Forest and Conservation Workers Salary - BLS OEWS Wage Benchmarks
SOC 45-4011 · National · May 2025 OEWS Data
Median Annual Salary
$43,680
$21.00/hr
Verified BLS OEWS data · Updated May 18, 2026
Source: BLS OEWS · Published May 15, 2026
Next refresh: May 2027
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The national median salary for Forest and Conservation Workers is $43,680 per year ($21.00/hr) according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2025. The middle 50% of earners make between $37,440 and $45,760 annually. Top earners at the 90th percentile reach $57,221 per year. There are approximately 6,050 forest and conservation workers employed in the United States.
About This Role
BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018
Under supervision, perform manual labor necessary to develop, maintain, or protect areas such as forests, forested areas, woodlands, wetlands, and rangelands through such activities as raising and transporting seedlings; combating insects, pests, and diseases harmful to plant life; and building structures to control water, erosion, and leaching of soil. Includes forester aides, seedling pullers, tree planters, and gatherers of nontimber forestry products such as pine straw.
Career Outlook
BLS Employment Projections · 2024-2034
10-year growth
-4.7%
Slower than average
Annual openings
2K
per year, on avg
Workforce today
11K
as of 2024
Why those openings exist
0% from new growth100% from people leaving the role
Most openings come from replacement, not growth. Retention matters more than recruiting here.
Typical entry requirements
Education
High school diploma or equivalent
Experience
None
On-the-job training
Moderate-term on-the-job training
Industry Wage Breakdown
Top 4 industries by employment · median annual wage, sector-specific
Industry
Workforce
Median Pay
State Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation)
NAICS 999200
3K
$43,680
Social Advocacy Organizations
NAICS 813300
2K
$38,690
Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation)
NAICS 999300
1K
$40,150
Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions
NAICS 712100
100
$44,740
Wage range across top 5 industries: $38,690 to $44,740 (16% spread)
Wage Percentiles
Hourly & annualized (2,080 hours)
Percentile
Hourly Rate
Annual Salary
P10
$16.24
$33,779
P25
$18.00
$37,440
P50MEDIAN
$21.00
$43,680
P75
$22.00
$45,760
P90
$27.51
$57,221
Market Context Signal
JOLTS · other sector
Active
Openings Rate
3.4%
Quits Rate
2.0%
The labor market rebounded in March: hires jumped to 5.6M (+655K) and separations rose to 5.4M (+356K), both more than offsetting February's drop. Job openings held at 6.9M. Quits ticked to 2.0%.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average forest and conservation workers salary?
The national median salary for Forest and Conservation Workers is $43,680 per year ($21.00/hr) according to BLS OEWS May 2025 data. The middle 50% earn between $37,440 and $45,760 annually.
How much do top-earning forest and conservation workers make?
The 90th percentile salary for Forest and Conservation Workers is $57,221 per year ($27.51/hr). The 75th percentile is $45,760 per year.
What is the entry-level salary for forest and conservation workers?
Entry-level Forest and Conservation Workers (10th percentile) earn approximately $33,779 per year ($16.24/hr). The 25th percentile is $37,440 per year.
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.
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