Department of Labor Logo United States Department of Labor
Dot gov

The .gov means it's official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you're on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics

Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2019

19-1031 Conservation Scientists

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).


National estimates for this occupation
Industry profile for this occupation
Geographic profile for this occupation

National estimates for this occupation:

Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for this occupation:

Employment (1) Employment
RSE (3)
Mean hourly
wage
Mean annual
wage (2)
Wage RSE (3)
22,070 1.5 % $32.23 $67,040 0.6 %

Percentile wage estimates for this occupation:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median)
75% 90%
Hourly Wage $18.88 $23.79 $30.12 $38.28 $47.14
Annual Wage (2) $39,270 $49,480 $62,660 $79,630 $98,060


Industry profile for this occupation:

Industries with the highest published employment and wages for this occupation are provided. For a list of all industries with employment in this occupation, see the Create Customized Tables function.

Industries with the highest levels of employment in this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Federal Executive Branch (OES Designation) 6,290 0.31 $38.28 $79,610
Local Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OES Designation) 5,010 0.09 $27.84 $57,900
State Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OES Designation) 4,960 0.23 $28.12 $58,480
Social Advocacy Organizations 2,980 1.34 $31.87 $66,290
Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools 1,140 0.04 $35.14 $73,090

Industries with the highest concentration of employment in this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Social Advocacy Organizations 2,980 1.34 $31.87 $66,290
Federal Executive Branch (OES Designation) 6,290 0.31 $38.28 $79,610
State Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OES Designation) 4,960 0.23 $28.12 $58,480
Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions 190 0.11 $27.04 $56,240
Local Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OES Designation) 5,010 0.09 $27.84 $57,900

Top paying industries for this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Business, Professional, Labor, Political, and Similar Organizations 60 0.01 $48.33 $100,520
Scientific Research and Development Services 220 0.03 $42.33 $88,050
Grantmaking and Giving Services 30 0.02 $39.03 $81,180
Federal Executive Branch (OES Designation) 6,290 0.31 $38.28 $79,610
Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools 1,140 0.04 $35.14 $73,090


Geographic profile for this occupation:

States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for this occupation are provided. For a list of all areas with employment in this occupation, see the Create Customized Tables function.





States with the highest employment level in this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Texas 2,050 0.16 1.10 $28.69 $59,680
California 1,760 0.10 0.67 $38.71 $80,510
Colorado 1,300 0.48 3.22 $35.45 $73,740
Washington 1,020 0.31 2.04 $31.28 $65,070
Mississippi 840 0.75 4.96 $26.42 $54,950




States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Alaska 370 1.15 7.67 $35.96 $74,800
Montana 520 1.12 7.45 $32.25 $67,080
South Dakota 320 0.76 5.06 $28.59 $59,470
Mississippi 840 0.75 4.96 $26.42 $54,950
Wyoming 190 0.71 4.71 $35.79 $74,440




Top paying States for this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
District of Columbia 150 0.20 1.35 $45.03 $93,670
Connecticut 50 0.03 0.20 $42.98 $89,400
New Jersey 310 0.08 0.50 $42.30 $87,970
Maryland 360 0.13 0.89 $39.48 $82,130
California 1,760 0.10 0.67 $38.71 $80,510





Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in this occupation:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Fort Collins, CO 670 4.04 26.91 $35.01 $72,820
Jackson, MS 520 1.96 13.03 $25.93 $53,920
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 490 0.15 1.02 $43.81 $91,130
Austin-Round Rock, TX 440 0.41 2.71 $27.57 $57,340
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI 370 0.08 0.53 $27.92 $58,060
Baton Rouge, LA 370 0.93 6.19 $29.75 $61,890
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA 360 0.04 0.25 $41.26 $85,810
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA 340 0.14 0.90 $40.24 $83,700
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX 290 0.09 0.63 $25.58 $53,200
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD 280 0.10 0.65 $26.82 $55,780




Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Fort Collins, CO 670 4.04 26.91 $35.01 $72,820
Olympia-Tumwater, WA 260 2.29 15.25 $31.66 $65,850
Jackson, MS 520 1.96 13.03 $25.93 $53,920
Corvallis, OR 60 1.55 10.29 $44.68 $92,940
Anchorage, AK 230 1.34 8.92 $34.45 $71,650
Bend-Redmond, OR 100 1.22 8.14 $29.19 $60,710
Missoula, MT 70 1.20 7.99 $37.18 $77,340
Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA 50 1.06 7.03 $28.01 $58,260
Baton Rouge, LA 370 0.93 6.19 $29.75 $61,890
Wenatchee, WA 40 0.82 5.46 $31.99 $66,530




Top paying metropolitan areas for this occupation:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
San Diego-Carlsbad, CA 130 0.09 0.57 $47.89 $99,620
Trenton, NJ 50 0.23 1.51 $47.65 $99,110
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA (8) (8) (8) $46.72 $97,190
Corvallis, OR 60 1.55 10.29 $44.68 $92,940
Boulder, CO 150 0.82 5.48 $44.62 $92,810
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 490 0.15 1.02 $43.81 $91,130
Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV 40 0.04 0.24 $43.32 $90,110
Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC 40 0.06 0.38 $43.08 $89,600
Albuquerque, NM 40 0.11 0.74 $42.85 $89,130
Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA 230 0.22 1.48 $42.74 $88,890

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest employment in this occupation:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Southwest Montana nonmetropolitan area 250 1.78 11.82 $31.95 $66,460
East South Dakota nonmetropolitan area 160 1.18 7.85 $27.13 $56,420
Eastern Washington nonmetropolitan area 150 1.58 10.50 $29.07 $60,470
North Texas Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area 140 0.50 3.35 $32.95 $68,530
West North Dakota nonmetropolitan area 130 1.02 6.79 $29.07 $60,460

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
West South Dakota nonmetropolitan area 130 2.08 13.85 $29.84 $62,060
East-Central Montana nonmetropolitan area 130 1.93 12.87 $30.32 $63,070
Southwest Montana nonmetropolitan area 250 1.78 11.82 $31.95 $66,460
East North Dakota nonmetropolitan area 100 1.60 10.67 $31.69 $65,910
Eastern Washington nonmetropolitan area 150 1.58 10.50 $29.07 $60,470

Top paying nonmetropolitan areas for this occupation:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Alaska nonmetropolitan area 90 0.83 5.55 $38.82 $80,750
South Florida nonmetropolitan area (8) (8) (8) $37.95 $78,930
North Coast Region of California nonmetropolitan area 40 0.42 2.78 $37.34 $77,660
Western Wyoming nonmetropolitan area 110 1.14 7.56 $37.00 $76,960
Capital/Northern New York nonmetropolitan area 40 0.31 2.04 $36.99 $76,950


About May 2019 National, State, Metropolitan, and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

These estimates are calculated with data collected from employers in all industry sectors, all metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas, and all states and the District of Columbia. The top employment and wage figures are provided above. The complete list is available in the downloadable XLS files.

The percentile wage estimate is the value of a wage below which a certain percent of workers fall. The median wage is the 50th percentile wage estimate--50 percent of workers earn less than the median and 50 percent of workers earn more than the median. More about percentile wages.


(1) Estimates for detailed occupations do not sum to the totals because the totals include occupations not shown separately. Estimates do not include self-employed workers.

(2) Annual wages have been calculated by multiplying the hourly mean wage by a "year-round, full-time" hours figure of 2,080 hours; for those occupations where there is not an hourly wage published, the annual wage has been directly calculated from the reported survey data.

(3) The relative standard error (RSE) is a measure of the reliability of a survey statistic. The smaller the relative standard error, the more precise the estimate.

(8) Estimate not released.

(9) The location quotient is the ratio of the area concentration of occupational employment to the national average concentration. A location quotient greater than one indicates the occupation has a higher share of employment than average, and a location quotient less than one indicates the occupation is less prevalent in the area than average.


Other OES estimates and related information:

May 2019 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2019 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2019 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2019 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2019 Occupation Profiles

Technical Notes

 

Last Modified Date: July 6, 2020