SOC 19-1031 · Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations

Conservation Scientists

Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025United States, all industries

U.S. median annual wage$73,010

U.S. median hourly wage$35.10

U.S. employment25,950

Nationally, conservation scientists earned a median of $73,010 per year as of the May 2025 OEWS estimates, across 25,950 jobs. Pay varies substantially by area — look up a specific state or metro below.

National pay distribution

Pay by state

Every state and territory with a published May 2025 estimate. “Not published” means BLS suppressed the value — it never means zero. Higher medians often track higher living costs; this is not a ranking of where the job is “best”.

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Conservation Scientists: pay and employment by state
State
District of Columbia	$99,400	$47.79	110	0.2
Colorado	$84,820	$40.78	1,230	0.4
Maryland	$83,290	$40.04	470	0.2
Idaho	$81,330	$39.10	300	0.4
Wyoming	$81,310	$39.09	150	0.5
Oregon	$80,790	$38.84	1,020	0.5
Louisiana	$80,190	$38.56	190	0.1
California	$79,810	$38.37	2,110	0.1
Wisconsin	$79,540	$38.24	970	0.3
Alaska	$79,260	$38.10	290	0.9
Utah	$78,850	$37.91	410	0.2
Massachusetts	$78,740	$37.85	760	0.2
Washington	$78,450	$37.72	1,270	0.4
Virginia	$77,380	$37.20	480	0.1
North Dakota	$77,280	$37.15	340	0.8
Alabama	$77,000	$37.02	110	0.1
New York	$76,990	$37.01	640	0.1
New Mexico	$76,800	$36.92	330	0.4
Nebraska	$76,400	$36.73	220	0.2
South Dakota	$76,400	$36.73	360	0.8
Rhode Island	$76,130	$36.60	60	0.1
Maine	$75,900	$36.49	290	0.5
New Hampshire	$74,650	$35.89	130	0.2
Montana	$73,920	$35.54	560	1.1
Connecticut	$73,860	$35.51	140	0.1
Arkansas	$73,320	$35.25	230	0.2
Nevada	$73,030	$35.11	210	0.1
Kentucky	$71,980	$34.61	180	0.1
Minnesota	$71,280	$34.27	770	0.3
Puerto Rico	$71,280	$34.27	50	0.1
Oklahoma	$71,270	$34.26	310	0.2
Tennessee	$70,500	$33.90	250	0.1
Vermont	$70,130	$33.72	100	0.3
West Virginia	$69,910	$33.61	160	0.2
Illinois	$69,590	$33.46	730	0.1
Georgia	$69,240	$33.29	360	0.1
Iowa	$69,240	$33.29	610	0.4
Texas	$68,620	$32.99	1,970	0.1
Kansas	$67,200	$32.31	220	0.2
Arizona	$66,750	$32.09	410	0.1
Hawaii	$65,740	$31.61	220	0.4
Indiana	$64,570	$31.04	430	0.1
North Carolina	$64,460	$30.99	540	0.1
New Jersey	$64,020	$30.78	500	0.1
Delaware	$63,850	$30.70	80	0.2
Michigan	$63,500	$30.53	820	0.2
Ohio	$63,160	$30.37	680	0.1
Missouri	$63,130	$30.35	600	0.2
Pennsylvania	$61,480	$29.56	900	0.1
Mississippi	$59,510	$28.61	470	0.4
South Carolina	$52,310	$25.15	300	0.1
Florida	$51,130	$24.58	950	0.1
Virgin Islands	$50,080	$24.08	40	1.4

Pay by metro area

All 132 metro areas where BLS publishes this occupation. Sort by median wage, employment, or local concentration — or see the highest-paying metros ranked.

Each dot is one metro area with a published median — hover any dot for the name and figure. Metros without published estimates are not drawn.

