Conservation Scientists Salaries by State
Mean and median pay, wage percentiles, employment, and top-paying metro areas for conservation scientistss across the U.S. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 (data.bls.gov OEWS tool /OESServices/combo/table, all-occupation crawl by area).
National mean salary $77,130 ≈ $37/hr
National median salary $73,010
Total employment 25,950 nationwide
Job Outlook, 2024–2034
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034.
Projected growth +3.4%
About as fast as average
Annual openings 2,500 per year (avg)
Employment 2024→2034 28,500 → 29,500 (+1,000)
Typical entry education Bachelor's degree
Salary Map
Brighter tiles = higher average pay; dashed tiles have no data. Click a state for details.
💰 Top 5 Highest-Paying States
- District of Columbia$99,050
- Virginia$92,610
- Rhode Island$92,230
- Maryland$89,820
- Oregon$89,550
📉 5 Lowest-Paying States
- South Carolina$60,250
- Florida$61,760
- Pennsylvania$63,760
- Delaware$66,560
- Ohio$66,660
State Rankings
| # | State | Mean | Median | Hourly | vs. U.S. | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | $99,050 | $99,400 | $48 | +28.4% | 110 |
| 2 | Virginia | $92,610 | $77,380 | $45 | +20.1% | 480 |
| 3 | Rhode Island | $92,230 | $76,130 | $44 | +19.6% | 60 |
| 4 | Maryland | $89,820 | $83,290 | $43 | +16.5% | 470 |
| 5 | Oregon | $89,550 | $80,790 | $43 | +16.1% | 1,020 |
| 6 | Colorado | $89,530 | $84,820 | $43 | +16.1% | 1,230 |
| 7 | Alaska | $88,860 | $79,260 | $43 | +15.2% | 290 |
| 8 | California | $88,030 | $79,810 | $42 | +14.1% | 2,110 |
| 9 | Massachusetts | $82,710 | $78,740 | $40 | +7.2% | 760 |
| 10 | Louisiana | $81,950 | $80,190 | $39 | +6.2% | 190 |
| 11 | Washington | $81,300 | $78,450 | $39 | +5.4% | 1,270 |
| 12 | Georgia | $81,120 | $69,240 | $39 | +5.2% | 360 |
| 13 | Connecticut | $80,940 | $73,860 | $39 | +4.9% | 140 |
| 14 | Alabama | $80,870 | $77,000 | $39 | +4.8% | 110 |
| 15 | Utah | $80,840 | $78,850 | $39 | +4.8% | 410 |
| 16 | New York | $80,440 | $76,990 | $39 | +4.3% | 640 |
| 17 | North Dakota | $79,540 | $77,280 | $38 | +3.1% | 340 |
| 18 | New Mexico | $79,030 | $76,800 | $38 | +2.5% | 330 |
| 19 | Wyoming | $78,740 | $81,310 | $38 | +2.1% | 150 |
| 20 | Nebraska | $77,930 | $76,400 | $37 | +1% | 220 |
| 21 | Wisconsin | $77,760 | $79,540 | $37 | +0.8% | 970 |
| 22 | Arkansas | $77,620 | $73,320 | $37 | +0.6% | 230 |
| 23 | Maine | $77,100 | $75,900 | $37 | +0% | 290 |
| 24 | Idaho | $76,560 | $81,330 | $37 | -0.7% | 300 |
| 25 | Montana | $76,360 | $73,920 | $37 | -1% | 560 |
| 26 | Hawaii | $76,190 | $65,740 | $37 | -1.2% | 220 |
| 27 | South Dakota | $76,060 | $76,400 | $37 | -1.4% | 360 |
| 28 | Illinois | $75,750 | $69,590 | $36 | -1.8% | 730 |
| 29 | West Virginia | $75,350 | $69,910 | $36 | -2.3% | 160 |
| 30 | Tennessee | $75,250 | $70,500 | $36 | -2.4% | 250 |
| 31 | Kentucky | $74,970 | $71,980 | $36 | -2.8% | 180 |
| 32 | Minnesota | $74,570 | $71,280 | $36 | -3.3% | 770 |
| 33 | New Hampshire | $74,300 | $74,650 | $36 | -3.7% | 130 |
| 34 | Michigan | $74,140 | $63,500 | $36 | -3.9% | 820 |
| 35 | Vermont | $73,780 | $70,130 | $35 | -4.3% | 100 |
| 36 | Kansas | $72,850 | $67,200 | $35 | -5.5% | 220 |
| 37 | Nevada | $72,640 | $73,030 | $35 | -5.8% | 210 |
| 38 | North Carolina | $72,190 | $64,460 | $35 | -6.4% | 540 |
| 39 | Oklahoma | $72,090 | $71,270 | $35 | -6.5% | 310 |
| 40 | Iowa | $71,620 | $69,240 | $34 | -7.1% | 610 |
| 41 | Arizona | $71,390 | $66,750 | $34 | -7.4% | 410 |
| 42 | Texas | $71,060 | $68,620 | $34 | -7.9% | 1,970 |
