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Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics

Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2023

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)
22,790 1.5 % $ 35.17 $ 73,160 0.7 %

Percentile wage estimates for Conservation Scientists:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median)
75% 90%
Hourly Wage $ 20.60 $ 25.48 $ 33.05 $ 42.05 $ 50.70
Annual Wage (2) $ 42,850 $ 53,000 $ 68,750 $ 87,460 $ 105,460


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, State, and Local Government, excluding State and Local Government Schools and Hospitals and the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) 6,940 0.32 $ 41.45 $ 86,220
Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) 5,100 0.09 $ 31.25 $ 64,990
State Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) 3,940 0.19 $ 30.31 $ 63,050
Social Advocacy Organizations 3,920 1.55 $ 32.94 $ 68,520
Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools 760 0.02 $ 35.43 $ 73,690

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 3,920 1.55 $ 32.94 $ 68,520
Federal, State, and Local Government, excluding State and Local Government Schools and Hospitals and the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) 6,940 0.32 $ 41.45 $ 86,220
State Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) 3,940 0.19 $ 30.31 $ 63,050
Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions 190 0.11 $ 28.61 $ 59,510
Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) 5,100 0.09 $ 31.25 $ 64,990

Top paying industries for Conservation Scientists:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services 510 0.03 $ 42.88 $ 89,190
Real Estate 80 (7) $ 41.89 $ 87,140
Federal, State, and Local Government, excluding State and Local Government Schools and Hospitals and the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) 6,940 0.32 $ 41.45 $ 86,220
Employment Services 60 (7) $ 39.42 $ 82,000
Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services 510 0.03 $ 39.02 $ 81,150


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 2023


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)
California 1,840 0.10 0.68 $ 41.27 $ 85,850
Texas 1,600 0.12 0.79 $ 29.85 $ 62,100
Colorado 1,490 0.53 3.51 $ 37.86 $ 78,760
Wisconsin 950 0.33 2.19 $ 33.56 $ 69,800
Pennsylvania 910 0.15 1.02 $ 29.94 $ 62,280


Map of location quotient of conservation scientists by state, May 2023


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)
Alaska 400 1.27 8.46 $ 39.41 $ 81,980
South Dakota 500 1.14 7.57 $ 30.87 $ 64,200
Montana 400 0.80 5.31 $ 36.41 $ 75,740
Wyoming 170 0.61 4.07 $ 35.74 $ 74,350
Colorado 1,490 0.53 3.51 $ 37.86 $ 78,760


Map of annual mean wages of conservation scientists by state, May 2023


Top paying states for Conservation Scientists:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
District of Columbia 60 0.08 0.55 $ 48.88 $ 101,670
Connecticut 70 0.04 0.29 $ 45.90 $ 95,470
Hawaii 120 0.19 1.24 $ 44.24 $ 92,010
Maryland 370 0.14 0.92 $ 44.02 $ 91,560
California 1,840 0.10 0.68 $ 41.27 $ 85,850



Map of employment of conservation scientists by area, May 2023


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 660 3.79 25.28 $ 39.45 $ 82,060
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA 520 0.05 0.37 $ 38.55 $ 80,180
Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH 510 0.18 1.22 $ 35.09 $ 72,990
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 460 0.15 1.00 $ 46.22 $ 96,140
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI 460 0.10 0.67 $ 32.49 $ 67,570
Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO 430 0.27 1.79 $ 37.89 $ 78,800
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI 390 0.20 1.35 $ 40.37 $ 83,970
Austin-Round Rock, TX 390 0.31 2.09 $ 28.85 $ 60,010
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA 360 0.30 2.00 $ 41.86 $ 87,070
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD 350 0.12 0.83 $ 28.42 $ 59,110


Map of location quotient of conservation scientists by area, May 2023


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 660 3.79 25.28 $ 39.45 $ 82,060
Jefferson City, MO 160 2.07 13.77 $ 26.78 $ 55,700
Fairbanks, AK 60 1.83 12.20 $ 42.90 $ 89,240
Olympia-Tumwater, WA 220 1.81 12.09 $ 36.65 $ 76,230
Anchorage, AK 220 1.29 8.61 (8) (8)
Corvallis, OR 40 1.13 7.52 $ 44.79 $ 93,160
Missoula, MT 60 0.88 5.89 $ 41.60 $ 86,520
Jackson, MS 190 0.75 5.01 $ 27.61 $ 57,440
Santa Fe, NM 50 0.74 4.93 $ 36.23 $ 75,350
Bend-Redmond, OR 70 0.72 4.81 $ 38.59 $ 80,260


Map of annual mean wages of conservation scientists by area, May 2023


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)
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA 90 0.08 0.54 $ 53.56 $ 111,390
Urban Honolulu, HI 60 0.13 0.84 $ 52.06 $ 108,290
Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA 170 0.17 1.11 $ 46.79 $ 97,330
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA 170 0.08 0.54 $ 46.70 $ 97,140
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 460 0.15 1.00 $ 46.22 $ 96,140
Springfield, MA-CT 90 0.27 1.79 $ 45.06 $ 93,710
Corvallis, OR 40 1.13 7.52 $ 44.79 $ 93,160
Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT 30 0.05 0.37 $ 44.44 $ 92,440
Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA 40 0.43 2.83 $ 44.07 $ 91,670
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA 30 0.15 1.01 $ 43.87 $ 91,260

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 South Dakota nonmetropolitan area 240 1.86 12.37 $ 30.72 $ 63,890
West South Dakota nonmetropolitan area 190 2.97 19.82 $ 30.74 $ 63,930
Southwest Montana nonmetropolitan area 150 0.98 6.51 $ 36.40 $ 75,720
Southeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area 130 0.60 3.98 $ 30.50 $ 63,430
East-Central Montana nonmetropolitan area 120 1.93 12.87 $ 35.00 $ 72,800

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)
West South Dakota nonmetropolitan area 190 2.97 19.82 $ 30.74 $ 63,930
East-Central Montana nonmetropolitan area 120 1.93 12.87 $ 35.00 $ 72,800
East South Dakota nonmetropolitan area 240 1.86 12.37 $ 30.72 $ 63,890
Northwestern Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area 80 1.58 10.52 $ 32.70 $ 68,020
East North Dakota nonmetropolitan area 90 1.38 9.20 $ 36.89 $ 76,720

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)
Hawaii / Kauai nonmetropolitan area 40 0.41 2.76 $ 40.76 $ 84,770
Massachusetts nonmetropolitan area 30 0.54 3.58 $ 39.53 $ 82,220
South Illinois nonmetropolitan area 50 0.52 3.45 $ 39.27 $ 81,690
Coast Oregon nonmetropolitan area 50 0.41 2.71 $ 39.25 $ 81,650
Eastern Washington nonmetropolitan area 80 0.79 5.25 $ 38.88 $ 80,880


About May 2023 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.

(7) The value is less than .005 percent of industry employment.

(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 2023 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2023 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2023 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2023 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2023 Occupation Profiles

Technical Notes

 

Last Modified Date: April 3, 2024