Naturalist vs conservationist

The differences between naturalists and conservationists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-2 years to become a naturalist, becoming a conservationist takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a conservationist has an average salary of $49,329, which is higher than the $42,363 average annual salary of a naturalist.

The top three skills for a naturalist include nature programs, cultural history and CPR. The most important skills for a conservationist are natural resources, USDA, and wildlife habitat.

Naturalist vs conservationist overview

	Naturalist	Conservationist
Yearly salary	$42,363	$49,329
Hourly rate	$20.37	$23.72
Growth rate	5%	5%
Number of jobs	6,913	166
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 80%	Bachelor's Degree, 48%
Average age	42	42
Years of experience	2	4

Naturalist vs conservationist salary

Naturalists and conservationists have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Naturalist	Conservationist
Average salary	$42,363	$49,329
Salary range	Between $24,000 And $73,000	Between $27,000 And $88,000
Highest paying City	Las Vegas, NV	-
Highest paying state	Rhode Island	-
Best paying company	PSEA	-
Best paying industry	-	-

Differences between naturalist and conservationist education

There are a few differences between a naturalist and a conservationist in terms of educational background:

	Naturalist	Conservationist
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 80%	Bachelor's Degree, 48%
Most common major	Environmental Science	Environmental Science
Most common college	University of California, Berkeley	-

Naturalist vs conservationist demographics

Here are the differences between naturalists' and conservationists' demographics:

	Naturalist	Conservationist
Average age	42	42
Gender ratio	Male, 35.7% Female, 64.3%	Male, 62.2% Female, 37.8%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 0.7% Unknown, 2.9% Hispanic or Latino, 2.4% Asian, 1.4% White, 91.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1%	Black or African American, 0.4% Unknown, 3.3% Hispanic or Latino, 2.1% Asian, 1.4% White, 91.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.4%
LGBT Percentage	8%	8%

Differences between naturalist and conservationist duties and responsibilities

Naturalist example responsibilities.

Lead tour groups on both bicycles and kayaks, man small retail/rental outlet as only staff person.
Act as primary historian for all tour groups, ages k-12.
Assist with naturalist guide hikes, canoe tours and general outdoor learning activities.
Supervise canoe trips, nature walks, park cleanups, and volunteer groups.
Develop outdoor survival skills, including first aid and fire / shelter building.
Organize, implement and execute promotional meetings with various NYC public and charter schools.

Conservationist example responsibilities.

Manage native grass to improve wildlife habitat and reduce woody encroachment.
Create folders for programs such as EQIP, CRP, CSP, and AWEP.
Help with CRP and EQIP contracts and FSA compliance reviews.
Utilize Arcmap to prepare soil and planning maps for CSP applications.
Utilize USDA engineer practices to assist individuals in applying natural resource protection on their lands.
Use of various surveying tools, GPS, snow sampling equipment, soil sampling equipment.

Naturalist vs conservationist skills

Common naturalist skills

Nature Programs, 14%
Cultural History, 11%
CPR, 9%
Natural History, 7%
Outdoor Education, 4%
Public Speaking, 4%

Common conservationist skills

Natural Resources, 13%
USDA, 12%
Wildlife Habitat, 9%
Water Quality, 9%
Conservation Programs, 6%
Trail Maintenance, 6%

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Naturalist vs Conservationist

Updated January 8, 2025

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