19 Series · SOC 19-1031

Conservation Scientists Salary

National pay, percentile range, growth outlook, and state-by-state detail from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey (May 2025).

$73,010
Median / year
+7.4%
2024→2025
$110,410
Top 10% earn
+3.4%
Growth '24–'34
25,950
Estimated US jobs

Conservation Scientists earn a median of $73,010 per year.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, the median annual wage is $73,010, based on the most recent survey of employers. Reported pay ranges from $47,550 (10th percentile) to $110,410 (90th percentile) nationally, across roughly 25,950 estimated jobs in covered establishments. The highest published state median in this ranking is District of Columbia ($99,400).

19 Series · Source: BLS OEWS Compare with another job →
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The pay verdict

Conservation Scientists earn a median of $73,010, putting them above the typical US occupation and higher than 64% of the 825 occupations with a published BLS median. Within Life, Physical, and Social Science, it ranks #33 of 48 by median pay. Employment is projected to grow 3.4% by 2034.

$73,010
Median annual wage
Top 36%
of 825 US occupations with published wages
#33 of 48
in Life, Physical, and Social Science
2.3×
90th-to-10th pay spread

Highest-paying state: District of Columbia at $99,400. Typical entry-level education: Bachelor's degree.

Observed pay change

What changed, BLS OEWS 2019–2025

May 2019 → May 2025
  • The published national median for Conservation Scientists moved from $62,660 in May 2019 to $73,010 in May 2025 (+16.5%).
  • Across the 749 occupations priced in both releases under SOC-2018, the median occupation changed +24.5%.
  • Conservation Scientists sits -7.9 pp behind that median, nominal dollars, no price deflator applied.

Conservation Scientists (SOC 19-1031) has a national median of $73,010 per year in the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025 release. The published 10th-to-90th-percentile boundaries run from $47,550 to $110,410, and the published mean is $77,130. Those summary statistics describe the estimated distribution; their difference alone does not identify its cause. OEWS estimates 25,950 jobs in covered establishments nationally. WageDex has published rows for 53 state or territory areas and 221 metropolitan or nonmetropolitan wage areas. The published national median moved from $67,950 in the May 2024 OEWS release to $73,010 in May 2025, a rise of $5,060 (+7.4%). This is a change between two BLS survey estimates, not an inflation-adjusted same-worker pay raise.

BLS Employment Projections forecast a +3.4% change in employment from 2024 to 2034, which we classify as about as fast as average relative to the all-occupations baseline of 3.1%. About 2,500 openings are projected per year from growth, occupational transfers, and labor-force exits. BLS assigns Bachelor's degree as typical education needed for entry. BLS does not publish a separate occupation-specific fatality and injury rate for this role in the current release. The safety panel below shows its broad Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations SOC-group context and is not an occupation-level measurement or ranking.

Geographic variation matters as much as the headline median. District of Columbia pays the highest state median at $99,400, which is +36% above the national figure. The highest published metropolitan-area median in this ranking is San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA at $110,200. The observed difference does not identify its cause. Pair the national median with the state and metropolitan-area rows below while keeping the geography and statistic consistent. OEWS includes tips, commissions, incentive pay, and production bonuses, but not employer benefits, overtime premiums, stock compensation, or nonproduction bonuses. See our methodology for the sourcing and calculation details.

BLS OEWS May 2025 25,950 jobs Median $73,010/yr

Median Salary

$73,010

per year

Median Hourly

$35.10/hr

per hour

Mean Salary

$77,130

average

Employment

25,950

jobs nationwide

How does this pay compare nationally?

Where Conservation Scientists pay sits nationally

Median annual wage vs. 825 detailed BLS occupations with a published median

$73,010 Top 36% higher than 64% of 825 US occupations

$0–$20,000: 0 US occupations (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 98 US occupations (12%). Below this entry. $40,000–$60,000: 298 US occupations (36%). Below this entry. $60,000–$80,000: 209 US occupations (25%). This entry sits in this band. $80,000–$100,000: 82 US occupations (10%). Above this entry. $100,000–$120,000: 58 US occupations (7%). Above this entry. $120,000–$140,000: 32 US occupations (4%). Above this entry. $140,000–$160,000: 14 US occupations (2%). Above this entry. $160,000–$180,000: 9 US occupations (1%). Above this entry. $180,000 and above: 25 US occupations (3%). Above this entry. This job $0 $180,000+ every BLS occupation, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US occupations. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Read the chart as text · as of May 2025
Band Count Share
$0–$20,000 0 US occupations 0%
$20,000–$40,000 98 US occupations 12%
$40,000–$60,000 298 US occupations 36%
$60,000–$80,000 (this entry) 209 US occupations 25%
$80,000–$100,000 82 US occupations 10%
$100,000–$120,000 58 US occupations 7%
$120,000–$140,000 32 US occupations 4%
$140,000–$160,000 14 US occupations 2%
$160,000–$180,000 9 US occupations 1%
$180,000 and above 25 US occupations 3%

