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Conservation specialist salary

Average conservation specialist salary

$46,665

$22.44 hourly rate

Entry-level conservation specialist salary
$29,000 yearly salary
Updated December 15, 2025

Average Conservation Specialist Salary

The average salary for a Conservation Specialist stands at around $46,665 per year, translating to about $22 per hour. This estimation reflects data compiled from various sources and provides a baseline understanding of compensation in this field.

Factors Influencing Salary

Salaries for Conservation Specialists can vary based on several factors:

  • Geographic Location: States like California and New York often offer higher salaries due to higher living costs and demand for environmental expertise.
  • Experience: Entry-level positions may start at lower salaries, but those with several years of experience can earn significantly more.
  • Industry: Specialists working in government or nonprofit organizations may earn different salaries compared to those in private sectors.

Opportunities for Growth

As the demand for environmental protection grows, the role of Conservation Specialists continues to evolve. Advancements in this field may lead to higher salaries and specialized roles, making it vital for professionals to stay informed on industry trends and educational opportunities.

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Where can a Conservation Specialist earn more?

Compare salary by location
Vs
80k
60k
40k
20k
Columbus, OH$69,072
Puyallup, WA$49,906
Compare salary by company
Vs
108k
88k
68k
48k
28k
8k
Santa Clara Valley Water District$96,404
Metropolitan$38,169

Conservation specialist salary estimates from across the web

Based on the latest salary information compiled by Zippia, Salary.com, Glassdoor and Comparably, the average salary for a conservation specialist typically falls between $46,665 and $62,151.
zippia
$46,665yearly
glassdoor[1]
$56,542yearly
comparably[2]
$62,151yearly
Salary.com[3]
$56,143yearly

Average conservation specialist salary by state

The highest-paying states for conservation specialists are Alaska, California, and North Dakota. The lowest average conservation specialist salary states are Alabama, Arkansas, and Florida.

  • State view
  • County view
Average salary:

Highest paying states for conservation specialists

RankStateAvg. salaryHourly rate
1Alaska$70,893$34.08
2North Dakota$68,869$33.11
3Vermont$66,367$31.91
4New Hampshire$67,835$32.61
5Nebraska$62,763$30.17
6Delaware$65,745$31.61
7Rhode Island$68,691$33.02
8Utah$64,378$30.95
9Massachusetts$68,504$32.93
10Nevada$59,929$28.81
11Maryland$64,060$30.80
12Connecticut$68,377$32.87
13West Virginia$59,371$28.54
14California$69,596$33.46
15Missouri$62,748$30.17
16South Dakota$56,347$27.09
17Montana$56,601$27.21
18Pennsylvania$59,007$28.37
19Mississippi$62,554$30.07
20New York$60,367$29.02
21Louisiana$55,667$26.76
22Ohio$59,885$28.79
23Michigan$55,102$26.49
24District of Columbia$63,311$30.44
25New Jersey$60,281$28.98
26Iowa$50,094$24.08
27Hawaii$54,399$26.15
28Kentucky$55,777$26.82
29South Carolina$54,930$26.41
30Maine$56,096$26.97
31Oregon$52,687$25.33
32Arizona$50,246$24.16
33New Mexico$51,387$24.71
34Wisconsin$51,369$24.70
35Texas$50,586$24.32
36Indiana$50,574$24.31
37Colorado$54,577$26.24
38Wyoming$46,651$22.43
39North Carolina$48,186$23.17
40Virginia$51,898$24.95
41Tennessee$48,751$23.44
42Arkansas$48,388$23.26
43Illinois$51,767$24.89
44Alabama$48,535$23.33
45Florida$48,303$23.22
46Kansas$48,571$23.35
47Oklahoma$48,573$23.35
48Minnesota$50,459$24.26
49Idaho$48,222$23.18
50Georgia$48,616$23.37
51Washington$49,787$23.94

Highest paying cities for conservation specialists

The highest-paying cities for conservation specialists are Santa Clarita, CA, Washington, DC, and New York, NY.

