Conservation Scientists Salary

It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $51K, rent takes 34.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,180/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,000/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.

The 10th-percentile wage — what new conservation scientists typically earn — is $32K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,227/month.

Local pay runs 30% below the national median — $51K here vs. $73K nationally.

Southern Michigan nonmetropolitan area pays $51K median vs. the U.S. average of $73K — that’s -30%.

The median is $51,160 a year, that works out to about $25 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $32,440, and experienced conservation scientists can clear $91,560. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.

On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,414/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,180/month, which eats 34.6% 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.

Southern Michigan nonmetropolitan area has a Regional Price Parity of 100 (100 is the national average). That's right at the national average. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median conservation scientists salary is worth about $51,160 in national-average purchasing power.

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.