$73,010 · 64th percentile of 825 US occupations

Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS · May 2025

Does this job pay well and grow?

Each dot is a 19-series occupation, placed by projected 2024–2034 growth and median pay. The highlighted dot is Conservation Scientists; the upper-right quadrant is the sweet spot (high pay + fast growth).

Among 24 19-series occupations with growth data, Conservation Scientists sits on the slower-growing side at +3.4% growth and $73,010 median pay. Scatter plot of 24 data points. $0$50000$100000$150000$200000 -5%0%5%10%15% Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) Median annual wage Medical Scientists, … - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 8.7% · Median annual wage: $103410Occupational Health … - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 12.5% · Median annual wage: $90150Environmental Scient… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 4.4% · Median annual wage: $82220Chemists - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 4.9% · Median annual wage: $91240Clinical and Counsel… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 11.2% · Median annual wage: $100580Life, Physical, and … - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 3.5% · Median annual wage: $62280Biological Technicians - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 3.5% · Median annual wage: $57510School Psychologists - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 0.7% · Median annual wage: $95990Chemical Technicians - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 3.7% · Median annual wage: $60390Biological Scientist… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 1.2% · Median annual wage: $98920Urban and Regional P… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 3.4% · Median annual wage: $89320Social Scientists an… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -1.7% · Median annual wage: $101110Environmental Scienc… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 4% · Median annual wage: $55090Biochemists and Biop… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 5.8% · Median annual wage: $127410Social Science Resea… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 4.4% · Median annual wage: $61990Occupational Health … - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 8.5% · Median annual wage: $61560Forest and Conservat… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -3.2% · Median annual wage: $54560Conservation Scienti… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 3.4% · Median annual wage: $73010Geoscientists, Excep… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 3.2% · Median annual wage: $101920Physical Scientists,… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 0.6% · Median annual wage: $122570Physicists - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 4% · Median annual wage: $172250Forensic Science Tec… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 12.8% · Median annual wage: $72060Microbiologists - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 4.1% · Median annual wage: $87990Psychologists, All O… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 4.3% · Median annual wage: $110840
Among 24 19-series occupations with growth data, Conservation Scientists sits on the slower-growing side at +3.4% growth and $73,010 median pay.
Read the chart as text
  • Medical Scientists, …: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 8.7%, Median annual wage $103410
  • Occupational Health …: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 12.5%, Median annual wage $90150
  • Environmental Scient…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 4.4%, Median annual wage $82220
  • Chemists: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 4.9%, Median annual wage $91240
  • Clinical and Counsel…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 11.2%, Median annual wage $100580
  • Life, Physical, and …: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 3.5%, Median annual wage $62280
  • Biological Technicians: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 3.5%, Median annual wage $57510
  • School Psychologists: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 0.7%, Median annual wage $95990
  • Chemical Technicians: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 3.7%, Median annual wage $60390
  • Biological Scientist…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 1.2%, Median annual wage $98920
  • Urban and Regional P…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 3.4%, Median annual wage $89320
  • Social Scientists an…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -1.7%, Median annual wage $101110
  • Environmental Scienc…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 4%, Median annual wage $55090
  • Biochemists and Biop…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 5.8%, Median annual wage $127410
  • Social Science Resea…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 4.4%, Median annual wage $61990
  • Occupational Health …: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 8.5%, Median annual wage $61560
  • Forest and Conservat…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -3.2%, Median annual wage $54560
  • Conservation Scienti…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 3.4%, Median annual wage $73010
  • Geoscientists, Excep…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 3.2%, Median annual wage $101920
  • Physical Scientists,…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 0.6%, Median annual wage $122570
  • Physicists: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 4%, Median annual wage $172250
  • Forensic Science Tec…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 12.8%, Median annual wage $72060
  • Microbiologists: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 4.1%, Median annual wage $87990
  • Psychologists, All O…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 4.3%, Median annual wage $110840

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS (wages, May 2025) and Employment Projections (2024–2034).

