Forest and Conservation Technicians
Forest and Conservation Technicians (SOC 19-4071) earn a median $54,560 a year ($26.23 an hour) in the United States, with 30,410 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is North Dakota.
What forest and conservation technicians do
Forest and conservation technicians provide technical help in conserving soil, water, forests, and related natural resources. Typical tasks include thinning and spacing trees and controlling weeds and undergrowth with manual tools and chemicals, training and leading forest and conservation workers in seasonal activities such as tree planting, and patrolling parks or forest areas to protect resources and prevent damage. They provide information on, and enforce, regulations on matters such as environmental protection and recreation. Under the direction of foresters or conservation scientists, they may also compile data on the size, content, and condition of forest tracts. The occupation differs from foresters and conservation scientists, who plan and manage resources, from forest and conservation workers, who do manual labor under supervision, and from fish and game wardens, who are law enforcement officers. They also map data on forest tracts with digital mapping systems.
Typical entry: According to O*NET, the most commonly reported education level is a high school diploma or equivalent.
Also called: Conservation Technician, Conservation Agent, Conservation Officer, Biological Science Aide, Field Technician (Field Tech).
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $19.39 | $22.77 | $26.23 | $32.98 | $40.21 | $28.39 | 30,410 |
| Annual | $40,330 | $47,360 | $54,560 | $68,600 | $83,630 | $59,060 | ||
Employment per 1,000 jobs and the location quotient are area measures; they appear in the state and metro tables below. To see what a wage in this range leaves after tax, use FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Where forest and conservation technicians earn and work most
Five highest-paying states
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| North Dakota | Hourly | $21.61 | $25.65 | $32.98 | $32.98 | $34.19 | $30.75 | 160 | 0.37 | 1.91 |
| Annual | $44,950 | $53,360 | $68,600 | $68,600 | $71,120 | $63,950 | ||||
| Alaska | Hourly | $24.18 | $27.31 | $32.77 | $39.29 | $47.03 | $34.40 | 500 | 1.54 | 7.88 |
| Annual | $50,290 | $56,800 | $68,160 | $81,720 | $97,820 | $71,560 | ||||
| Maryland | Hourly | $22.49 | $27.39 | $31.24 | $36.02 | $37.76 | $31.76 | 130 | 0.05 | 0.25 |
| Annual | $46,780 | $56,960 | $64,980 | $74,920 | $78,540 | $66,050 | ||||
| Wisconsin | Hourly | $20.00 | $23.32 | $30.14 | $34.58 | $39.08 | $29.13 | 620 | 0.21 | 1.07 |
| Annual | $41,600 | $48,510 | $62,700 | $71,930 | $81,280 | $60,590 | ||||
| Louisiana | Hourly | $20.99 | $24.00 | $28.55 | $35.40 | $43.04 | $30.25 | 210 | 0.11 | 0.57 |
| Annual | $43,660 | $49,910 | $59,370 | $73,630 | $89,510 | $62,920 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| California | Hourly | $21.00 | $23.34 | $27.94 | $36.19 | $43.98 | $30.62 | 6,640 | 0.37 | 1.87 |
| Annual | $43,680 | $48,550 | $58,120 | $75,280 | $91,480 | $63,680 | ||||
| Oregon | Hourly | $20.99 | $23.05 | $26.88 | $33.75 | $39.90 | $28.94 | 2,530 | 1.29 | 6.58 |
| Annual | $43,660 | $47,940 | $55,910 | $70,200 | $82,990 | $60,180 | ||||
| Idaho | Hourly | $20.99 | $23.05 | $25.62 | $33.93 | $40.44 | $28.67 | 2,020 | 2.36 | 12.06 |
| Annual | $43,660 | $47,940 | $53,290 | $70,570 | $84,120 | $59,640 | ||||
| Montana | Hourly | $20.03 | $23.05 | $25.20 | $33.25 | $38.72 | $28.30 | 1,760 | 3.45 | 17.64 |
| Annual | $41,660 | $47,940 | $52,420 | $69,160 | $80,540 | $58,870 | ||||
| Arizona | Hourly | $20.99 | $23.05 | $27.24 | $33.23 | $39.29 | $28.84 | 1,310 | 0.41 | 2.07 |
