How to Become a Conservation Scientist
Manage forests, rangelands, and natural resources so they stay productive without being destroyed. It typically requires a bachelor's degree, with a median salary of $73,010 per year and about average projected job growth.
Median pay
$73,010/yr
Middle half
$57,700 to $91,560
Job growth
About average
Openings / yr
2,500
Majors that lead here
Key skills
- Land Management
- GIS Mapping
- Field Assessment
- Science
- Stakeholder Communication
Helpful certifications
- SAF Certified Forester (forestry track)
Is this career a fit?
Remote-friendly
17/100
Work-life balance
51/100
Stress level
40/100
Related careers
- Physicist$172,250 median
- Natural Sciences Manager$167,220 median
- Astronomer$128,820 median
- Biochemist$127,410 median
- Biostatistician$105,650 median
- Statistician$105,650 median
Frequently asked questions
How much does a Conservation Scientist make?
The median pay for a Conservation Scientist is $73,010 a year, and the middle half of workers earn between $57,700 and $91,560 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025). That covers everyone in the job, not only people starting out, so newer workers sit toward the lower end.
What degree do you need to become a Conservation Scientist?
The usual entry point is a bachelor's degree. Common majors are Environmental Science, Forestry, Natural Resource Management, Biology, and Wildlife and Fisheries.
Is Conservation Scientist a growing field?
Projected job growth for this role from 2024 to 2034 is about average (BLS projections via O*NET), with roughly 2,500 U.S. openings a year.
What skills does a Conservation Scientist use most?
Common skills for this role are Land Management, GIS Mapping, Field Assessment, Science, and Stakeholder Communication.
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Take the major quizWhere these pay figures come from
Career pay is the annual wage of everyone working in that occupation, not only recent graduates, so it includes people who have done the job for decades. The middle half is the 25th to the 75th percentile. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET OnLine (median and percentile annual wages May 2025; employment projections 2024-2034).
All figures are national. What you earn depends on where you work, who you work for, and how far you take the degree.
Job-growth figures: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET OnLine (median and percentile annual wages May 2025; employment projections 2024-2034).