How much does a Conservation Scientist make?
A Conservation Scientist earns a median annual salary of $73,010 in the United States, which works out to roughly $35.10 per hour for full-time work. Most Conservation Scientists earn between $47,550 at the entry level and $110,410 at the senior end, with the middle 50% taking home between $57,700 and $91,560 a year.
That is $11,620 more than the median across all occupations in BLS data ($61,390).
Conservation Scientist salary range by percentile
Half of all Conservation Scientists earn between $57,700 and $91,560 a year.
| Pay level | Annual salary | Hourly rate | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $47,550 | $22.86 | |
| 25th percentile (early career) | $57,700 | $27.74 | |
| 50th percentile (median) | $73,010 | $35.10 | |
| 75th percentile (experienced) | $91,560 | $44.02 | |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $110,410 | $53.08 |
Highest-paying states for Conservation Scientist
Where you work matters more than almost anything else. District of Columbia leads the country for Conservation Scientist pay at $99,400 a year, followed by Colorado ($84,820) and Maryland ($83,290). At the other end, Florida posts the lowest median at $51,130 — a gap of $48,270 for the same job, driven by local demand, industry mix, and cost of living.
| # | State | Median salary | Hourly | vs national |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | $99,400 | $47.79 | +36% |
| 2 | Colorado | $84,820 | $40.78 | +16% |
| 3 | Maryland | $83,290 | $40.04 | +14% |
| 4 | Idaho | $81,330 | $39.10 | +11% |
| 5 | Wyoming | $81,310 | $39.09 | +11% |
Conservation Scientist salary in every state
Official BLS state-level figures across 51 states and territories. Click a state for the full local breakdown.
Workforce and education
About 26,000 people work as Conservation Scientists in the United States. The mean (average) wage is $77,130 — above the median, which means high earners pull the average up. On qualifications: a bachelor's degree (about 4 years of college) is the standard entry requirement, per O*NET occupation data.
Frequently asked questions
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