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Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics

Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2021

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 Conservation Scientists
Industry profile for Conservation Scientists
Geographic profile for Conservation Scientists

National estimates for Conservation Scientists:

Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for Conservation Scientists:

Employment (1) Employment
RSE (3)
Mean hourly
wage
Mean annual
wage (2)
Wage RSE (3)
22,550 2.0 % $ 32.81 $ 68,230 0.8 %

Percentile wage estimates for Conservation Scientists:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median)
75% 90%
Hourly Wage $ 18.59 $ 23.72 $ 30.65 $ 39.18 $ 48.29
Annual Wage (2) $ 38,670 $ 49,340 $ 63,750 $ 81,500 $ 100,440


Industry profile for Conservation Scientists:

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

Industries with the highest levels of employment in Conservation Scientists:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) 6,950 0.33 $ 38.66 $ 80,410
State Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OEWS Designation) 5,320 0.24 $ 29.70 $ 61,780
Local Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OEWS Designation) 4,550 0.08 $ 27.89 $ 58,010
Social Advocacy Organizations 3,130 1.40 $ 30.19 $ 62,800
Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools 770 0.03 $ 33.47 $ 69,630

Industries with the highest concentration of employment in Conservation Scientists:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Social Advocacy Organizations 3,130 1.40 $ 30.19 $ 62,800
Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) 6,950 0.33 $ 38.66 $ 80,410
State Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OEWS Designation) 5,320 0.24 $ 29.70 $ 61,780
Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions 160 0.12 $ 23.67 $ 49,240
Local Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OEWS Designation) 4,550 0.08 $ 27.89 $ 58,010

Top paying industries for Conservation Scientists:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Natural Gas Distribution 70 0.06 $ 49.93 $ 103,850
Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services (8) (8) $ 45.60 $ 94,850
Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) 6,950 0.33 $ 38.66 $ 80,410
Grantmaking and Giving Services 70 0.05 $ 36.99 $ 76,950
Scientific Research and Development Services 130 0.02 $ 33.56 $ 69,810


Geographic profile for Conservation Scientists:

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



Map of employment of conservation scientists by state, May 2021


States with the highest employment level in Conservation Scientists:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Texas 1,890 0.15 0.97 $ 28.86 $ 60,030
Colorado 1,450 0.55 3.46 $ 34.94 $ 72,680
California 1,230 0.07 0.46 $ 36.57 $ 76,060
Pennsylvania 1,020 0.18 1.14 $ 29.26 $ 60,860
Washington 980 0.31 1.92 $ 36.08 $ 75,040


Map of location quotient of conservation scientists by state, May 2021


States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Conservation Scientists:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Montana 630 1.34 8.38 $ 31.21 $ 64,910
Alaska 330 1.12 6.98 $ 42.96 $ 89,360
South Dakota 390 0.93 5.81 $ 29.12 $ 60,560
Mississippi 940 0.86 5.35 $ 27.49 $ 57,170
North Dakota 320 0.81 5.08 $ 31.71 $ 65,960


Map of annual mean wages of conservation scientists by state, May 2021


Top paying states for Conservation Scientists:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Minnesota 850 0.31 1.94 $ 43.73 $ 90,970
Alaska 330 1.12 6.98 $ 42.96 $ 89,360
District of Columbia 70 0.11 0.67 $ 41.30 $ 85,900
Hawaii 130 0.24 1.50 $ 41.28 $ 85,860
Massachusetts 380 0.11 0.70 $ 41.02 $ 85,330



Map of employment of conservation scientists by area, May 2021


Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in Conservation Scientists:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Fort Collins, CO 640 3.98 24.84 $ 36.73 $ 76,400
Jackson, MS 600 2.45 15.32 $ 27.47 $ 57,140
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI 520 0.12 0.77 $ 29.94 $ 62,270
Austin-Round Rock, TX 440 0.41 2.57 $ 28.77 $ 59,840
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI 430 0.24 1.49 $ 51.06 $ 106,200
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 420 0.14 0.90 $ 43.69 $ 90,880
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA 340 0.30 1.88 $ 36.58 $ 76,090
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD 330 0.13 0.79 $ 29.67 $ 61,710
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA 320 0.04 0.23 $ 36.04 $ 74,960
Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO 310 0.21 1.32 $ 34.24 $ 71,230


