Conservation Scientists
SOC 19-1031 · 2024-2034
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.
How the U.S. Department of Labor describes this work. Published in English only.
What California expects of this job
- Typical pay in California
- $82,044per year
- Projected openings
- 2,210
- Projected change
- +13.6%
- Usually needs
- Bachelor's degree
Skills this work uses most
O*NET, the U.S. Department of Labor's occupation database, rates how important each of these is to this work, and they are listed in that order, most important first. The ratings themselves are not shown, because the data carries the number without the scale it was measured on. The names are as published, in English.
- Active Listening
- Reading Comprehension
- Speaking
- Complex Problem Solving
- Writing
- Science
Pay by region
| Region | Typical pay in California | Projected openings |
|---|---|---|
| San Francisco-San Mateo-Redwood City MD (San Francisco and San Mateo Counties) | $103,165 | 200 |
| Oakland-Fremont-Berkeley MD (Alameda and Contra Costa Counties) | $98,875 | 220 |
| San Rafael MD (Marin County) | $97,888 | 40 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma MSA (Sonoma County) | $94,264 | 120 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom MSA (El Dorado, Placer, Sacramento, and Yolo Counties) | $85,482 | 200 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad MSA (San Diego County) | $83,489 | 190 |
| North Valley-Northern Mountains Region (Colusa, Glenn, Lassen, Modoc, Nevada, Plumas, Sierra, Siskiyou, Tehama, and Trinity Counties) | $82,143 | 110 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville MSA (Santa Cruz County) | $80,623 | 50 |
| Eastern Sierra-Mother Lode Region (Alpine, Amador, Calaveras, Inyo, Mariposa, Mono, and Tuolumne Counties) | $76,997 | 40 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale MD (Los Angeles County) | $74,850 | 300 |
| North Coast Region (Del Norte, Humboldt, Lake, and Mendocino Counties) | $74,522 | 90 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario MSA (Riverside and San Bernardino Counties) | $73,145 | 120 |
| Salinas MSA (Monterey County) | $72,981 | 50 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles MSA (San Luis Obispo County) | Not reported | 40 |
What the pay actually ranges across
- The lowest-paid tenth earn under
- $55,152
- A quarter earn under
- $66,110
- Half earn under
- $82,044
- Three quarters earn under
- $107,929
- The highest-paid tenth earn over
- $135,757
A median is one point. These are the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics' 2026 figures for California, and they say how far apart the people doing this job actually are. Read them as the spread across everyone already in the work — not as a starting wage and not as a promise about where anyone lands.
Similar work
O*NET, the U.S. Department of Labor's occupation database, names these as occupations involving work similar to this one — its own reading of the job, not a grouping by code. They keep O*NET's order, and only those California publishes a projection for are shown.
| Occupation | Typical pay in California | Projected openings | Projected change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health | $109,492 | 12,710 | +6.9% |
| Soil and Plant Scientists | $94,503 | 1,660 | +4.8% |
| Natural Sciences Managers | $213,757 | 14,100 | +11.8% |
| Managers, All Other | $177,489 | 175,120 | +9.7% |
| Environmental Engineers | $134,061 | 3,690 | +6.4% |
Programs that train for this job — 3
Agriculture - Natural Resources Certificate
Shasta College · Redding · $1,235
Roots of Success Environmental Literacy and Job Training Program
Roots of Success · Berkeley · $0
Forestry and Natural Resources Management
Reedley Community College · Reedley · $4,060