45 Series · SOC 45-4011
Forest and Conservation Workers Salary
National pay, percentile range, growth outlook, and state-by-state detail from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey (May 2025).
- $43,680
- Median / year
- $57,220
- Top 10% earn
- -4.7%
- Growth '23–'33
- 6,050
- US workers
Forest and Conservation Workers earn a median of $43,680 per year.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, the median annual wage is $43,680, based on the most recent survey of employers. Reported pay ranges from $33,780 (10th percentile) to $57,220 (90th percentile) nationally, across roughly 6,050 US workers. Idaho pays the most ($59,460), since pay varies by state and metro area.
The pay verdict
Forest and Conservation Workers earn a median of $43,680, putting them among the lower-paid US occupations and higher than 17% of the 825 occupations with a published BLS median. Within Farming, Fishing, and Forestry, it ranks #8 of 13 by median pay. Employment is projected to fall 4.7% by 2033.
- $43,680
- Median annual wage
- Top 83%
- of 825 US occupations with published wages
- #8 of 13
- in Farming, Fishing, and Forestry
- 1.7×
- 90th-to-10th pay spread
Highest-paying state: Idaho at $59,460. Typical entry-level education: High school diploma or equivalent.
Forest and Conservation Workers (SOC 45-4011) pays a national median of $43,680 per year according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey released in May 2025. Full-range compensation stretches from $33,780 at the 10th percentile to $57,220 at the 90th, with a mean of $43,680 indicating a compressed distribution clustered near the median. An estimated 6,050 Americans work in this occupation across 27 reporting states and 29 metro areas.
BLS Employment Projections forecast a -4.7% change in employment from 2024 to 2034, which the agency classifies as declining relative to the 5% all-occupations baseline. About 2,000 openings are projected per year, combining new positions with replacement needs from retirements and occupation-switchers. Typical entry-level preparation is High school diploma or equivalent and moderate-term on-the-job training of on-the-job training. The BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) and Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII) produce a workplace-safety grade of B for this role, with a fatality rate of 23.5 per 100,000 and injury rate of 2.2 per 100.
Geographic variation matters as much as the headline median. Idaho pays the highest state median at $59,460, which is +36% above the national figure. The top metro is Southeast-Central Idaho nonmetropolitan area at $60,320 - metro premiums typically reflect higher cost of living, industry concentration, or specialized employer demand. When using this page for negotiation or career planning, pair the national median with the state and metro rows below, remember that BLS wages exclude benefits, bonuses, and overtime, and revisit after each May OEWS release since percentiles shift with cost-of-living cycles and industry demand. See our methodology for exactly how these figures are sourced, computed, and verified.
Median Salary
$43,680
per year
Median Hourly
$21.00/hr
per hour
Mean Salary
$43,680
average
Employment
6,050
jobs nationwide
How does this pay compare nationally?
Where Forest and Conservation Workers pay sits nationally
Median annual wage vs. 825 detailed BLS occupations with a published median
$43,680 Bottom 17% higher than 17% of 825 US occupations
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.
Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS · May 2025
Does this job pay well and grow?
Each dot is a 45-series occupation, placed by projected 2024–2034 growth and median pay. The highlighted dot is Forest and Conservation Workers; the upper-right quadrant is the sweet spot (high pay + fast growth).
Among 13 45-series occupations with growth data, Forest and Conservation Workers sits on the slower-growing side at -4.7% growth and $43,680 median pay.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS (wages, May 2025) and Employment Projections (2024–2034).
Job Outlook (2024–2034)
Projected Growth
-4.7%
Declining
Annual Openings
2,000
per year (projected)
Typical Education
High school diploma or equivalent
On-the-Job Training
Moderate-term on-the-job training
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034
Workplace Safety
All safety ratings →Safe
Safety Grade (BLS 2023)
Fatality Rate
23.5/100K
Injury Rate
2.2/100
Danger Index
20.6/100
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 Forest and Conservation Workers roles, ranked by importance. Source: O*NET.
Top Skills
Knowledge Areas
Key Tasks
- ▸ Check equipment to ensure that it is operating properly.
- ▸ Fight forest fires or perform prescribed burning tasks under the direction of fire suppression officers or forestry technicians.
- ▸ Perform fire protection or suppression duties, such as constructing fire breaks or disposing of brush.
- ▸ Maintain tallies of trees examined and counted during tree marking or measuring efforts.
- ▸ Confer with other workers to discuss issues, such as safety, cutting heights, or work needs.
- ▸ Explain or enforce regulations regarding camping, vehicle use, fires, use of buildings, or sanitation.
- ▸ Operate skidders, bulldozers, or other prime movers to pull a variety of scarification or site preparation equipment over areas to be regenerated.
- ▸ Spray or inject vegetation with insecticides to kill insects or to protect against disease or with herbicides to reduce competing vegetation.
- ▸ Thin or space trees, using power thinning saws.
- ▸ Identify diseased or undesirable trees and remove them, using power saws or hand saws.
