How much does a conservation scientist make?
a year · about $35 an hour
A typical conservation scientist in the United States makes $73,010 a year, about $35 an hour, about 1.4× a typical US worker (median, May 2025, US Bureau of Labor Statistics).
What do they do?
A conservation scientist might hike across a farm, inspect eroded slopes, and talk with a farmer about protecting soil and water. Back at a computer, they map the land, check field data, and write a conservation plan.
Did you know? In U.S. conservation research, satellites can reveal pale eroded hilltops and dark soil washed into valleys—clues to soil loss.
Is that a lot?
Compared with jobs you knowIf 100 people had this job
Most earn between $47,550 and $110,410How do you become one?
In the U.S., earn a bachelor's degree in forestry, natural resources, agriculture, or biology, including ecology. Some states require a license; certification is optional, and people usually start after college.
School needed: Usually a bachelor's degree
Good for people who like figuring things out and building and doing
Why does pay differ?
In the U.S., pay can vary with experience, useful skills, and licenses or certifications a state or employer requires. Employer type, location, specific duties, and hours matter too; field trips can mean weekends or longer weeks, and soil, water, or range work may call for different expertise.
Where does it pay most?
Highest in Colorado ($84,820), lowest in Florida ($51,130).
See every state
Top 5 and bottom 3 states, typical (median) yearly pay.
Jobs like this
Data table and sources
| Lower earner (10th from bottom) | Typical person (median) | Higher earner (10th from top) | People in this job |
|---|---|---|---|
| $47,550 | $73,010 | $110,410 | about 26,000 |
| State | Typical person (median) | People in this job |
|---|---|---|
| Colorado | $84,820 | about 1,000 |
| Oregon | $80,790 | about 1,000 |
| California | $79,810 | about 2,000 |
| Wisconsin | $79,540 | about 970 |
| Massachusetts | $78,740 | about 760 |
Official definition: 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. Excludes “Zoologists and Wildlife Biologists” (19-1023) and “Foresters” (19-1032).
Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025 (bls.gov); descriptions and related jobs from O*NET 31.0. Figures as of May 2025, full-time yearly pay (hourly × 2,080 hours). bls.gov/oes · O*NET OnLine
Pages used for the text
- www.bls.gov/ooh/life-physical-and-social-science/conservation-scientists.htm
- www.onetonline.org/link/summary/19-1031.00
- www.bls.gov/careeroutlook/2015/article/wage-differences.htm
- science.nasa.gov/missions/landsat/shoring-up-the-corn-belts-soil-health
Data: US BLS OEWS, May 2025 · 1 USD = 150 JPY