SalariesWhat the occupation covers
Under supervision, perform manual labor necessary to develop, maintain, or protect areas such as forests, forested areas, woodlands, wetlands, and rangelands through such activities as raising and transporting seedlings; combating insects, pests, and diseases harmful to plant life; and building structures to control water, erosion, and leaching of soil. Includes forester aides, seedling pullers, tree planters, and gatherers of nontimber forestry products such as pine straw.
Official definition from the Standard Occupational Classification, code 45-4011.
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 | $33,780 | $2,815 | $650 | $16.24 |
| Lowest 25% earn less than | $37,440 | $3,120 | $720 | $18.00 |
| Median (half earn less, half more) | $43,680 | $3,640 | $840 | $21.00 |
| Top 25% earn more than | $45,760 | $3,813 | $880 | $22.00 |
| Top 10% earn more than | $57,220 | $4,768 | $1,100 | $27.51 |
* 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 Workers is $43,680, which is 14% lower. Among the 13 occupations of the field Farming, Fishing, and Forestry, it ranks number 8 by median pay. With 6,050 jobs, it makes up about 0.4 of every 10,000 jobs in the country.
Forest and Conservation Workers pay by state
The highest median pay was in Idaho ($59,460), Hawaii ($56,330) and Virginia ($54,560). The lowest was in Texas ($30,470), Montana ($32,600) and Iowa ($33,600). The most jobs were in California (2,270), South Dakota (490) and Washington (460). The occupation is most concentrated in South Dakota, where its share of all jobs is 27.5 times the national share.
No state matches.
| State | Jobs | Median a year | Average a year | Median an hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Idaho | not published | $59,460 | $54,650 | $28.59 |
| Hawaii | 60 | $56,330 | $57,470 | $27.08 |
| Virginia | not published | $54,560 | $52,750 | $26.23 |
| Massachusetts | 120 | $51,890 | $53,730 | $24.95 |
| Pennsylvania | 210 | $50,250 | $51,830 | $24.16 |
| Ohio | 160 | $48,470 | $49,270 | $23.30 |
| Arkansas | 30 | $47,310 | $47,140 | $22.75 |
| Oregon | 70 | $46,010 | $49,570 | $22.12 |
| Washington | 460 | $44,430 | $45,310 | $21.36 |
| South Carolina | 40 | $44,050 | $45,390 | $21.18 |
| California | 2,270 | $43,680 | $42,980 | $21.00 |
| New Jersey | 40 | $41,600 | $45,100 | $20.00 |
| Tennessee | 210 | $40,320 | $38,580 | $19.39 |
| Louisiana | 150 | $39,900 | $40,730 | $19.19 |
| Minnesota | 30 | $39,590 | $40,730 | $19.03 |
| South Dakota | 490 | $38,210 | $41,060 | $18.37 |
| Colorado | 110 | $37,690 | $42,460 | $18.12 |
| Missouri | 120 | $37,170 | $40,200 | $17.87 |
| Florida | 70 | $36,780 | $38,230 | $17.68 |
| Wisconsin | 300 | $36,420 | $41,130 | $17.51 |
| New Mexico | 30 | $36,370 | $36,830 | $17.49 |
| Nevada | not published | $35,760 | $41,100 | $17.19 |
| Georgia | 160 | $34,150 | $42,930 | $16.42 |
| Connecticut | 40 | $34,010 | $40,370 | $16.35 |
| Iowa | 40 | $33,600 | $45,490 | $16.16 |
| Montana | not published | $32,600 | $40,280 | $15.68 |
| Texas | not published | $30,470 | $30,990 | $14.65 |
| North Carolina | 50 | not published | not published | not published |
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
- Agricultural Inspectors$49,940 a year
- Logging Equipment Operators$49,740 a year
- Log Graders and Scalers$46,330 a year
- Agricultural Equipment Operators$41,730 a year
- Agricultural Workers, All Other$39,850 a year
- Farmworkers, Farm, Ranch, and Aquacultural Animals$36,670 a year
Common questions
How much do Forest and Conservation Workers earn in the United States?
The median pay was $43,680 a year in May 2025, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $33,780 and the highest-paid 10% more than $57,220.
How many people work as Forest and Conservation Workers?
About 6,050 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.