| 43 | New Jersey | $69,610 | $64,020 | $33 | -9.7% | 500 |
| 44 | Indiana | $68,990 | $64,570 | $33 | -10.6% | 430 |
| 45 | Missouri | $67,070 | $63,130 | $32 | -13% | 600 |
| 46 | Mississippi | $66,940 | $59,510 | $32 | -13.2% | 470 |
| 47 | Ohio | $66,660 | $63,160 | $32 | -13.6% | 680 |
| 48 | Delaware | $66,560 | $63,850 | $32 | -13.7% | 80 |
| 49 | Pennsylvania | $63,760 | $61,480 | $31 | -17.3% | 900 |
| 50 | Florida | $61,760 | $51,130 | $30 | -19.9% | 950 |
| 51 | South Carolina | $60,250 | $52,310 | $29 | -21.9% | 300 |
Top-Paying Metro Areas
Highest median pay among 221 metro areas.
| # | Metro area | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $110,200 | $118,820 | 70 |
| 2 | Springfield, IL | $107,990 | $105,360 | 40 |
| 3 | Boulder, CO | $101,380 | $98,160 | 70 |
| 4 | Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $99,360 | $108,770 | 490 |
| 5 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $97,810 | $99,130 | 410 |
| 6 | Salem, OR | $95,470 | $93,780 | 90 |
| 7 | Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | $93,470 | $85,440 | 170 |
| 8 | Southwest Colorado nonmetropolitan area | $88,610 | $85,020 | 60 |
| 9 | Eastern and Southern Colorado nonmetropolitan area | $87,650 | $87,980 | 60 |
| 10 | Trenton-Princeton, NJ | $86,770 | $90,470 | 50 |
Pay by Industry
Highest-paying industries employing conservation scientistss (BLS OEWS, by median).
| # | Industry | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Grantmaking and Giving Services | $130,400 | $114,910 | 70 |
| 2 | Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) | $88,610 | $92,520 | 6,970 |
| 3 | Federal Government, including the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) | $88,610 | $92,520 | 6,970 |
| 4 | Engineering Services | $87,590 | $97,530 | 230 |
| 5 | Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services | $85,550 | $93,430 | 260 |
| 6 | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | $76,290 | $81,210 | 1,430 |
| 7 | Sector 54 - Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | $76,290 | $81,210 | 1,430 |
| 8 | Scientific Research and Development Services | $74,460 | $76,510 | 110 |
| 9 | Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences | $74,460 | $76,510 | 110 |
| 10 | Federal, State, and Local Government, excluding State and Local Schools and Hospitals and USPS | $73,920 | $77,940 | 17,530 |
| 11 | Federal, State, and Local Government, including State and Local Schools and Hospitals and USPS | $73,920 | $77,960 | 18,320 |
| 12 | Sector 99 - Federal, State, and Local Government, excl. State & Local Schools & Hospitals & USPS | $73,920 | $77,940 | 17,530 |
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do conservation scientists make in the U.S.?
The median conservation scientists salary in the United States is $73,010 per year (mean $77,130), and about 80% earn between $47,550 and $110,410.
How much do conservation scientists make per hour?
Roughly $37 per hour, based on a mean annual wage of $77,130 and 2,080 work hours per year.
Which state pays conservation scientists the most?
District of Columbia has the highest average pay for conservation scientists at $99,050 per year (median $99,400).
What is the job outlook for conservation scientists?
Employment is projected to change +3.4% from 2024 to 2034 (About as fast as average), with about 2,500 openings per year.
What People Search
Common U.S. search queries related to this occupation.
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