| Annual | $43,660 | $47,940 | $56,660 | $69,120 | $81,720 | $59,980 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Baton Rouge, LA | Hourly | $21.61 | $28.33 | $42.07 | $46.29 | $50.51 | $36.91 | 50 | 0.12 | 0.59 |
| Annual | $44,950 | $58,920 | $87,500 | $96,270 | $105,050 | $76,770 | ||||
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | Hourly | $17.73 | $22.12 | $35.77 | $52.32 | $53.76 | $37.03 | 90 | 0.43 | 2.17 |
| Annual | $36,880 | $46,010 | $74,410 | $108,830 | $111,820 | $77,010 | ||||
| Carson City, NV | Hourly | $25.55 | $27.94 | $32.23 | $40.72 | $44.83 | $33.96 | 160 | 4.88 | 24.94 |
| Annual | $53,140 | $58,120 | $67,040 | $84,700 | $93,250 | $70,640 | ||||
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | Hourly | $22.07 | $26.90 | $32.18 | $36.02 | $39.34 | $31.96 | 100 | 0.03 | 0.16 |
| Annual | $45,910 | $55,950 | $66,930 | $74,920 | $81,830 | $66,470 | ||||
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | Hourly | $20.95 | $26.36 | $31.58 | $34.79 | $43.03 | $31.55 | 150 | 0.06 | 0.31 |
| Annual | $43,580 | $54,830 | $65,690 | $72,360 | $89,500 | $65,620 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Hourly | $22.60 | $26.87 | $29.38 | $37.03 | $43.77 | $31.86 | 590 | 0.09 | 0.48 |
| Annual | $47,010 | $55,890 | $61,110 | $77,020 | $91,040 | $66,260 | ||||
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | Hourly | $24.47 | $26.87 | $30.36 | $38.77 | $45.80 | $33.29 | 590 | 0.34 | 1.76 |
| Annual | $50,900 | $55,890 | $63,150 | $80,640 | $95,260 | $69,250 | ||||
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 590 | 0.55 | 2.82 |
| Annual | * | * | * | * | * | * | ||||
| Boise City, ID | Hourly | $20.99 | $23.05 | $27.72 | $36.47 | $45.06 | $31.27 | 440 | 1.13 | 5.76 |
| Annual | $43,660 | $47,940 | $57,660 | $75,860 | $93,720 | $65,040 | ||||
| Bend, OR | Hourly | $21.61 | $23.81 | $28.36 | $34.74 | $40.77 | $29.66 | 430 | 3.96 | 20.22 |
| Annual | $44,950 | $49,520 | $58,990 | $72,260 | $84,800 | $61,680 | ||||
Top industries employing forest and conservation technicians
Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) employ 66.5% of forest and conservation technicians nationally (20,220 jobs) at a median $57,100 a year ($27.45 an hour), followed by State Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) (16.7%) and Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) (8.1%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) NAICS 999100 | 20,220 | 66.5% | $57,100 | $27.45 |
| State Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) NAICS 999200 | 5,070 | 16.7% | $48,350 | $23.25 |
| Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) NAICS 999300 | 2,460 | 8.1% | $52,400 | $25.19 |
| Social Advocacy Organizations NAICS 813300 | 870 | 2.9% | $46,800 | $22.50 |
| Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services NAICS 541600 | 480 | 1.6% | $53,420 | $25.68 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (30,410). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $39,290 for forest and conservation technicians in May 2021 and $54,560 in May 2025, with employment of 30,440 and 30,410.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $39,290 | $18.89 | 30,440 |
| May 2022 | $41,520 | $19.96 | 29,120 |
| May 2023 | $51,880 | $24.94 | 28,740 |
| May 2024 | $54,310 | $26.11 | 31,080 |
| May 2025 | $54,560 | $26.23 | 30,410 |
BLS does not design OEWS as a time series: each release pools three years of samples, and occupational classifications, area definitions and estimation methods change between releases, so a difference between two releases is not a measure of change over time. The figures are shown as published, side by side, and nothing is computed from them. See how often OEWS is updated.