Source: O*NET Online, National Center for O*NET Development. Data represents typical importance ratings for this occupation.
Salary Range
Annual Salary Distribution
Hourly Rate Distribution
10th Percentile
$33,780
25th Percentile
$37,440
Median
$43,680
75th Percentile
$45,760
90th Percentile
$57,220
Salary by State
Highest Paying States
Lowest Paying States
View all 27 states →
| # | State | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Idaho | $59,460 | +36% above national |
| 2 | Hawaii | $56,330 | +29% above national |
| 3 | Virginia | $54,560 | +25% above national |
| 4 | Massachusetts | $51,890 | +19% above national |
| 5 | Pennsylvania | $50,250 | +15% above national |
| 6 | Ohio | $48,470 | +11% above national |
| 7 | Arkansas | $47,310 | +8% above national |
| 8 | Oregon | $46,010 | +5% above national |
| 9 | Washington | $44,430 | +2% above national |
| 10 | South Carolina | $44,050 | +1% above national |
| 11 | California | $43,680 | same as national |
| 12 | New Jersey | $41,600 | 5% below national |
| 13 | Tennessee | $40,320 | 8% below national |
| 14 | Louisiana | $39,900 | 9% below national |
| 15 | Minnesota | $39,590 | 9% below national |
| 16 | South Dakota | $38,210 | 13% below national |
| 17 | Colorado | $37,690 | 14% below national |
| 18 | Missouri | $37,170 | 15% below national |
| 19 | Florida | $36,780 | 16% below national |
| 20 | Wisconsin | $36,420 | 17% below national |
| 21 | New Mexico | $36,370 | 17% below national |
| 22 | Nevada | $35,760 | 18% below national |
| 23 | Georgia | $34,150 | 22% below national |
| 24 | Connecticut | $34,010 | 22% below national |
| 25 | Iowa | $33,600 | 23% below national |
| 26 | Montana | $32,600 | 25% below national |
| 27 | Texas | $30,470 | 30% below national |
Salary by Metro Area
Highest Paying Metros
View all 29 metro areas →
| # | Metro Area | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Southeast-Central Idaho nonmetropolitan area | $60,320 | +38% above national |
| 2 | Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | $52,850 | +21% above national |
| 3 | Pittsburgh, PA | $51,330 | +18% above national |
| 4 | Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $51,300 | +17% above national |
| 5 | Rapid City, SD | $50,110 | +15% above national |
| 6 | Cleveland, OH | $48,470 | +11% above national |
| 7 | Columbus, OH | $47,730 | +9% above national |
| 8 | New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $45,530 | +4% above national |
| 9 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $45,510 | +4% above national |
| 10 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $43,680 | same as national |
| 11 | Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $43,680 | same as national |
| 12 | Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $43,680 | same as national |
| 13 | Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $43,680 | same as national |
| 14 | Salinas, CA | $43,680 | same as national |
| 15 | San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $43,680 | same as national |
| 16 | North Coast Region of California nonmetropolitan area | $43,680 | same as national |
| 17 | Western Washington nonmetropolitan area | $41,730 | 4% below national |
| 18 | Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $41,610 | 5% below national |
| 19 | Northeastern Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area | $40,540 | 7% below national |
| 20 | Knoxville, TN | $40,320 | 8% below national |
| 21 | North Central Tennessee nonmetropolitan area | $40,320 | 8% below national |
| 22 | Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $39,490 | 10% below national |
| 23 | East South Dakota nonmetropolitan area | $38,940 | 11% below national |
| 24 | West South Dakota nonmetropolitan area | $37,650 | 14% below national |
| 25 | Sioux Falls, SD-MN | $37,470 | 14% below national |
| 26 | Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $36,370 | 17% below national |
| 27 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $36,080 | 17% below national |
| 28 | South Georgia nonmetropolitan area | $34,150 | 22% below national |
| 29 | Northwestern Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area | $33,780 | 23% below national |
Similar Occupations in the Same Category
Other roles in SOC major group 45 (farming fishing and forestry) with comparable pay and career paths.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a Forest and Conservation Workers make? ▼
What state pays Forest and Conservation Workers the most? ▼
What education do you need to become a Forest and Conservation Workers? ▼
How dangerous is being a Forest and Conservation Workers? ▼
Is Forest and Conservation Workers a good career? ▼
How does Forest and Conservation Workers pay vary by state? ▼
Which metro areas pay the most for Forest and Conservation Workers? ▼
What to do with this data
How to use Forest and Conservation Workers pay figures in a real decision
- For an experienced offer, anchor on the 75th percentile (about $45,760/year), not the median. The median marks the middle worker; the upper quartile is the realistic target with strong experience. Salary calculator
- Location moves pay significantly: Idaho leads at $59,460/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.
Every figure on WageDex is rendered directly from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, no number is typed in by an editor. This occupation's figures are computed directly from the BLS OEWS and Employment Projections datasets, nothing is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of May 2025.
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.