26.25 |
| Nevada | 750 | $54,230 | $60,220 | $26.07 |
| Vermont | 50 | $54,160 | $60,430 | $26.04 |
| Washington | 1,160 | $54,160 | $59,950 | $26.04 |
| Oklahoma | 130 | $53,930 | $57,650 | $25.93 |
| Arkansas | 310 | $53,290 | $57,080 | $25.62 |
| Idaho | 2,020 | $53,290 | $59,640 | $25.62 |
| Wyoming | 560 | $53,290 | $59,880 | $25.62 |
| New Mexico | 880 | $53,000 | $58,890 | $25.48 |
| Illinois | 820 | $52,790 | $55,010 | $25.38 |
| Florida | 380 | $52,420 | $55,350 | $25.20 |
| Mississippi | 250 | $52,420 | $55,760 | $25.20 |
| Montana | 1,760 | $52,420 | $58,870 | $25.20 |
| Texas | 600 | $52,200 | $54,550 | $25.10 |
| Iowa | 380 | $52,000 | $52,700 | $25.00 |
| Nebraska | 100 | $51,630 | $58,130 | $24.82 |
| New Hampshire | 60 | $51,630 | $57,010 | $24.82 |
| Georgia | 230 | $50,710 | $55,080 | $24.38 |
| Hawaii | 140 | $50,040 | $52,780 | $24.06 |
| Virginia | 380 | $49,960 | $53,270 | $24.02 |
| Ohio | 230 | $48,840 | $50,020 | $23.48 |
| Indiana | 150 | $48,660 | $52,860 | $23.39 |
| North Carolina | 650 | $48,360 | $51,660 | $23.25 |
| Tennessee | 390 | $47,940 | $51,720 | $23.05 |
| Utah | 1,140 | $47,940 | $51,930 | $23.05 |
| Michigan | 560 | $45,760 | $50,570 | $22.00 |
| Kentucky | 240 | $43,660 | $48,670 | $20.99 |
| Kansas | 170 | $41,660 | $46,730 | $20.03 |
| Missouri | 600 | $33,920 | $42,900 | $16.31 |
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
- Chemical Technicians$60,390 a year
- Biological Technicians$57,510 a year
- Environmental Science and Protection Technicians, Including Health$55,090 a year
- Geological Technicians, Except Hydrologic Technicians$53,350 a year
- Food Science Technicians$52,130 a year
- Agricultural Technicians$49,630 a year
Common questions
How much do Forest and Conservation Technicians earn in the United States?
The median pay was $54,560 a year in May 2025, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $40,330 and the highest-paid 10% more than $83,630.
How many people work as Forest and Conservation Technicians?
About 30,410 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.