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Conservation Scientists: pay and employment by metro area
Metro area
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA	$110,200	$52.98	70	0.1
Springfield, IL	$107,990	$51.92	40	0.4
Boulder, CO	$101,380	$48.74	70	0.3
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV	$99,360	$47.77	490	0.2
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA	$97,810	$47.02	410	0.2
Salem, OR	$95,470	$45.90	90	0.5
Salt Lake City-Murray, UT	$93,470	$44.94	170	0.2
Trenton-Princeton, NJ	$86,770	$41.72	50	0.2
Eau Claire, WI	$86,070	$41.38	30	0.4
Madison, WI	$85,110	$40.92	260	0.6
Fort Collins-Loveland, CO	$84,820	$40.78	650	3.9
Missoula, MT	$84,250	$40.51	80	1.2
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA	$83,580	$40.18	450	0.4
Bend, OR	$82,630	$39.72	100	0.9
Carson City, NV	$82,420	$39.63	Not published	Not published
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA	$82,380	$39.61	310	0.2
Barnstable Town, MA	$82,090	$39.47	60	0.7
Durham-Chapel Hill, NC	$81,780	$39.32	50	0.1
Charleston, WV	$81,760	$39.31	Not published	Not published
Green Bay, WI	$81,560	$39.21	40	0.2
Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO	$81,190	$39.04	230	0.1
Lincoln, NE	$81,170	$39.02	40	0.2
Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA	$80,900	$38.90	90	0.4
Providence-Warwick, RI-MA	$80,880	$38.88	90	0.1
Amherst Town-Northampton, MA	$80,290	$38.60	80	1.1
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA	$80,150	$38.53	40	0.1
Duluth, MN-WI	$79,680	$38.31	40	0.4
La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN	$79,440	$38.19	50	0.5
Albuquerque, NM	$79,420	$38.18	90	0.2
Flagstaff, AZ	$79,310	$38.13	60	0.8
Raleigh-Cary, NC	$79,230	$38.09	Not published	Not published
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA	$78,980	$37.97	220	0.2
Bismarck, ND	$78,850	$37.91	50	0.7
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH	$78,580	$37.78	480	0.2
Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA	$78,460	$37.72	40	0.7
Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA	$78,460	$37.72	320	2.4
Yakima, WA	$78,460	$37.72	30	0.3
Portland-South Portland, ME	$78,440	$37.71	130	0.5
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA	$78,340	$37.66	50	0.2
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA	$78,200	$37.60	150	0.1
Lubbock, TX	$77,980	$37.49	40	0.2
Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD	$77,860	$37.43	170	0.1
Fairbanks-College, AK	$77,640	$37.33	50	1.4
Worcester, MA	$77,620	$37.32	50	0.1
Bellingham, WA	$77,600	$37.31	50	0.6
San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA	$77,280	$37.15	30	0.3
Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA	$77,190	$37.11	40	0.4
Salinas, CA	$77,020	$37.03	50	0.3
Medford, OR	$76,960	$37.00	40	0.4
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA	$76,940	$36.99	310	0.1
Fresno, CA	$76,770	$36.91	30	0.1
Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA	$76,540	$36.80	100	0.2
Anchorage, AK	$76,430	$36.75	170	1.0
Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN	$76,210	$36.64	50	0.0
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA	$75,900	$36.49	100	0.1
Bozeman, MT	$75,430	$36.27	90	1.3
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI	$75,090	$36.10	310	0.2
Corvallis, OR	$74,410	$35.78	60	1.6
Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA	$74,320	$35.73	80	0.3
Omaha, NE-IA	$74,210	$35.68	50	0.1
Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR	$73,920	$35.54	70	0.2
Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA	$72,860	$35.03	50	0.6
Santa Fe, NM	$72,280	$34.75	60	1.0
Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT	$71,460	$34.35	Not published	Not published
Rapid City, SD	$70,450	$33.87	40	0.6
Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ	$70,300	$33.80	140	0.1
Tyler, TX	$69,880	$33.60	70	0.6
Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL	$69,590	$33.46	40	0.2