Job Outlook (2024–2034)

Projected Growth

+3.4%

About as fast as average

Annual Openings

2,500

per year (projected)

Employment Change

+1,000

28,500 (2024) → 29,500 (2034)

Typical Education

Bachelor's degree

Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034

Workplace Safety

All safety ratings →
Group

Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations context

Broad SOC context, not an occupation grade

Fatality Rate

1.5/100K

Injury Rate

0.7/100

Danger Index

3.6/100

Source: BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) & Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII), 2023

Career Intelligence

Skills, knowledge, and tasks most important for Conservation Scientists roles, ranked by importance. Source: O*NET.

Top Skills

Reading Comprehension 3.9
Active Listening 3.9
Speaking 3.6
Complex Problem Solving 3.6
Writing 3.5
Science 3.5
Critical Thinking 3.5
Active Learning 3.3
Monitoring 3.3
Social Perceptiveness 3.3

Knowledge Areas

English Language 4.3
Biology 3.9
Mathematics 3.7
Geography 3.7
Customer and Personal Service 3.6
Chemistry 3.5
Law and Government 3.5
Computers and Electronics 3.4
Engineering and Technology 3.3
Education and Training 3.3

Key Tasks

  • Apply principles of specialized fields of science, such as agronomy, soil science, forestry, or agriculture, to achieve conservation objectives.
  • Plan soil management or conservation practices, such as crop rotation, reforestation, permanent vegetation, contour plowing, or terracing, to maintain soil or conserve water.
  • Monitor projects during or after construction to ensure projects conform to design specifications.
  • Advise land users, such as farmers or ranchers, on plans, problems, or alternative conservation solutions.
  • Implement soil or water management techniques, such as nutrient management, erosion control, buffers, or filter strips, in accordance with conservation plans.
  • Compute design specifications for implementation of conservation practices, using survey or field information, technical guides or engineering manuals.
  • Gather information from geographic information systems (GIS) databases or applications to formulate land use recommendations.
  • Participate on work teams to plan, develop, or implement programs or policies for improving environmental habitats, wetlands, or groundwater or soil resources.
  • Compute cost estimates of different conservation practices, based on needs of land users, maintenance requirements, or life expectancy of practices.
  • Develop or maintain working relationships with local government staff or board members.

Source: O*NET Online, National Center for O*NET Development. Data represents typical importance ratings for this occupation.

Salary Range

Annual Salary Distribution

10th$47,550
25th$57,700
Median$73,010
75th$91,560
90th$110,410

Hourly Rate Distribution

10th$22.86
25th$27.74
Median$35.10
75th$44.02
90th$53.08

Conservation Scientists pay history, 2015–2025

Published national median across 11 BLS OEWS releases. Nominal dollars, not inflation-adjusted.

$60,000$65,000$70,000$75,000 20152016201720182019202020212022202320242025 National median - 2015: $61,110National median - 2016: $61,810National median - 2017: $61,480National median - 2018: $61,310National median - 2019: $62,660National median - 2020: $64,020National median - 2021: $63,750National median - 2022: $64,460National median - 2023: $68,750National median - 2024: $67,950National median - 2025: $73,010$73,010
National median annual wage for Conservation Scientists, May 2015 to May 2025 OEWS releases
Read the chart as text
Period National median
2015 $61,110
2016 $61,810
2017 $61,480
2018 $61,310
2019 $62,660
2020 $64,020
2021 $63,750
2022 $64,460
2023 $68,750
2024 $67,950
2025 $73,010

2015 median

$61,110

2025 median

$73,010

2019–2025 change (same SOC)

+$10,350 (+16.5%)

Avg/year (same SOC)

+2.6%

Published national median annual wage and estimated employment for Conservation Scientists by OEWS release year
Release Median Change Estimated jobs
May 2015 $61,110 First banked release 20,200
May 2016 $61,810 +1.1% 20,470
May 2017 $61,480 -0.5% 22,040
May 2018 $61,310 -0.3% 22,200
May 2019 $62,660 Classification break 22,070
May 2020 $64,020 +2.2% 22,020
May 2021 $63,750 -0.4% 22,550
May 2022 $64,460 +1.1% 22,880
May 2023 $68,750 +6.7% 22,790
May 2024 $67,950 -1.2% 25,590
May 2025 $73,010 +7.4% 25,950

Across the 11 releases WageDex holds for this occupation, the published national median went from $61,110 in May 2015 to $73,010 in May 2025. Within the SOC-2018 classification (2019–2025), the like-for-like change averages +2.6% per year in nominal terms. Within the same SOC classification, estimated employment went from 22,070 in May 2019 to 25,950 in May 2025.

