Forest and Conservation Technicians salary in the U.S.
Forest and Conservation Technicians in the U.S. earn a median of $54,560 a year ($26.23 an hour), based on BLS data for 30,410 workers.
Pay ranges from $40,330 for the lowest-paid 10% to $83,630 for the top 10%. The average (mean) salary is $59,060, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for forest and conservation technicians in the U.S.
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $40,330 | $19.39 |
| 25th percentile | $47,360 | $22.77 |
| Median | $54,560 | $26.23 |
| 75th percentile | $68,600 | $32.98 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $83,630 | $40.21 |
| Average (mean) | $59,060 | $28.39 |
Half of forest and conservation technicians earn more than the median and half earn less. Percentiles show the spread: 10% earn less than the 10th percentile, and 10% earn more than the 90th.
Median paycheck, before taxes
| Pay period | Amount |
|---|---|
| Monthly | $4,546.67 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $2,273.33 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $2,098.46 |
| Weekly | $1,049.23 |
| Hourly | $26.23 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Forest and Conservation Technicians salary by state
| State | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| North Dakota | $68,600 | 160 |
| Alaska | $68,160 | 500 |
| Maryland | $64,980 | 130 |
| Wisconsin | $62,700 | 620 |
| Louisiana | $59,370 | 210 |
| Minnesota | $58,990 | 580 |
| California | $58,120 | 6,640 |
| New York | $58,030 | 190 |
| Colorado | $57,550 | 1,040 |
| Pennsylvania | $57,370 | 420 |
| Alabama | $56,720 | 180 |
| Arizona | $56,660 | 1,310 |
| Massachusetts | $56,480 | n/a |
| Oregon | $55,910 | 2,530 |
| South Carolina | $55,910 | 180 |
| South Dakota | $54,770 | 350 |
| West Virginia | $54,600 | 100 |
| Nevada | $54,230 | 750 |
| Vermont | $54,160 | 50 |
| Washington | $54,160 | 1,160 |
| Oklahoma | $53,930 | 130 |
| Arkansas | $53,290 | 310 |
| Idaho | $53,290 | 2,020 |
| Wyoming | $53,290 | 560 |
| New Mexico | $53,000 | 880 |
| Illinois | $52,790 | 820 |
| Florida | $52,420 | 380 |
| Mississippi | $52,420 | 250 |
| Montana | $52,420 | 1,760 |
| Texas | $52,200 | 600 |
| Iowa | $52,000 | 380 |
| Nebraska | $51,630 | 100 |
| New Hampshire | $51,630 | 60 |
| Georgia | $50,710 | 230 |
| Hawaii | $50,040 | 140 |
| Virginia | $49,960 | 380 |
| Ohio | $48,840 | 230 |
| Indiana | $48,660 | 150 |
| North Carolina | $48,360 | 650 |
| Tennessee | $47,940 | 390 |
| Utah | $47,940 | 1,140 |
| Michigan | $45,760 | 560 |
| Kentucky | $43,660 | 240 |
| Kansas | $41,660 | 170 |
| Missouri | $33,920 | 600 |
Best-paying metro areas for forest and conservation technicians
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Baton Rouge, LA | $87,500 | 50 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $74,410 | 90 |
| Carson City, NV | $67,040 | 160 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $66,930 | 100 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | $65,690 | 150 |
| Sioux Falls, SD-MN | $65,670 | 30 |
| Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC | $64,940 | 50 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $64,440 | 130 |
| Asheville, NC | $64,000 | 40 |
| Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA | $63,820 | 50 |
| Boulder, CO | $63,650 | 50 |
| Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | $63,300 | 180 |
| Alexandria, LA | $63,270 | 50 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $63,150 | 590 |
| Charleston-North Charleston, SC | $63,040 | 30 |
Metro areas with the most forest and conservation technicians
| Metro area | Workers | Median salary |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 590 | $61,110 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | 590 | $63,150 |
| Boise City, ID | 440 | $57,660 |
| Bend, OR | 430 | $58,990 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | 380 | $49,630 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | 370 | $61,880 |
| Missoula, MT | 330 | $58,990 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | 230 | $59,610 |
| Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | 190 | $59,030 |
| Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | 190 | $50,620 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | 190 | $56,610 |
| Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA | 190 | $52,420 |
| Eugene-Springfield, OR | 180 | $52,420 |
| Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | 180 | $63,300 |
| Albuquerque, NM | 170 | $57,700 |
Related jobs in the U.S.
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Life, Physical, and Social Science Technicians, All Other | $62,280 | $29.94 |
| Biological Technician | $57,510 | $27.65 |
| Chemical Technician | $60,390 | $29.03 |
| Environmental Science and Protection Technicians, Including Health | $55,090 | $26.49 |
| Social Science Research Assistant | $61,990 | $29.81 |
| Forensic Science Technician | $72,060 | $34.65 |
| Agricultural Technician | $49,630 | $23.86 |
| Food Science Technician | $52,130 | $25.06 |
| Geological Technicians, Except Hydrologic Technicians | $53,350 | $25.65 |
| Nuclear Technician | $110,240 | $53.00 |
| Hydrologic Technician | $64,790 | $31.15 |
| Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists | $103,410 | $49.72 |
| Occupational Health and Safety Specialists | $90,150 | $43.34 |
| Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health | $82,220 | $39.53 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates, occupation code 19-4071. Wages include base pay, tips, commissions and shift pay, but not overtime, bonuses or benefits, and exclude the self-employed.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a forest and conservation technicians make in the U.S.?
The median salary for forest and conservation technicians in the U.S. is $54,560 a year, or $26.23 an hour. Pay ranges from $40,330 for the lowest-paid 10% to $83,630 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid forest and conservation technicians make in the U.S.?
The top 10% of forest and conservation technicians in the U.S. earn at least $83,630 a year. The top 25% earn $68,600 or more.
What is the starting pay for forest and conservation technicians in the U.S.?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $40,330 a year, and a quarter of forest and conservation technicians earn $47,360 or less.
How many forest and conservation technicians work in the U.S.?
About 30,410 forest and conservation technicians are employed in the U.S., not counting the self-employed.