The highest-paying states for conservation scientists (ranked by average annual salary) are listed in Table 1. The entry level salary (as measured by the salary of the lowest 10% paid earners) and the number of employment of conservation scientists in those states are also shown in the table. As shown in the table, with an annual salary of $97,880, South Carolina is the highest paying state for conservation scientists. It is followed by District of Columbia (average annual salary $86,990). The salary and employment information is computed from data published by U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) in April 2023 [1]. For more salary information of conservation scientists in a specific state, use the links in the table.
| Rank | State | Average Salary i | Entry Level Salary i |
# of Empl. i |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | South Carolina | $97,880 |
$44,720 | 230 |
| 2 | District of Columbia | $86,990 |
$66,000 | 60 |
| 3 | Hawaii | $84,970 |
$58,590 | 130 |
| 4 | Maryland | $80,440 |
$49,890 | 290 |
| 5 | Nevada | $79,440 |
$56,530 | 100 |
| 6 | Oregon | $78,940 |
$52,270 | 710 |
| 7 | Massachusetts | $77,210 |
$40,060 | 530 |
| 8 | California | $75,570 |
$47,170 | 1,580 |
| 9 | Georgia | $75,030 |
$49,960 | 430 |
| 10 | Alabama | $74,690 |
$35,910 | 90 |
| 11 | Washington | $74,590 |
$56,850 | 940 |
| 12 | Wyoming | $72,820 |
$54,720 | 170 |
| 13 | Arkansas | $72,820 |
$44,720 | 150 |
| 14 | Tennessee | $72,820 |
$44,720 | 150 |
| 15 | Minnesota | $72,810 |
$49,760 | 630 |
| 16 | New Hampshire | $71,140 |
$47,710 | 130 |
| 17 | Utah | $71,140 |
$44,720 | 200 |
| 18 | Alaska | $70,890 |
$50,210 | 300 |
| 19 | New Jersey | $70,690 |
$43,040 | 310 |
| 20 | Arizona | $70,620 |
$26,620 | 270 |
| 21 | Nebraska | $68,410 |
$44,720 | 290 |
| 22 | Wisconsin | $67,500 |
$37,630 | 890 |
| 23 | Puerto Rico | $66,850 |
$54,720 | 30 |
| 24 | New Mexico | $66,210 |
$49,920 | 290 |
| 25 | North Dakota | $66,210 |
$44,720 | 280 |
| 26 | Connecticut | $65,980 |
$50,660 | 100 |
| 27 | Illinois | $65,530 |
$37,440 | 730 |
| 28 | Idaho | $65,440 |
$49,130 | 310 |
| 29 | Colorado | $64,210 |
$45,850 | 1,390 |
| 30 | Vermont | $63,540 |
$48,300 | 60 |
| 31 | Louisiana | $63,320 |
$45,010 | 640 |
| 32 | Virginia | $63,260 |
$44,720 | 530 |
| 33 | West Virginia | $62,400 |
$36,110 | 190 |
| 34 | New York | $61,440 |
$40,190 | 430 |
| 35 | Indiana | $60,680 |
$37,540 | 320 |
| 36 | Maine | $60,200 |
$46,130 | 120 |
| 37 | Kentucky | $60,200 |
$41,600 | 160 |
| 38 | South Dakota | $60,200 |
$37,870 | 410 |
| 39 | North Carolina | $60,110 |
$43,580 | 330 |
| 40 | Texas | $58,820 |
$42,680 | 1,890 |
| 41 | Montana | $58,360 |
$29,400 | 590 |
| 42 | Iowa | $57,420 |
$44,590 | 690 |
| 43 | Oklahoma | $56,530 |
$38,880 | 270 |
| 44 | Pennsylvania | $55,950 |
$34,860 | 990 |
| 45 | Michigan | $54,720 |
$35,830 | 660 |
| 46 | Kansas | $54,720 |
$37,510 | 230 |
| 47 | Florida | $54,540 |
$30,990 | 680 |
| 48 | Delaware | $53,980 |
$40,000 | 50 |
| 49 | Rhode Island | $53,600 |
$24,380 | 40 |
| 50 | Mississippi | $52,000 |
$42,470 | 1,010 |
| 51 | Missouri | $50,750 |
$33,950 | 510 |
| 52 | Ohio | $49,160 |
$37,730 | 440 |