Every state, by median wage
45 states and DC publish a row for this occupation. A linked state has its own page with the within-state metro table and comparison; the others appear here only.
| Rank | State | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | North Dakota profile | $32.98 | $68,600 | $44,950 | $71,120 | 160 | 0.37 | 1.91 |
| 2 | Alaska profile | $32.77 | $68,160 | $50,290 | $97,820 | 500 | 1.54 | 7.88 |
| 3 | Maryland profile | $31.24 | $64,980 | $46,780 | $78,540 | 130 | 0.05 | 0.25 |
| 4 | Wisconsin profile | $30.14 | $62,700 | $41,600 | $81,280 | 620 | 0.21 | 1.07 |
| 5 | Louisiana profile | $28.55 | $59,370 | $43,660 | $89,510 | 210 | 0.11 | 0.57 |
| 6 | Minnesota profile | $28.36 | $58,990 | $44,870 | $81,320 | 580 | 0.20 | 1.01 |
| 7 | California profile | $27.94 | $58,120 | $43,680 | $91,480 | 6,640 | 0.37 | 1.87 |
| 8 | New York profile | $27.90 | $58,030 | $39,040 | $78,370 | 190 | 0.02 | 0.10 |
| 9 | Colorado profile | $27.67 | $57,550 | $44,950 | $84,150 | 1,040 | 0.36 | 1.86 |
| 10 | Pennsylvania profile | $27.58 | $57,370 | $44,950 | $76,940 | 420 | 0.07 | 0.36 |
| 11 | Alabama profile | $27.27 | $56,720 | $41,260 | $76,160 | 180 | 0.09 | 0.43 |
| 12 | Arizona profile | $27.24 | $56,660 | $43,660 | $81,720 | 1,310 | 0.41 | 2.07 |
| 13 | Massachusetts profile | $27.15 | $56,480 | $51,730 | $72,130 | ** | ** | ** |
| 14 | Oregon profile | $26.88 | $55,910 | $43,660 | $82,990 | 2,530 | 1.29 | 6.58 |
| 15 | South Carolina profile | $26.88 | $55,910 | $40,800 | $84,120 | 180 | 0.08 | 0.40 |
| 16 | South Dakota profile | $26.33 | $54,770 | $43,530 | $82,990 | 350 | 0.76 | 3.87 |
| 17 | West Virginia profile | $26.25 | $54,600 | $40,330 | $83,780 | 100 | 0.14 | 0.71 |
| 18 | Nevada profile | $26.07 | $54,230 | $35,930 | $89,340 | 750 | 0.49 | 2.49 |
| 19 | Vermont profile | $26.04 | $54,160 | $41,660 | $84,120 | 50 | 0.17 | 0.89 |
| 20 | Washington profile | $26.04 | $54,160 | $44,950 | $82,530 | 1,160 | 0.33 | 1.67 |
| 21 | Oklahoma profile | $25.93 | $53,930 | $38,880 | $76,400 | 130 | 0.08 | 0.40 |
| 22 | Arkansas profile | $25.62 | $53,290 | $40,330 | $80,750 | 310 | 0.24 | 1.20 |
| 23 | Idaho profile | $25.62 | $53,290 | $43,660 | $84,120 | 2,020 | 2.36 | 12.06 |
| 24 | Wyoming profile | $25.62 | $53,290 | $43,660 | $84,800 | 560 | 2.01 | 10.27 |
| 25 | New Mexico profile | $25.48 | $53,000 | $43,660 | $82,560 | 880 | 1.01 | 5.18 |
| 26 | Illinois profile | $25.38 | $52,790 | $36,950 | $74,390 | 820 | 0.14 | 0.69 |
| 27 | Florida profile | $25.20 | $52,420 | $33,760 | $80,750 | 380 | 0.04 | 0.19 |
| 28 | Mississippi profile | $25.20 | $52,420 | $39,790 | $78,500 | 250 | 0.21 | 1.08 |
| 29 | Montana profile | $25.20 | $52,420 | $41,660 | $80,540 | 1,760 | 3.45 | 17.64 |
| 30 | Texas profile | $25.10 | $52,200 | $41,780 | $66,710 | 600 | 0.04 | 0.22 |
| 31 | Iowa profile | $25.00 | $52,000 | $35,960 | $67,970 | 380 | 0.25 | 1.25 |
| 32 | Nebraska profile | $24.82 | $51,630 | $45,260 | $78,460 | 100 | 0.09 | 0.48 |
