Conservation Scientists Salary
Conservation Scientists in Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL make a median of $69,590 a year, or about $33.46 an hour. The range runs from $30K at the entry level to $117K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 89.08), which stretches that salary to about $78,121 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,143/month, or 25% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $70K get you in Davenport-Moline-Rock Island?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Davenport-Moline-Rock Island’s Regional Price Parity (89.08). 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 Davenport-Moline-Rock Island
Conservation scientists pay in Davenport-Moline-Rock Island tracks closely to the national median, $70K locally vs. $73K nationwide, a 5% difference. Rent runs $1,143/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 25.5% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 89.08 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 11% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for conservation scientists in metros near Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Des Moines-West Des Moines | $77K | $83K |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin | $63K | $61K |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington | $75K | $72K |
| Madison | $85K | $87K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL
Entry-level conservation scientists (10th percentile) start around $30K. Mid-career wages sit at $70K. Top earners bring in $117K or more, a $87K 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 states
Track conservation scientists salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Davenport-Moline-Rock Island numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a conservation scientist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Davenport-Moline-Rock Island?
Yes — at the median salary of $70K, rent takes 25.5% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,143/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for conservation scientists in Davenport-Moline-Rock Island?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new conservation scientists typically earn — is $30K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,816/month. At HUD’s $1,143/month FMR, rent would take 63% 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 Davenport-Moline-Rock Island?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $70K locally vs. $73K nationally, a 5% difference.
How does Davenport-Moline-Rock Island compare to the national average for conservation scientists?
Davenport-Moline-Rock Island pays $70K median vs. the U.S. average of $73K — that’s -5%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 89.08), the purchasing-power equivalent is $78K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do conservation scientists make in Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL?
The median is $69,590 a year, that works out to about $33 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $30,270, and experienced conservation scientists can clear $117,040. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $70K enough to live in Davenport-Moline-Rock Island?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,483/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,143/month, which eats 25.5% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a conservation scientists salary go in Davenport-Moline-Rock Island?
Davenport-Moline-Rock Island has a Regional Price Parity of 89.08 (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 $78,121 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.