RankCityAvg. salaryHourly rate
1Santa Clarita, CA$69,072$33.21
2Washington, DC$63,348$30.46
3New York, NY$60,493$29.08
4Fort Collins, CO$54,583$26.24
5Portland, OR$52,557$25.27
6West Bend, WI$51,584$24.80
7Rio Rancho, NM$51,383$24.70
8Austin, TX$50,847$24.45
9Saint Paul, MN$50,462$24.26
10Puyallup, WA$49,906$23.99

Conservation specialist salary details

A conservation specialist's salary ranges from $29,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $73,000 at the 90th percentile.

Average conservation specialist salary graph
Average conservation specialist salary graph, trends, and summary

What is a conservation specialist's salary?

PercentileAnnual salaryMonthly salaryHourly rate
90th Percentile$73,000$6,083$35
75th Percentile$59,000$4,917$28
Average$46,665$3,889$22
25th Percentile$36,000$3,000$17
10th Percentile$29,000$2,417$14

Highest paying conservation specialist jobs

The highest paying types of conservation specialists are conservation policy analyst, senior specialist, and staff specialist.

Job titleAnnual salaryMonthly salaryHourly rateJob openings
Soil Conservationist$47,492$3,958$22.836,515

Which companies pay conservation specialists the most?

Conservation specialist salaries at Santa Clara Valley Water District and World Wildlife Fund are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average conservation specialist salary at companies like Washington County and Cigna are highly competitive.

RankCompanyAverage salaryHourly rate
1Santa Clara Valley Water District$96,404$46.35
2World Wildlife Fund$78,814$37.89
3Washington County$59,741$28.72
4Cigna$53,884$25.91
5Irex$52,071$25.03
6Metro$50,379$24.22
7Americorps$48,315$23.23
8Community Action Partnership of Ramsey & Washington Counties$47,510$22.84
9City of Greeley$44,982$21.63
10Globe Life$44,284$21.29
11Lewis and Clark Community College$38,702$18.61
12Metropolitan$38,169$18.35

Wage gap by gender, race and education

$48,000$47,400$46,800$46,200$45,600$45,000
MaleFemale

Conservation Specialist salary by industry

The average conservation specialist salary varies across industries:

  • The average conservation specialist salary in the utilities industry is $62,064, the highest of any industry.
  • The average conservation specialist salary in the finance industry is $52,647.
  • Conservation specialists in the professional industry earn an average salary of $44,165, the lowest of any industry.

Highest paying industries for conservation specialists

RankIndustryAverage salaryHourly rate
1Utilities$62,064$29.84
2Non Profits$52,647$25.31
3Government$50,065$24.07
4Insurance$46,343$22.28
5Finance$44,592$21.44
6Professional$44,165$21.23

High paying conservation specialist jobs

Conservation specialist salary trends

The average conservation specialist salary has risen by $3,272 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average conservation specialist earned $43,393 annually, but today, they earn $46,665 a year. That works out to a 4% change in pay for conservation specialists over the last decade.

Compare conservation specialist salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.

Average conservation specialist salary over time

Compare conservation specialist salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.

Conservation specialist salary by year

YearAvg. salaryHourly rate% Change
2026$46,700$22.44+2.1%
2025$45,700$21.96+2.2%
2024$44,700$21.49-0.3%
2023$44,800$21.55-0.5%
2022$45,100$21.66+1.1%

Recently added conservation specialist salaries

CompanyJobLocationDate addedSalary
JeppesenSenior Energy and Conservation SpecialistNorth Charleston, SC06/30/2025$114,750
Conserv FSTurf Specialist-Conserv FSCincinnati, OH06/25/2025$60,000
BoeingSenior Energy and Conservation SpecialistNorth Charleston, SC06/17/2025$114,750
La Crosse County, WisconsinConservation Specialist-Stormwater and Water QualityLa Crosse, WI06/08/2025$63,736
JeppesenSenior Energy and Conservation SpecialistNorth Charleston, SC05/27/2025$114,750
BoeingSenior Energy and Conservation SpecialistNorth Charleston, SC05/25/2025$114,750
New Hanover County (NcSoil & Water Conservation SpecialistWilmington, NC05/20/2025$53,668
American Water CompanyWater Conservation SpecialistSacramento, CA05/06/2025$65,208
Xerces Society Inc.Wisconsin Pollinator Conservation SpecialistTony, WI04/28/2025$62,858
City of Fort Worth, TxConservation SpecialistFort Worth, TX04/19/2025$55,055

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