Vocational Index

Career

Conservation scientists

Help manage and protect forests, rangelands and natural resources.

$73,010
Median pay
+5.3%
Job growth, 2025–35
2,100
Openings a year
Bachelor's degree
Typical education
4 years
Typical time after high school

Here's what you actually need to know.

The work

What people in this job do

  • Apply principles of specialized fields of science, such as agronomy, soil science, forestry, or agriculture, to achieve conservation objectives.
  • Plan soil management or conservation practices, such as crop rotation, reforestation, permanent vegetation, contour plowing, or terracing, to maintain soil or conserve water.
  • Monitor projects during or after construction to ensure projects conform to design specifications.
  • Advise land users, such as farmers or ranchers, on plans, problems, or alternative conservation solutions.
  • Implement soil or water management techniques, such as nutrient management, erosion control, buffers, or filter strips, in accordance with conservation plans.

The outlook

How the forecast changed this year

2024–34 edition+3.4%2025–35 edition+5.3%
Projected 10-year growth in last year's and this year's BLS projections. 2,500 → 2,100 openings a year.

The deeper question

What kind of person does this path ask you to become?

What this work centers on

Ideas & analysis
5.7
Objects & tools
5.2
Information & systems
4.0
Persuasion & leadership
3.2
People & care
2.9
Creation & expression
2.0

O*NET interest profile, scored 1–7.

The work

Do you want most of your days spent on ideas & analysis, then objects & tools?

Responsibility

Are you willing to be the one responsible for this?

“Apply principles of specialized fields of science, such as agronomy, soil science, forestry, or agriculture, to achieve conservation objectives.”

Development

What would you need to build over the next 5–10 years?

Reading Comprehension, Active Listening, Speaking, Complex Problem Solving.

Trade-offs

What does it ask of you in exchange?

4 years of education after high school (bachelor's degree), for a median of $73,010 a year and 2,100 openings nationally each year.

Paths in

Degrees that lead here

  • Environmental Science and ConservationSee the degree →
  • Agroecology and Sustainable AgricultureCIP 01.0308
  • Range Science and ManagementCIP 01.1106
  • Natural Resources/Conservation, GeneralCIP 03.0101
  • Environmental/Natural Resources Management and Policy, GeneralCIP 03.0201
  • Water, Wetlands, and Marine Resources ManagementCIP 03.0205

Paths across

Careers that use similar skills

Ask anything about this career.

“Would this make sense if I don't want to sit at a desk all day?” Answers will come from the sources on this page, with citations. Coming soon.

Not sure this fits who you are? Start with Vocational Finder →

Sources

  1. BLS Employment Projections, 2025–35, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved 2026-10-01.
  2. BLS Employment Projections, 2024–34 (archived), U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved 2026-10-01.
  3. O*NET 31.0 Database (August 2026), National Center for O*NET Development / U.S. Department of Labor. Retrieved 2026-10-01.
  4. CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 Crosswalk, NCES and BLS. Retrieved 2026-10-01.