Conservation Scientists Salary in the United States
The median annual wage for conservation scientists in the U.S. is $73,010 ($35.10 per hour), according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program, May 2025 estimates.
- Median annual wage
- $73,010
- Mean annual wage
- $77,130
- Median hourly wage
- $35.10
- Employment
- 25,950
25,950 employed
Wage percentiles
| Percentile | Annual wage | Hourly wage |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $47,550 | $22.86 |
| 25th percentile | $57,700 | $27.74 |
| Median (50th) | $73,010 | $35.10 |
| 75th percentile | $91,560 | $44.02 |
| 90th percentile | $110,410 | $53.08 |
Highest-paying states for conservation scientists
| State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $99,400 | 110 |
| Colorado | $84,820 | 1,230 |
| Maryland | $83,290 | 470 |
| Idaho | $81,330 | 300 |
| Wyoming | $81,310 | 150 |
| Oregon | $80,790 | 1,020 |
| Louisiana | $80,190 | 190 |
| California | $79,810 | 2,110 |
| Wisconsin | $79,540 | 970 |
| Alaska | $79,260 | 290 |
Lowest-paying states
- Florida: $51,130 median annual wage
- South Carolina: $52,310 median annual wage
- Mississippi: $59,510 median annual wage
- Pennsylvania: $61,480 median annual wage
- Missouri: $63,130 median annual wage
About this occupation
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.
Typical tasks
- Provide information, knowledge, expertise, or training to government agencies at all levels to solve water or soil management problems or to assure coordination of resource protection activities.
- Monitor projects during or after construction to ensure projects conform to design specifications.
- Develop or maintain working relationships with local government staff or board members.
- Review proposed wetland restoration easements or provide technical recommendations.
- Implement soil or water management techniques, such as nutrient management, erosion control, buffers, or filter strips, in accordance with conservation plans.
- Gather information from geographic information systems (GIS) databases or applications to formulate land use recommendations.
Education of the current workforce — typical entry: Bachelor's degree
| Education level | Share of workers |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree | 71.5% |
| Master's degree | 24.8% |
| Doctoral or professional degree | 3.8% |
Occupation profile data from CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor.
Related occupations
- Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists$103,410
- Occupational Health and Safety Specialists$90,150
- Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health$82,220
- Chemists$91,240
- Clinical and Counseling Psychologists$100,580
- Life, Physical, and Social Science Technicians, All Other$62,280
- Biological Technicians$57,510
- School Psychologists$95,990
About this data
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — data period May 2025, retrieved August 13, 2026.
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — data period May 2025, retrieved August 13, 2026.
- CareerOneStop Occupation Profiles — data period 2026-08, retrieved August 14, 2026.
Figures are shown exactly as published by the source or derived by the documented formulas on our methodology page. Where a source suppresses an estimate, we show “—” rather than a substitute value.