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The median salary for Conservation Scientists in California is $79,810 per year ($38.37/hr). This is 9.3% higher than the national median of $73,008.
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.
Wage Percentiles: California
Hourly & annualized (2,080 hours) · National adjusted
Percentile
Hourly Rate
Annual Salary
vs National
P10Entry level
$25.79
$53,643
+12.8%
P25
$30.92
$64,314
+11.5%
P50MEDIAN
$38.37
$79,810
+9.3%
P75
$50.48
$104,998
+14.7%
P90Top earners
$63.49
$132,059
+19.6%
Get the full percentile report
P10–P90 breakdown, career outlook, industry wages, and JOLTS market signal for Conservation Scientists
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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 2 industries by employment · median annual wage, sector-specific
Industry
Workforce
Median Pay
Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation)
NAICS 999100
7K
$88,610
Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation)
NAICS 999300
6K
$62,710
Wage range across top 5 industries: $62,710 to $88,610 (41% spread)
See the complete picture
Full percentile breakdown · JOLTS market signals · Geographic comparison · AI analyst briefs
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the median conservation scientists salary in California?
The median (P50) annual salary for Conservation Scientists in California is approximately $79,810, based on BLS OEWS May 2025 data. This is 9.3% higher than the national median of $73,008. For the full P10–P90 breakdown and market context, open CompSignal.
Wage figures on this page come from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2025 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.