How much do conservation specialists make in 2026?
Conservation specialists are counted in the BLS conservation scientists series: OEWS May 2025 gives SOC 19-1031 a national median of $73,010 a year ($35.10 an hour), with the bottom 10% near $47,550 and the top 10% at $110,410 across 25,950 workers. The code covers people managing the quality and use of natural resources — soil and water conservation, rangeland and habitat management, land protection and restoration programmes. Employer type explains most of the spread and is the first thing to establish. Federal agencies, particularly the natural resource conservation and land management agencies, are the largest employers and pay on published grade scales that are competitive at mid-career and compressed at the top. State agencies and conservation districts pay somewhat below federal. Land trusts and conservation non-profits pay least in cash for equivalent responsibility, and the sector is heavily oversubscribed at entry. Private consulting and mitigation banking pay above the median, because restoration and mitigation obligations create a commercial market. Zoological and botanical institutions employ conservation specialists to run field programmes and partnerships, generally at the lower end of the band on institutional budgets. Employment is projected to grow 3.4% through 2034 with roughly 2,500 openings a year. → Full conservation specialist career guide, career path, credentials & placement →
Note: $73,010 blends every experience level and every setting in this occupation. For pay by level alone, see Pay by Level below.
- Conservation Specialists earn a national median $73,010/yr ($35.10/hr) (BLS OEWS May 2025, SOC 19-1031); the P10 to P90 range is $47,550 to $110,410.
- Employer type explains most of the $47,550 to $110,410 spread: federal agencies pay on competitive grade scales, non-profits pay least for equivalent responsibility, and consulting and mitigation banking pay above the median.
- Restoration and mitigation obligations create a genuine commercial market, which is why private-sector conservation work outpaces the mission-driven employers.
- The non-profit end is heavily oversubscribed at entry, and low starting pay there reflects competition rather than the value of the work.
US Conservation Specialist Pay Distribution · BLS OEWS May 2025
Pay by Level · BLS OEWS May 2025
How much do conservation specialists earn at each level?
BLS OEWS publishes one blended wage for the whole occupation and does not break pay out by credential or practice level. The levels below distribute the published percentile range across the credential tiers this role actually hires at.
Level medians are aligned to the BLS OEWS May 2025 percentile distribution for SOC 19-1031; GlobalCybers does not yet publish a verified placement sample for this role, so no verified median is shown.
Methodology & Sources
How the numbers on this page are built
Published (BLS): BLS OEWS May 2025, SOC 19-1031, United States national estimate. Public, methodologically rigorous, but sampled on a rolling 3-year basis and published ~10 months after collection — so it reflects wages that are already 1–2 years old by the time you read them.
Level and certification medians: distributed across the published BLS percentile range for this SOC code (P10 through P90) according to the credential tiers this occupation actually hires at. They are modeled reference points, not separately surveyed wages.
State and metro figures: modeled — the BLS national median multiplied by the GlobalCybers state wage index, and for metros by the published metro index for that state. They are estimates of local pay, not BLS state or metropolitan-area observations, and are labelled as modeled in the tables below.
No verified placement sample:GlobalCybers does not yet publish a placement median for this role, so no "verified" figure appears anywhere on this page.
Pay by Career Level
How much does a conservation specialist earn at each career stage?
Conservation pay follows employer type and whether the work attaches to an obligation or a budget. Each median is anchored to the BLS OEWS distribution for SOC 19-1031.
By State
Which states pay conservation specialists the most in 2026?
These are modeled state estimates — the national conservation scientist median scaled by the GlobalCybers state wage index — not BLS state observations. Federal agency positions pay on national grade scales with locality adjustment rather than on state markets, which narrows the real spread for a large share of this occupation.
6 of 51 state guides shown, ranked by median. Bar is relative to California ($83,960), the highest-paying state shown. See all role salary guides →
By Metro
Which cities pay conservation specialists the most?
Modeled metro estimates: the national median scaled by the state wage index and then by that state's published metro index. They estimate local wage levels and are not BLS metropolitan-area observations. Conservation work is predominantly rural, with programme and administrative positions concentrated in state capitals and agency offices.
BLS OEWS MSA estimates, May 2025. Nominal pay — weigh each metro against its cost of living before relocating.
Certification Impact
Which certifications raise a conservation specialist’s pay the most?
Median annual pay before and after each credential, based on GlobalCybers placement data cross-referenced with BLS. License upgrades move the needle most; stackable certs add on top.
Impacts are not additive, the licensing rows share the same career ladder. Browse all 167 certifications →
Trade Comparison
How does conservation specialist pay compare to related roles?
BLS OEWS national median across the closest trades. Conservation Specialists sit mid-pack on median but carry one of the widest P10–P90 spreads, licensing and specialization drive the upside.
BLS OEWS May 2025. Verify conservation specialist wages on BLS.gov →
Take-Home Pay
What does a conservation specialist actually take home after taxes?
The medians above are gross base wage.
Estimates use 2026 federal brackets, standard deduction, and 7.65% FICA. Actual take-home varies with filing status, deductions, and local tax.
FAQ
Conservation Specialist Salary, Frequently Asked Questions
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