Map of location quotient of conservation scientists by area, May 2021


Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Conservation Scientists:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Fort Collins, CO 640 3.98 24.84 $ 36.73 $ 76,400
Jackson, MS 600 2.45 15.32 $ 27.47 $ 57,140
Olympia-Tumwater, WA 250 2.21 13.82 $ 36.69 $ 76,300
Fairbanks, AK 50 1.53 9.56 $ 41.77 $ 86,870
Missoula, MT 80 1.30 8.14 $ 36.25 $ 75,400
Corvallis, OR 40 1.17 7.29 $ 46.60 $ 96,920
Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA 50 1.15 7.21 $ 32.34 $ 67,260
Anchorage, AK 170 1.03 6.41 $ 39.56 $ 82,280
Duluth, MN-WI 100 0.80 5.00 $ 37.65 $ 78,320
Cape Girardeau, MO-IL 30 0.77 4.78 $ 28.00 $ 58,240


Map of annual mean wages of conservation scientists by area, May 2021


Top paying metropolitan areas for Conservation Scientists:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Springfield, MA-CT 50 0.15 0.96 $ 52.25 $ 108,670
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI 430 0.24 1.49 $ 51.06 $ 106,200
Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV (8) (8) (8) $ 48.99 $ 101,900
Urban Honolulu, HI 60 0.16 1.00 $ 47.21 $ 98,210
Corvallis, OR 40 1.17 7.29 $ 46.60 $ 96,920
Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA 30 0.35 2.20 $ 43.75 $ 91,000
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 420 0.14 0.90 $ 43.69 $ 90,880
Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA 130 0.13 0.82 $ 41.98 $ 87,320
Trenton, NJ 40 0.20 1.23 $ 41.77 $ 86,880
Fairbanks, AK 50 1.53 9.56 $ 41.77 $ 86,870

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest employment in Conservation Scientists:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
East-Central Montana nonmetropolitan area 210 3.32 20.72 $ 29.10 $ 60,530
Southwest Montana nonmetropolitan area 200 1.47 9.21 $ 32.29 $ 67,150
East South Dakota nonmetropolitan area 180 1.41 8.80 $ 27.74 $ 57,700
West South Dakota nonmetropolitan area 150 2.53 15.81 $ 30.35 $ 63,120
West North Dakota nonmetropolitan area 140 1.33 8.32 $ 29.72 $ 61,820

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Conservation Scientists:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
East-Central Montana nonmetropolitan area 210 3.32 20.72 $ 29.10 $ 60,530
West South Dakota nonmetropolitan area 150 2.53 15.81 $ 30.35 $ 63,120
East North Dakota nonmetropolitan area 100 1.64 10.22 $ 33.14 $ 68,930
Southwest Montana nonmetropolitan area 200 1.47 9.21 $ 32.29 $ 67,150
East South Dakota nonmetropolitan area 180 1.41 8.80 $ 27.74 $ 57,700

Top paying nonmetropolitan areas for Conservation Scientists:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Alaska nonmetropolitan area 110 1.15 7.18 $ 48.58 $ 101,050
Northwest Colorado nonmetropolitan area 80 0.72 4.49 $ 36.93 $ 76,820
South Illinois nonmetropolitan area 50 0.54 3.40 $ 36.85 $ 76,650
Massachusetts nonmetropolitan area 40 0.65 4.07 $ 36.77 $ 76,470
Northwest Oklahoma nonmetropolitan area 40 0.39 2.45 $ 36.14 $ 75,170


About May 2021 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 OEWS estimates and related information:

May 2021 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2021 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2021 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2021 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2021 Occupation Profiles

Technical Notes

 

Last Modified Date: March 31, 2022