Each figure is a separate BLS survey estimate, so a change between releases reflects the estimated occupation-wide median in each year. It is not the raise any individual worker received, and it is not adjusted for inflation. Years where BLS did not publish an annual median for this occupation are omitted rather than filled in. This span also crosses a classification change: releases before May 2019 use the 2010 Standard Occupational Classification and later releases use the 2018 SOC, so figures either side of that boundary are not strictly like-for-like. Headline change rates on this page use only the same-classification subset.

Salary by State

View all 53 states →
# State Median Salary vs National
1 District of Columbia $99,400 +36% above national
2 Colorado $84,820 +16% above national
3 Maryland $83,290 +14% above national
4 Idaho $81,330 +11% above national
5 Wyoming $81,310 +11% above national
6 Oregon $80,790 +11% above national
7 Louisiana $80,190 +10% above national
8 California $79,810 +9% above national
9 Wisconsin $79,540 +9% above national
10 Alaska $79,260 +9% above national
11 Utah $78,850 +8% above national
12 Massachusetts $78,740 +8% above national
13 Washington $78,450 +7% above national
14 Virginia $77,380 +6% above national
15 North Dakota $77,280 +6% above national
16 Alabama $77,000 +5% above national
17 New York $76,990 +5% above national
18 New Mexico $76,800 +5% above national
19 Nebraska $76,400 +5% above national
20 South Dakota $76,400 +5% above national
21 Rhode Island $76,130 +4% above national
22 Maine $75,900 +4% above national
23 New Hampshire $74,650 +2% above national
24 Montana $73,920 +1% above national
25 Connecticut $73,860 +1% above national
26 Arkansas $73,320 same as national
27 Nevada $73,030 same as national
28 Kentucky $71,980 1% below national
29 Minnesota $71,280 2% below national
30 Puerto Rico $71,280 2% below national
31 Oklahoma $71,270 2% below national
32 Tennessee $70,500 3% below national
33 Vermont $70,130 4% below national
34 West Virginia $69,910 4% below national
35 Illinois $69,590 5% below national
36 Georgia $69,240 5% below national
37 Iowa $69,240 5% below national
38 Texas $68,620 6% below national
39 Kansas $67,200 8% below national
40 Arizona $66,750 9% below national
41 Hawaii $65,740 10% below national
42 Indiana $64,570 12% below national
43 North Carolina $64,460 12% below national
44 New Jersey $64,020 12% below national
45 Delaware $63,850 13% below national
46 Michigan $63,500 13% below national
47 Ohio $63,160 13% below national
48 Missouri $63,130 14% below national
49 Pennsylvania $61,480 16% below national
50 Mississippi $59,510 18% below national
51 South Carolina $52,310 28% below national
52 Florida $51,130 30% below national
53 Virgin Islands $50,080 31% below national