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA	$69,380	$33.35	170	0.1
Helena, MT	$69,240	$33.29	50	1.1
Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX	$68,620	$32.99	430	0.3
Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX	$68,620	$32.99	60	0.4
Brownsville-Harlingen, TX	$68,620	$32.99	40	0.2
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX	$68,620	$32.99	130	0.0
Waco, TX	$68,620	$32.99	40	0.3
Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA	$68,560	$32.96	30	0.5
Reno, NV	$68,090	$32.74	80	0.3
Lansing-East Lansing, MI	$67,580	$32.49	120	0.5
Boise City, ID	$67,200	$32.31	70	0.2
Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT	$67,200	$32.31	30	0.1
Tulsa, OK	$67,200	$32.31	40	0.1
Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN	$67,080	$32.25	50	0.0
Rochester, NY	$66,990	$32.21	50	0.1
Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI	$66,680	$32.06	100	0.1
Akron, OH	$66,420	$31.93	100	0.3
Springfield, MO	$66,230	$31.84	40	0.2
Richmond, VA	$66,180	$31.82	60	0.1
San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX	$66,120	$31.79	120	0.1
Columbus, OH	$66,110	$31.79	120	0.1
Urban Honolulu, HI	$65,740	$31.61	110	0.2
Gainesville, FL	$65,480	$31.48	40	0.3
Syracuse, NY	$65,480	$31.48	30	0.1
Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN	$65,280	$31.39	120	0.1
Asheville, NC	$65,170	$31.33	60	0.3
Ann Arbor, MI	$65,110	$31.30	60	0.3
Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ	$64,910	$31.21	50	0.1
Amarillo, TX	$64,680	$31.10	40	0.3
Champaign-Urbana, IL	$64,470	$30.99	40	0.4
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ	$64,020	$30.78	590	0.1
Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC	$63,790	$30.67	40	0.1
North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL	$63,370	$30.47	50	0.1
Cleveland, OH	$63,160	$30.37	150	0.1
Oklahoma City, OK	$63,130	$30.35	70	0.1
Kansas City, MO-KS	$63,050	$30.31	40	0.0
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN	$62,710	$30.15	370	0.1
Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH	$62,460	$30.03	50	0.1
St. Louis, MO-IL	$62,390	$30.00	150	0.1
Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL	$61,690	$29.66	90	0.1
Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL	$61,630	$29.63	50	0.0
Eugene-Springfield, OR	$61,370	$29.51	50	0.3
Baton Rouge, LA	$61,110	$29.38	50	0.1
Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX	$60,520	$29.10	290	0.1
Reading, PA	$60,000	$28.85	30	0.2
Jackson, MS	$59,070	$28.40	180	0.7
Pittsburgh, PA	$58,960	$28.34	120	0.1
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD	$58,590	$28.17	310	0.1
Charleston-North Charleston, SC	$57,550	$27.67	60	0.2
Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI	$57,110	$27.46	120	0.1
Jefferson City, MO	$56,310	$27.07	220	2.7
Tucson, AZ	$55,990	$26.92	100	0.3
Lancaster, PA	$54,350	$26.13	50	0.2
Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA	$54,250	$26.08	30	0.1
Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI	$54,170	$26.04	70	0.1
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL	$51,130	$24.58	210	0.1
Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC	$50,300	$24.18	150	0.1
Jacksonville, FL	$49,880	$23.98	60	0.1
Gulfport-Biloxi, MS	$48,300	$23.22	80	0.5
Kahului-Wailuku, HI	$47,100	$22.65	50	0.7
Tallahassee, FL	$46,260	$22.24	40	0.2
Columbia, SC	$45,910	$22.07	80	0.2
Port St. Lucie, FL	$43,680	$21.00	30	0.2
Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV	$36,780	$17.68	40	0.0

About this data. Estimates are from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program, May 2025 release, retrieved from bls.gov/oes/tables.htm on July 24, 2026. OEWS estimates describe metropolitan/nonmetropolitan areas and states — not city limits — and are not designed for year-over-year comparisons. See BLS methodology, our plain-English methodology, and sources. CitySalaryData is independent and not affiliated with BLS.