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The national median salary for Conservation Scientists is $67,954 per year ($32.67/hr) according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2024. The middle 50% of earners make between $53,186 and $87,984 annually. Top earners at the 90th percentile reach $107,723 per year. There are approximately 25,590 conservation scientists employed in the United States.
About This Role
BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018
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.
Career Outlook
BLS Employment Projections · 2024-2034
10-year growth
+3.4%
About as fast as average
Annual openings
3K
per year, on avg
Workforce today
29K
as of 2024
Why those openings exist
4% from new growth96% from people leaving the role
Most openings come from replacement, not growth. Retention matters more than recruiting here.
Typical entry requirements
Education
Bachelor's degree
Experience
None
On-the-job training
None
Industry Wage Breakdown
Top 5 industries by employment · median annual wage, sector-specific
Industry
Workforce
Median Pay
Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation)
NAICS 999100
7K
$86,940
Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation)
NAICS 999300
6K
$59,620
Social Advocacy Organizations
NAICS 813300
5K
$62,890
State Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation)
NAICS 999200
5K
$65,170
Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools
NAICS 611300
770
$64,110
Wage range across top 5 industries: $59,620 to $86,940 (46% spread)
Wage Percentiles
Hourly & annualized (2,080 hours)
Percentile
Hourly Rate
Annual Salary
P10
$21.76
$45,261
P25
$25.57
$53,186
P50MEDIAN
$32.67
$67,954
P75
$42.30
$87,984
P90
$51.79
$107,723
Market Context Signal
JOLTS · professional sector
Cooling
Openings Rate
4.2%
Quits Rate
2.0%
Professional & Business Services openings tumbled 318K in March -- the largest single-sector drop in this release. Openings rate fell from 5.5% to 4.2%. Layoffs jumped to 527K (+99K). White-collar demand has cooled abruptly.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average conservation scientists salary?
The national median salary for Conservation Scientists is $67,954 per year ($32.67/hr) according to BLS OEWS May 2024 data. The middle 50% earn between $53,186 and $87,984 annually.
How much do top-earning conservation scientists make?
The 90th percentile salary for Conservation Scientists is $107,723 per year ($51.79/hr). The 75th percentile is $87,984 per year.
What is the entry-level salary for conservation scientists?
Entry-level Conservation Scientists (10th percentile) earn approximately $45,261 per year ($21.76/hr). The 25th percentile is $53,186 per year.
Wage figures on this page come from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2024 release. OEWS surveys roughly 1.1 million establishments annually. It is the most comprehensive employer-reported wage dataset in the United States.
P10 through P90 percentiles represent the wage distribution across all surveyed employers (not self-reported by workers). Geographic adjustments use BLS-derived cost multipliers calibrated from regional wage variation.
Wages are estimates. Individual compensation depends on experience, education, employer size, industry, and negotiation. Use this as benchmark context, not absolute ground truth.
CompSignal is a free labor market intelligence tool built for HR, compensation, and talent acquisition teams. We make BLS data, the same primary source Mercer and Radford cross-reference in their paid surveys, searchable and actionable without an enterprise subscription.
Built and maintained by Falcon Incentives, a compensation strategy and incentive design consultancy.