Salary by Metro Area

View all 132 metro areas →
# Metro Area Median Salary vs National
1 San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA $110,200 +51% above national
2 Springfield, IL $107,990 +48% above national
3 Boulder, CO $101,380 +39% above national
4 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV $99,360 +36% above national
5 San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $97,810 +34% above national
6 Salem, OR $95,470 +31% above national
7 Salt Lake City-Murray, UT $93,470 +28% above national
8 Trenton-Princeton, NJ $86,770 +19% above national
9 Eau Claire, WI $86,070 +18% above national
10 Madison, WI $85,110 +17% above national
11 Fort Collins-Loveland, CO $84,820 +16% above national
12 Missoula, MT $84,250 +15% above national
13 Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA $83,580 +14% above national
14 Bend, OR $82,630 +13% above national
15 Carson City, NV $82,420 +13% above national
16 Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA $82,380 +13% above national
17 Barnstable Town, MA $82,090 +12% above national
18 Durham-Chapel Hill, NC $81,780 +12% above national
19 Charleston, WV $81,760 +12% above national
20 Green Bay, WI $81,560 +12% above national
21 Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO $81,190 +11% above national
22 Lincoln, NE $81,170 +11% above national
23 Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA $80,900 +11% above national
24 Providence-Warwick, RI-MA $80,880 +11% above national
25 Amherst Town-Northampton, MA $80,290 +10% above national
26 Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA $80,150 +10% above national
27 Duluth, MN-WI $79,680 +9% above national
28 La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN $79,440 +9% above national
29 Albuquerque, NM $79,420 +9% above national
30 Flagstaff, AZ $79,310 +9% above national
31 Raleigh-Cary, NC $79,230 +9% above national
32 Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA $78,980 +8% above national
33 Bismarck, ND $78,850 +8% above national
34 Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH $78,580 +8% above national
35 Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA $78,460 +7% above national
36 Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA $78,460 +7% above national
37 Yakima, WA $78,460 +7% above national
38 Portland-South Portland, ME $78,440 +7% above national
39 Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA $78,340 +7% above national
40 San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA $78,200 +7% above national
41 Lubbock, TX $77,980 +7% above national
42 Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD $77,860 +7% above national
43 Fairbanks-College, AK $77,640 +6% above national
44 Worcester, MA $77,620 +6% above national
45 Bellingham, WA $77,600 +6% above national
46 San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA $77,280 +6% above national
47 Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA $77,190 +6% above national
48 Salinas, CA $77,020 +5% above national
49 Medford, OR $76,960 +5% above national
50 Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA $76,940 +5% above national
51 Fresno, CA $76,770 +5% above national
52 Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA $76,540 +5% above national
53 Anchorage, AK $76,430 +5% above national
54 Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN $76,210 +4% above national
55 Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA $75,900 +4% above national
56 Bozeman, MT $75,430 +3% above national
57 Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI $75,090 +3% above national
58 Corvallis, OR $74,410 +2% above national
59 Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA $74,320 +2% above national
60 Omaha, NE-IA $74,210 +2% above national
61 Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR $73,920 +1% above national
62 Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA $72,860 same as national
63 Santa Fe, NM $72,280 1% below national
64 Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT $71,460 2% below national
65 Rapid City, SD $70,450 4% below national
66 Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ $70,300 4% below national
67 Tyler, TX $69,880 4% below national
68 Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL $69,590 5% below national
69 Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA $69,380 5% below national
70 Helena, MT $69,240 5% below national
71 Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX $68,620 6% below national
72 Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX $68,620 6% below national
73 Brownsville-Harlingen, TX $68,620 6% below national
74 Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX $68,620 6% below national
75 Waco, TX $68,620 6% below national
76 Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA $68,560 6% below national
77 Reno, NV $68,090 7% below national
78 Lansing-East Lansing, MI $67,580 7% below national
79 Boise City, ID $67,200 8% below national
80 Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT $67,200 8% below national
81 Tulsa, OK $67,200 8% below national
82 Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN $67,080 8% below national
83 Rochester, NY $66,990 8% below national
84 Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI $66,680 9% below national
85 Akron, OH $66,420 9% below national
86 Springfield, MO $66,230 9% below national
87 Richmond, VA $66,180 9% below national
88 San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX $66,120 9% below national
89 Columbus, OH $66,110 9% below national
90 Urban Honolulu, HI $65,740 10% below national
91 Gainesville, FL $65,480 10% below national
92 Syracuse, NY $65,480 10% below national
93 Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN $65,280 11% below national
94 Asheville, NC $65,170 11% below national
95 Ann Arbor, MI $65,110 11% below national
96 Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ $64,910 11% below national
97 Amarillo, TX $64,680 11% below national
98 Champaign-Urbana, IL $64,470 12% below national
99 New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ $64,020 12% below national
100 Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC $63,790 13% below national
101 North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL $63,370 13% below national
102 Cleveland, OH $63,160 13% below national
103 Oklahoma City, OK $63,130 14% below national
104 Kansas City, MO-KS $63,050 14% below national
105 Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN $62,710 14% below national
106 Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH $62,460 14% below national
107 St. Louis, MO-IL $62,390 15% below national
108 Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL $61,690 16% below national
109 Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL $61,630 16% below national
110 Eugene-Springfield, OR $61,370 16% below national
111 Baton Rouge, LA $61,110 16% below national
112 Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX $60,520 17% below national
113 Reading, PA $60,000 18% below national
114 Jackson, MS $59,070 19% below national
115 Pittsburgh, PA $58,960 19% below national
116 Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD $58,590 20% below national
117 Charleston-North Charleston, SC $57,550 21% below national
118 Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI $57,110 22% below national
119 Jefferson City, MO $56,310 23% below national
120 Tucson, AZ $55,990 23% below national
121 Lancaster, PA $54,350 26% below national
122 Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA $54,250 26% below national
123 Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI $54,170 26% below national
124 Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL $51,130 30% below national
125 Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC $50,300 31% below national
126 Jacksonville, FL $49,880 32% below national
127 Gulfport-Biloxi, MS $48,300 34% below national
128 Kahului-Wailuku, HI $47,100 35% below national
129 Tallahassee, FL $46,260 37% below national
130 Columbia, SC $45,910 37% below national
131 Port St. Lucie, FL $43,680 40% below national
132 Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV $36,780 50% below national

