Conservation Scientists
Conservation Scientists earn an average annual salary of $90,227, making it one of the higher-paying occupations. The field has seen strong growth, with employment increasing by 5.4% over recent years. Professionals in this field are primarily employed in industries such as Cross-industry and Federal, State, and Local Government, including State and Local Government Schools and Hospitals and the U.S.
Key Statistics
Employment
Employment and salary information for the Conservation Scientists workforce.
Employment Over Time
1,940 Workforce in 2023
The Conservation Scientists workforce has been growing over time.
Historical employment trends for Conservation Scientists.
Yearly Wage Ranking
$90,227 Average Wage
In 2023, Conservation Scientists earned an average of $90,227.
Wage ranking compared to other occupations.
Wage Distribution
This chart shows the distribution of average salaries by income buckets for Conservation Scientists.
Salary distribution for Conservation Scientists.
Employment Growth Projections
4.3% Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR)
9,178 Projected Employment (5 years)
Projected growth: 23.4%
11,322 Projected Employment (10 years)
Projected growth: 52.2%
This occupation is projected to grow at 4.3% annually, indicating strong future demand.
Historical employment trends and future projections for Conservation Scientists.
Industry
Information on the industries that employ Conservation Scientists and on wages for those in the field.
Occupations by Industries
This graphic shows the share of Conservation Scientists employed by various industries.
Industry distribution for Conservation Scientists.
Wage Trends by Industry
2.3% Average Annual Wage Growth Rate
Historical wage growth trends by industry for Conservation Scientists.
Geographic Distribution
Employment and wage information by geographic location for Conservation Scientists.
Metropolitan employment on this page is from the California OEWS extract. Area names omit state codes; all listed metros are in California, so the state chart shows California totals (not a multi-state ranking).
Top States by Employment
Top States by Employment:
- CA: 1,530 employees, $89,370 avg wage
Top 10 states by employment for Conservation Scientists.
Top Metropolitan Areas
Top Metropolitan Areas:
- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale MD: 220 employees, $80,203 avg wage
- Oakland-Fremont-Berkeley MD: 190 employees, $97,390 avg wage
- Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom MSA: 170 employees, $99,667 avg wage
- San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad MSA: 140 employees, $92,117 avg wage
- San Francisco-San Mateo-Redwood City MD: 140 employees, $99,968 avg wage
- Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario MSA: 90 employees, $83,345 avg wage
- Santa Rosa-Petaluma MSA: 90 employees, $88,625 avg wage
- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara MSA: 80 employees, $117,447 avg wage
- Anaheim-Santa Ana-Irvine MD: 70 employees, $75,262 avg wage
- Salinas MSA: 50 employees, $85,430 avg wage
Top 10 metropolitan statistical areas by employment for Conservation Scientists.
Diversity
Demographic information on Conservation Scientists in the US.
Gender and Age
The workforce of Conservation Scientists in 2023 was 1,940 people, with 62.0% women and 38.0% men.
Gender and age distribution for Conservation Scientists.
Races
Racial and ethnic shares when present in the career dataset. If the chart area shows a notice instead, occupational race/ethnicity fields are not yet populated for this extract.
Race and ethnicity distribution for Conservation Scientists.
Education & Skills
Data on higher education choices and required skills for Conservation Scientists.
Majors
The most common majors achieved by Conservation Scientists in 2023 were Engineering, Biology, Chemistry.
Common majors for Conservation Scientists.
Education Levels
The main educational levels achieved by Conservation Scientists workers.
Education level distribution for Conservation Scientists.
Skills
Conservation Scientists need many skills, but most especially Reading Comprehension, Active Listening, Complex Problem Solving, Speaking, Writing.
Required skills for Conservation Scientists.
Knowledge & Abilities
Knowledge areas and abilities required for Conservation Scientists.
Knowledge Areas
The most important knowledge areas for Conservation Scientists include English Language, Biology, Geography, Mathematics, Customer and Personal Service.
Knowledge areas required for Conservation Scientists.
Abilities
Key abilities needed for Conservation Scientists include Oral Comprehension, Written Comprehension, Oral Expression, Deductive Reasoning, Problem Sensitivity.
Required abilities for Conservation Scientists.
Work Activities
Common work activities performed by Conservation Scientists.
Daily Activities
Conservation Scientists spend their time on activities such as Analyzing Data or Information, Getting Information, Working with Computers, Making Decisions and Solving Problems, Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates.
Most important work activities for Conservation Scientists.
About
Conservation Scientists
The average yearly wage for Conservation Scientists was $90,227 in 2023.
SOC Code
19-1031 - Conservation Scientists
Insights and Analysis
Compensation snapshot: Conservation Scientists reports an average salary of $90,227.
Labor market presence: The current workforce is approximately 1,940 workers, indicating sustained demand.
Forward outlook: Projected annual growth is 4.3%, which should inform long-term career planning.
Data Sources
This page uses data from the following sources:
- College Scorecard - U.S. Department of Education
- Institutional characteristics, costs, completion rates, and earnings data
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: collegescorecard.ed.gov
- Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)
- Employment and wage data by occupation
- Latest data: May 2024
- Source: bls.gov/oes
- O*NET Online - U.S. Department of Labor
- Occupational skills, knowledge, abilities, and work activities
- Database version: 28.0 (August 2023)
- Source: onetcenter.org
- IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) - National Center for Education Statistics
- Institutional data, completions, enrollment, and financial aid
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: nces.ed.gov/ipeds
- Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS)
- Demographic and workforce data
- Latest data: 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates
- Source: census.gov/acs
Data Processing: All data has been processed, cleaned, and aggregated for presentation. Where specific data points are unavailable, estimates are based on available data and clearly marked.
Last Updated: Data reflects the most recent available information as of January 2025.
Methodology
Data for this profile is sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS), and O*NET Online.
All wage figures represent annual averages and may vary by location, industry, and experience level.