Conservation Scientists: salary, outlook & degrees
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.
Middle half $57,700–$91,560. 25,950 jobs.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025
Census ACS 2020-2024 microdata, workers with at least a high school diploma; EducationGuide calculation
About 2,100 openings a year, including replacements.
BLS Employment Projections 2025-35
Considerable preparation (usually a bachelor's).
BLS; O*NET 31.0 job zone
Education workers say the job requires
O*NET 31.0 survey of workers (“required level of education”); small samples, so treat shares as approximate.
Pay by state and metro
| State | Median wage |
|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $99,400 |
| Colorado | $84,820 |
| Maryland | $83,290 |
| Idaho | $81,330 |
| Wyoming | $81,310 |
| Oregon | $80,790 |
| Louisiana | $80,190 |
| California | $79,810 |
| Wisconsin | $79,540 |
| Alaska | $79,260 |
| Utah | $78,850 |
| Massachusetts | $78,740 |
| Washington | $78,450 |
| Virginia | $77,380 |
| North Dakota | $77,280 |
| Alabama | $77,000 |
| New York | $76,990 |
| New Mexico | $76,800 |
| Nebraska | $76,400 |
| South Dakota | $76,400 |
| Rhode Island | $76,130 |
| Maine | $75,900 |
| New Hampshire | $74,650 |
| Montana | $73,920 |
| Connecticut | $73,860 |
| Arkansas | $73,320 |
| Nevada | $73,030 |
| Kentucky | $71,980 |
| Minnesota | $71,280 |
| PR | $71,280 |
| Oklahoma | $71,270 |
| Tennessee | $70,500 |
| Vermont | $70,130 |
| West Virginia | $69,910 |
| Illinois | $69,590 |
| Georgia | $69,240 |
| Iowa | $69,240 |
| Texas | $68,620 |
| Kansas | $67,200 |
| Arizona | $66,750 |
| Hawaii | $65,740 |
| Indiana | $64,570 |
| North Carolina | $64,460 |
| New Jersey | $64,020 |
| Delaware | $63,850 |
| Michigan | $63,500 |
| Ohio | $63,160 |
| Missouri | $63,130 |
| Pennsylvania | $61,480 |
| Mississippi | $59,510 |
| South Carolina | $52,310 |
| Florida | $51,130 |
| VI | $50,080 |
Largest metro areas for this job
- Fort Collins-Loveland CO$84,820
- New York-Newark-Jersey City NY-NJ$64,020
- Washington-Arlington-Alexandria DC-VA-MD-WV$99,360
- Boston-Cambridge-Newton MA-NH$78,580
- Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro OR-WA$83,580
- Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos TX$68,620
- San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont CA$97,810
- Chicago-Naperville-Elgin IL-IN$62,710
- Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater WA$78,460
- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim CA$76,940
- Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington MN-WI$75,090
- Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington PA-NJ-DE-MD$58,590
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025: median annual wage, all workers in the job. Metro areas: the largest by employment.
What the work takes
Top skills
- Reading Comprehension
- Active Listening
- Speaking
- Writing
- Science
Knowledge used
- English Language
- Biology
- Mathematics
- Geography
- Customer and Personal Service
Work styles
- Dependability
- Attention to Detail
- Integrity
- Cautiousness
- Innovation
People in this job tend to have Investigative (analytical), Realistic (hands-on), Conventional (organizing) interests.
O*NET 31.0 (U.S. Department of Labor, CC BY 4.0): skills and knowledge by importance; work styles; interest high points.
Conservation Scientists: questions
How much do conservation Scientists make?
Conservation Scientists earn a U.S. median $73,010 a year; the middle half earn $57,700 to $91,560 (BLS, May 2025).
Is conservation Scientists a growing field?
BLS projects growth of 5.3% from 2025 to 2035, with about 2,100 openings a year, including replacements.
What degree do you need to be a conservation Scientist?
BLS lists the typical entry education as bachelor's degree. In O*NET's survey, 96% of workers say a bachelor's or higher is required.
How much do conservation Scientists make in Florida?
The median in Florida is $51,130 a year (BLS, May 2025), compared with $73,010 nationally.
Sources: Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35); O*NET 31.0 (U.S. Department of Labor, CC BY 4.0); U.S. Census Bureau ACS microdata. SOC 19-1031. Method
Data: JSON · Markdown · all careers
Cite this: “Conservation Scientists: salary, outlook and degrees,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/careers/conservation-scientists.