Same SOC major group

Other detailed occupations in SOC major group 19 (Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations) - category peers, not a pay match.

Showing 5 of 47 detailed occupations BLS assigns to this SOC major group.

Nationwide occupations with similar pay or employment scale

Two OEWS peer sets outside this SOC major group (Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations). Same-category cards above stay inside the group; these neighborhoods are cross-group nearest neighbors on national median pay ($73,010 here) and reported employment (25,950 jobs here).

Peers are nearest-neighbor matches on BLS OEWS national median annual wage and reported employment. Employment peers exclude occupations already listed in the pay column so the two link sets stay distinct.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much do Conservation Scientists make?
The median annual salary for Conservation Scientists is $73,010 ($35.10/hour). The salary range spans from $47,550 at the 10th percentile to $110,410 at the 90th percentile.
Where does Conservation Scientists pay rank nationally?
At a published national median of $73,010, Conservation Scientists pay is higher than 64% of the 825 detailed occupations with a published BLS annual median in the May 2025 OEWS release. This compares occupation-level medians, not individual workers, job offers, or this occupation's own worker pay-percentile range.
What state pays Conservation Scientists the most?
District of Columbia pays the highest median salary for Conservation Scientists at $99,400/year, which is +36% above the national median.
What education do Conservation Scientists need?
BLS assigns Conservation Scientists to Bachelor's degree for typical education needed for entry.
Does BLS publish a safety rate for Conservation Scientists?
BLS does not publish a separate occupation-specific fatality and injury rate for Conservation Scientists in this release. WageDex shows the Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations SOC-group rate only as broad context and does not rank it as this occupation's measured rate.
Is Conservation Scientists a good career?
Employment for Conservation Scientists is projected to grow 3.4% from 2024 to 2034, which is about as fast as average. About 2,500 openings are projected each year.
How does Conservation Scientists pay vary by state?
Conservation Scientists salaries vary significantly by state. The highest-paying state is District of Columbia at $99,400/year, while Virgin Islands pays the least at $50,080/year. BLS data covers 53 states and territories.
Which metro areas pay the most for Conservation Scientists?
The highest published metropolitan-area median in this ranking is San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA at $110,200/year. BLS reports a median for 132 metropolitan areas for this occupation. The ranking does not establish why values differ.

What to do with this data

How to use Conservation Scientists pay figures in a real decision

  • The 75th-percentile wage is about $91,560/year. Treat it as the upper-quartile market boundary, not an automatic target for experience alone; role scope, location, industry, credentials, performance, and employer context still need separate evidence. Salary calculator
  • Location moves pay significantly: District of Columbia leads at $99,400/year for this role. Weigh state pay against local cost of living before relocating or negotiating remote. Pay by state
  • Compare this occupation against similar roles before you decide, so you are reading the pay band in context rather than in isolation. Compare jobs

These are BLS survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. Your pay depends on experience, employer, exact role, and location.

Data as of May 2025. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 annual release. Employment projections from BLS Employment Projections program, 2024–2034. Data reflects cross-industry estimates for all ownership types.

These are survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. See how to use them.

Source data and WageDex calculations are identified in context on this page. Occupation wages use BLS OEWS May 2025; outlook uses BLS Employment Projections for 2024–2034; safety, skills, knowledge, and task panels identify their BLS or O*NET sources in context. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.

This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or career advice. Actual pay for a specific role, employer, or offer may differ from these national/state figures, consult a qualified career counselor, recruiter, or financial advisor before making decisions based on this data.