Average Forest And Conservation Workers Salary in the United States
The national median salary for Forest And Conservation Workers is $43,680 per year. The middle 50% earn between $37,440 and $45,760, with 6,050 workers employed nationally.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey, May 2025 estimates . Data covers 28 states and 20 metro areas.
Pay distribution
Here is how Forest And Conservation Workers pay is distributed across workers nationally. The 10th percentile typically reflects entry-level or early-career pay, the median is the midpoint, and the 90th percentile represents the top earners in the field.
- 10th
- $33,780
- 25th
- $37,440
- Median
- $43,680
- 75th
- $45,760
- 90th
- $57,220
All values are percentiles of annual wages.
Forest And Conservation Workers earn close to the national median for all US workers. Solidly middle-income.
Pay is tightly clustered around the median. Most forest and conservation workers earn within a narrow band, with less variation than many other occupations. That is often a sign of standardized roles or union and public-sector pay scales.
Job outlook
BLS projects employment for forest and conservation workers from 2024 to 2034. This occupation is projected to shrink. Workers may face more competition for fewer openings, and the role may see automation or consolidation pressure.
- Projected growth
- -4.7%
- -500 net jobs over the projection period.
- Annual openings
- 2,000
- Includes growth plus replacements for workers who leave. Annual openings are high relative to the workforce size, reflecting meaningful turnover and new-hire volume.
- Typical entry education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- On-the-job training
- Moderate-term on-the-job training
A high-school diploma is typically sufficient for entry, with much of the training happening on the job.
Where Forest And Conservation Workers earn the most
Location matters a lot. The gap between top-paying and bottom-paying states is large, so where forest and conservation workers work can reshape their total compensation. Right now, the top-paying state is Idaho at $59,460, about 36.1% above the national median. At the metro level, Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI leads with a median of $52,850.
Top-paying states
| State | Median salary | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Idaho | $59,460 | N/A |
| Hawaii | $56,330 | 60 |
| Virginia | $54,560 | N/A |
| Massachusetts | $51,890 | 120 |
| Pennsylvania | $50,250 | 210 |
| Ohio | $48,470 | 160 |
| Arkansas | $47,310 | 30 |
| Oregon | $46,010 | 70 |
Top-paying metros
| Metro area | Median salary | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | $52,850 | 30 |
| Pittsburgh, PA | $51,330 | 30 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $51,300 | 80 |
| Rapid City, SD | $50,110 | 40 |
| Cleveland, OH | $48,470 | N/A |
| Columbus, OH | $47,730 | 40 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $45,530 | 30 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $45,510 | 220 |
Compare two locations side by side
Pick two states or metros to see forest and conservation workers pay in each, along with a cost-of-living adjusted view.
Salary trend and related occupations
Between 2019 and 2025, the national median salary for Forest And Conservation Workers rose from $31,770 to $43,680, a gain of +37.5% in nominal dollars.
Over the same period, US consumer prices rose by +25.9%. Just to keep pace with inflation, the 2019 median of $31,770 would need to be worth $40,007 in 2025 dollars.
The actual 2025 median of $43,680 is $3,673 above that inflation-adjusted benchmark, a real change of +9.2% in purchasing power.
Real wages have grown strongly, 9.2% above inflation. Workers in this field have meaningfully gained purchasing power.
- Nominal change
- +37.5%
- 2019–2025
- Cumulative inflation
- +25.9%
- US CPI, 2019–2025
- Real change
- +9.2%
- After adjusting for inflation
Median salary over time
Forest And Conservation Workers median pay by year, going back through the available BLS releases.
- 2025
- $43,680
- 2024
- $43,680
- 2023
- $33,940
- 2022
- $32,270
- 2021
- $30,550
- 2020
- $30,640
- 2019
- $31,770
BLS did not publish a median for 2000–2018, so those years are omitted.
Related occupations
Other occupations in the same field, with median pay for comparison.
- Log Graders And Scalers
- $46,330
- Logging Equipment Operators
- $49,740
- Logging Workers, All Other
- $50,840
- Fallers
- $52,100
- Agricultural Equipment Operators
- $41,730
- Agricultural Workers, All Other
- $39,850
- Agricultural Inspectors
- $49,940
Common salary questions for Forest And Conservation Workers
What does the median salary mean? +
The median is the midpoint of all wages. Half of Forest And Conservation Workers workers earn more and half earn less. It is a better measure of typical pay than the average, which can be skewed by very high or very low earners.
Why does pay vary so much by location? +
Local labor markets, cost of living, industry concentration, and employer competition all affect wages. High-cost metros like San Francisco and New York often pay more in nominal terms, though some of that premium is offset by higher living costs.
How current is this salary data? +
This page uses the May 2025 BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics release. BLS publishes OEWS data once per year, typically in the spring for the previous May reference period.
What do the percentile ranges tell me? +
The 10th and 90th percentiles show the full pay band. The 25th to 75th percentile range, the middle 50%, is where most workers fall. A wide spread usually means experience, specialization, or location matter a lot for this occupation.