Conservation Scientists Salary
Conservation Scientists in Asheville, NC make a median of $65,170 a year, or about $31.33 an hour. The range runs from $50K at the entry level to $116K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 96.51), that's roughly $67,527 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,567/month, about 35.9% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $65K get you in Asheville?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Asheville’s Regional Price Parity (96.51). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About conservation scientists
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What this looks like in Asheville
Pay for conservation scientists in Asheville runs about 11% below the U.S. median of $73K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,567/month, which is 36.7% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 96.51) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for conservation scientistss.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for conservation scientists in metros near Asheville, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Raleigh-Cary | $79K | $81K |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia | $50K | $52K |
| Durham-Chapel Hill | $82K | $84K |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell | $69K | $69K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Asheville, NC
Entry-level conservation scientists (10th percentile) start around $50K. Mid-career wages sit at $65K. Top earners bring in $116K or more, a $66K spread from bottom to top.
Conservation Scientists pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Conservation Scientists salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $99K | +36% | 110 |
| Colorado | $85K | +16% | 1,230 |
| Maryland | $83K | +14% | 470 |
| Idaho | $81K | +11% | 300 |
| Wyoming | $81K | +11% | 150 |
| Oregon | $81K | +11% | 1,020 |
| Louisiana | $80K | +10% | 190 |
| California | $80K | +9% | 2,110 |
| Wisconsin | $80K | +9% | 970 |
| Alaska | $79K | +9% | 290 |
| Utah | $79K | +8% | 410 |
| Massachusetts | $79K | +8% | 760 |
| Washington | $78K | +7% | 1,270 |
| Virginia | $77K | +6% | 480 |
| North Dakota | $77K | +6% | 340 |
| Alabama | $77K | +5% | 110 |
| New York | $77K | +5% | 640 |
| New Mexico | $77K | +5% | 330 |
| Nebraska | $76K | +5% | 220 |
| South Dakota | $76K | +5% | 360 |
| Rhode Island | $76K | +4% | 60 |
| Maine | $76K | +4% | 290 |
| New Hampshire | $75K | +2% | 130 |
| Montana | $74K | +1% | 560 |
| Connecticut | $74K | +1% | 140 |
| Arkansas | $73K | +0% | 230 |
| Nevada | $73K | +0% | 210 |
| Kentucky | $72K | -1% | 180 |
| Minnesota | $71K | -2% | 770 |
| Oklahoma | $71K | -2% | 310 |
| Tennessee | $71K | -3% | 250 |
| Vermont | $70K | -4% | 100 |
| West Virginia | $70K | -4% | 160 |
| Illinois | $70K | -5% | 730 |
| Iowa | $69K | -5% | 610 |
| Georgia | $69K | -5% | 360 |
| Texas | $69K | -6% | 1,970 |
| Kansas | $67K | -8% | 220 |
| Arizona | $67K | -9% | 410 |
| Hawaii | $66K | -10% | 220 |
| Indiana | $65K | -12% | 430 |
| North Carolina | $64K | -12% | 540 |
| New Jersey | $64K | -12% | 500 |
| Delaware | $64K | -13% | 80 |
| Michigan | $64K | -13% | 820 |
| Ohio | $63K | -13% | 680 |
| Missouri | $63K | -14% | 600 |
| Pennsylvania | $61K | -16% | 900 |
| Mississippi | $60K | -18% | 470 |
| South Carolina | $52K | -28% | 300 |
| Florida | $51K | -30% | 950 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track conservation scientists salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Asheville numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a conservation scientist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Asheville?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $65K, rent takes 36.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,567/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,300/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for conservation scientists in Asheville?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new conservation scientists typically earn — is $50K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,001/month. At HUD’s $1,567/month FMR, rent would take 52% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is conservation scientist a high-paying job in Asheville?
Local pay runs 11% below the national median — $65K here vs. $73K nationally.
How does Asheville compare to the national average for conservation scientists?
Asheville pays $65K median vs. the U.S. average of $73K — that’s -11%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 96.51), the purchasing-power equivalent is $68K — below the national median.
How much do conservation scientists make in Asheville, NC?
The median is $65,170 a year, that works out to about $31 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $50,020, and experienced conservation scientists can clear $115,920. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $65K enough to live in Asheville?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,275/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,567/month, which eats 36.7% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a conservation scientists salary go in Asheville?
Asheville has a Regional Price Parity of 96.51 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median conservation scientists salary is worth about $67,527 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do conservation scientists get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.