Conservation Scientists Salary
Conservation Scientists in Portland-South Portland, ME make a median of $78,440 a year, or about $37.71 an hour. The range runs from $44K at the entry level to $125K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 101.86), that's roughly $77,008 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,130/month, about 41.6% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $78K get you in Portland-South Portland?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Portland-South Portland’s Regional Price Parity (101.86). 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 Portland-South Portland
Conservation scientists pay in Portland-South Portland tracks closely to the national median, $78K locally vs. $73K nationwide, a 7% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $2,130/month, which is 43% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 101.86) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Portland-South Portland, ME
Entry-level conservation scientists (10th percentile) start around $44K. Mid-career wages sit at $78K. Top earners bring in $125K or more, a $80K 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 Portland-South Portland numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a conservation scientist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Portland-South Portland?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $78K, rent takes 43% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,130/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,500/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for conservation scientists in Portland-South Portland?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new conservation scientists typically earn — is $44K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,663/month. At HUD’s $2,130/month FMR, rent would take 80% 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 Portland-South Portland?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $78K locally vs. $73K nationally, a 7% difference.
How does Portland-South Portland compare to the national average for conservation scientists?
Portland-South Portland pays $78K median vs. the U.S. average of $73K — that’s +7%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 101.86), the purchasing-power equivalent is $77K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do conservation scientists make in Portland-South Portland, ME?
The median is $78,440 a year, that works out to about $38 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $44,390, and experienced conservation scientists can clear $124,560. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $78K enough to live in Portland-South Portland?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,956/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,130/month, which eats 43% 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 Portland-South Portland?
Portland-South Portland has a Regional Price Parity of 101.86 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median conservation scientists salary is worth about $77,008 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.