Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2011

19-1031 Conservation Scientists

Manage, improve, and protect natural resources to maximize their use without damaging the environment. May conduct soil surveys and develop plans to eliminate soil erosion or to protect rangelands. May instruct farmers, agricultural production managers, or ranchers in best ways to use crop rotation, contour plowing, or terracing to conserve soil and water; in the number and kind of livestock and forage plants best suited to particular ranges; and in range and farm improvements, such as fencing and reservoirs for stock watering. Excludes "Zoologists and Wildlife Biologists" (19-1023) and "Foresters" (19-1032).


National estimates for this occupation
Industry profile for this occupation
Geographic profile for this occupation

National estimates for this occupation: Top

Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for this occupation:

Employment (1) Employment
RSE (3)
Mean hourly
wage
Mean annual
wage (2)
Wage RSE (3)
18,910 1.6 % $29.95 $62,290 0.4 %

Percentile wage estimates for this occupation:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median)
75% 90%
Hourly Wage $17.84 $22.12 $28.62 $35.88 $43.17
Annual Wage (2) $37,110 $46,000 $59,530 $74,620 $89,800


Industry profile for this occupation: Top

Industries with the highest published employment and wages for this occupation are provided. For a list of all industries with employment in this occupation, see the Create Customized Tables function.

Industries with the highest levels of employment in this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Federal Executive Branch (OES Designation) 6,970 0.34 $35.37 $73,560
State Government (OES Designation) 4,840 0.21 $25.18 $52,370
Local Government (OES Designation) 3,440 0.06 $26.64 $55,410
Social Advocacy Organizations 1,750 0.90 $26.92 $56,000
Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services 750 0.07 $32.50 $67,600

Industries with the highest concentration of employment in this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Social Advocacy Organizations 1,750 0.90 $26.92 $56,000
Federal Executive Branch (OES Designation) 6,970 0.34 $35.37 $73,560
State Government (OES Designation) 4,840 0.21 $25.18 $52,370
Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions 110 0.08 $28.15 $58,550
Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services 750 0.07 $32.50 $67,600

Top paying industries for this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Scientific Research and Development Services 170 0.03 $37.69 $78,390
Federal Executive Branch (OES Designation) 6,970 0.34 $35.37 $73,560
Employment Services 30 (7) $33.71 $70,110
Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services 750 0.07 $32.50 $67,600
Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services 210 0.02 $29.77 $61,920


Geographic profile for this occupation: Top

States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for this occupation are provided. For a list of all areas with employment in this occupation, see the Create Customized Tables function.





States with the highest employment level in this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
California 1,760 0.13 0.85 $35.19 $73,190
Texas 1,740 0.17 1.15 $26.24 $54,570
Colorado 920 0.42 2.88 $29.48 $61,320
Pennsylvania 900 0.16 1.10 $23.29 $48,440
Washington 770 0.28 1.91 $30.46 $63,360




States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Montana 440 1.03 6.99 $29.74 $61,860
Wyoming 210 0.78 5.30 $28.27 $58,800
South Dakota 280 0.71 4.85 $27.81 $57,850
Alaska 170 0.55 3.74 $41.73 $86,810
North Dakota 190 0.52 3.52 $30.22 $62,860




Top paying States for this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Alaska 170 0.55 3.74 $41.73 $86,810
District of Columbia 130 0.21 1.39 $40.03 $83,270
Florida (8) (8) (8) $37.97 $78,970
Alabama 110 0.06 0.41 $35.38 $73,590
California 1,760 0.13 0.85 $35.19 $73,190





Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in this occupation:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV Metropolitan Division 450 0.20 1.32 $38.89 $80,880
Sacramento--Arden-Arcade--Roseville, CA 390 0.49 3.31 $35.67 $74,190
Fort Collins-Loveland, CO 360 2.83 19.19 $29.21 $60,760
Boston-Cambridge-Quincy, MA NECTA Division 310 0.19 1.27 $27.28 $56,730
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI 270 0.16 1.09 $31.52 $65,560
Madison, WI 250 0.77 5.22 $31.66 $65,840
Baltimore-Towson, MD 250 0.20 1.36 $29.54 $61,440
Houston-Sugar Land-Baytown, TX 250 0.10 0.66 $26.55 $55,230
Oakland-Fremont-Hayward, CA Metropolitan Division 240 0.25 1.71 $38.60 $80,290
Denver-Aurora-Broomfield, CO 230 0.19 1.31 $29.28 $60,900




Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Fort Collins-Loveland, CO 360 2.83 19.19 $29.21 $60,760
Olympia, WA 190 2.00 13.54 $31.97 $66,500
Corvallis, OR 50 1.62 10.98 $42.95 $89,340
Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA 70 1.58 10.69 $28.61 $59,520
Missoula, MT 80 1.48 10.07 $33.96 $70,640
Logan, UT-ID 60 1.18 8.04 $26.84 $55,830
Jackson, MS 200 0.83 5.61 $24.90 $51,800
Flagstaff, AZ 50 0.83 5.61 $31.31 $65,110
Jefferson City, MO 60 0.78 5.31 $24.66 $51,290
Madison, WI 250 0.77 5.22 $31.66 $65,840




Top paying metropolitan areas for this occupation:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Bethesda-Rockville-Frederick, MD Metropolitan Division 60 0.11 0.77 $49.90 $103,800
Anchorage, AK 90 0.55 3.72 $44.36 $92,270
Springfield, MA-CT 50 0.17 1.13 $43.28 $90,020
Corvallis, OR 50 1.62 10.98 $42.95 $89,340
Albuquerque, NM 40 0.12 0.80 $42.59 $88,580
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale, CA Metropolitan Division 90 0.02 0.15 $39.70 $82,570
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA 190 0.19 1.31 $39.49 $82,130
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV Metropolitan Division 450 0.20 1.32 $38.89 $80,880
Oakland-Fremont-Hayward, CA Metropolitan Division 240 0.25 1.71 $38.60 $80,290
Barnstable Town, MA 30 0.35 2.38 $37.34 $77,670

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest employment in this occupation:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Kansas nonmetropolitan area 150 0.40 2.74 $29.80 $61,970
Northwestern Texas nonmetropolitan area 150 0.62 4.19 $27.43 $57,060
Southwestern Montana nonmetropolitan area 150 1.29 8.72 $27.32 $56,830
West Central Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area 110 0.71 4.80 $21.29 $44,280
Eastern New Mexico nonmetropolitan area 110 0.89 6.02 $22.19 $46,160

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Eastern Montana nonmetropolitan area 80 2.47 16.79 $29.95 $62,300
Central South Dakota nonmetropolitan area 80 2.46 16.66 $25.15 $52,310
Northwestern Wyoming nonmetropolitan area 80 2.04 13.82 $28.20 $58,660
Central Montana nonmetropolitan area 70 1.95 13.22 $27.69 $57,590
Western South Dakota nonmetropolitan area 60 1.85 12.56 $28.15 $58,550

Top paying nonmetropolitan areas for this occupation:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Railbelt / Southwest Alaska nonmetropolitan area 40 0.55 3.72 $36.82 $76,590
Upper Peninsula of Michigan nonmetropolitan area 30 0.28 1.87 $35.24 $73,290
Southeastern Oklahoma nonmetropolitan area 40 0.26 1.74 $34.54 $71,840
Western Tennessee nonmetropolitan area 30 0.26 1.78 $34.23 $71,190
Western Montana nonmetropolitan area 30 0.49 3.36 $33.57 $69,820


About May 2011 National, State, Metropolitan, and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

These estimates are calculated with data collected from employers in all industry sectors, all metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas, and all states and the District of Columbia. The top employment and wage figures are provided above. The complete list is available in the downloadable XLS files.

The percentile wage estimate is the value of a wage below which a certain percent of workers fall. The median wage is the 50th percentile wage estimate--50 percent of workers earn less than the median and 50 percent of workers earn more than the median. More about percentile wages.


(1) Estimates for detailed occupations do not sum to the totals because the totals include occupations not shown separately. Estimates do not include self-employed workers.

(2) Annual wages have been calculated by multiplying the hourly mean wage by a "year-round, full-time" hours figure of 2,080 hours; for those occupations where there is not an hourly mean wage published, the annual wage has been directly calculated from the reported survey data.

(3) The relative standard error (RSE) is a measure of the reliability of a survey statistic. The smaller the relative standard error, the more precise the estimate.

(7) The value is less than .005 percent of industry employment.

(8) Estimate not released.

(9) The location quotient is the ratio of the area concentration of occupational employment to the national average concentration. A location quotient greater than one indicates the occupation has a higher share of employment than average, and a location quotient less than one indicates the occupation is less prevalent in the area than average.


Other OES estimates and related information:

May 2011 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2011 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2011 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2011 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

List of Occupations in SOC Code Number Order

List of Occupations in Alphabetical Order

Download May 2011 Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates in Zipped XLS files

Technical Notes

 

Last Modified Date: March 27, 2012