| 33 | New Hampshire profile | $24.82 | $51,630 | $41,660 | $86,360 | 60 | 0.09 | 0.46 |
| 34 | Georgia profile | $24.38 | $50,710 | $36,440 | $77,540 | 230 | 0.05 | 0.24 |
| 35 | Hawaii profile | $24.06 | $50,040 | $40,800 | $73,020 | 140 | 0.22 | 1.14 |
| 36 | Virginia profile | $24.02 | $49,960 | $38,660 | $75,130 | 380 | 0.09 | 0.47 |
| 37 | Ohio profile | $23.48 | $48,840 | $37,080 | $64,860 | 230 | 0.04 | 0.21 |
| 38 | Indiana profile | $23.39 | $48,660 | $34,190 | $74,010 | 150 | 0.05 | 0.25 |
| 39 | North Carolina profile | $23.25 | $48,360 | $39,100 | $71,410 | 650 | 0.13 | 0.67 |
| 40 | Tennessee profile | $23.05 | $47,940 | $41,660 | $68,140 | 390 | 0.12 | 0.61 |
| 41 | Utah profile | $23.05 | $47,940 | $32,530 | $79,310 | 1,140 | 0.66 | 3.35 |
| 42 | Michigan profile | $22.00 | $45,760 | $35,360 | $73,630 | 560 | 0.13 | 0.65 |
| 43 | Kentucky profile | $20.99 | $43,660 | $31,770 | $70,580 | 240 | 0.12 | 0.62 |
| 44 | Kansas profile | $20.03 | $41,660 | $31,260 | $70,080 | 170 | 0.12 | 0.59 |
| 45 | Missouri profile | $16.31 | $33,920 | $31,200 | $66,080 | 600 | 0.21 | 1.05 |
Part of Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations. Compare any area in the wage explorer.
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS 19-4071 Forest and Conservation Technicians.
*- Wage estimate not available.
**- Employment estimate not available.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.
- Top industries: nat4d_M2025_dl.xlsx in oesm25in4.zip (BLS OEWS May 2025, national, 4-digit NAICS, cross-ownership). Employment is the industry's rounded total for this occupation; industries whose employment BLS withheld (**) are not ranked.
- Published medians: national_M2021_dl.xlsx to national_M2024_dl.xlsx in oesm21nat.zip to oesm24nat.zip (BLS OEWS May 2021 to May 2024, national, cross-industry, all ownerships) and the May 2025 spine. Each release is shown as published; nothing is computed between them.
Sources
- BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018, definition of 19-4071, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 19-4071.00, National Center for O*NET Development, USDOL/ETA (CC BY 4.0).
- OEWS May 2025 national industry-specific estimates, 4-digit NAICS (oesm25in4.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2021 national estimates (oesm21nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2022 national estimates (oesm22nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2023 national estimates (oesm23nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2024 national estimates (oesm24nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2025 national estimates (oesm25nat.zip), the site's data spine, US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
Includes information from O*NET 30.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Description written 2026-10-17 in our own words from the sources above.