Conservation Scientists Salary
Conservation Scientists in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC make a median of $63,790 a year, or about $30.67 an hour. The range runs from $46K at the entry level to $102K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 97.94), that's roughly $65,132 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,713/month, about 40.9% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $64K get you in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk’s Regional Price Parity (97.94). 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 Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk
Pay for conservation scientists in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk runs about 13% below the U.S. median of $73K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,713/month, which is 41% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 97.94) 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 Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Richmond | $66K | $68K |
| Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford | $69K | $74K |
| Raleigh-Cary | $79K | $81K |
| Charleston | $82K | $92K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC
Entry-level conservation scientists (10th percentile) start around $46K. Mid-career wages sit at $64K. Top earners bring in $102K or more, a $56K 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 Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a conservation scientist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $64K, rent takes 41% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,713/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 Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new conservation scientists typically earn — is $46K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,773/month. At HUD’s $1,713/month FMR, rent would take 62% 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 Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk?
Local pay runs 13% below the national median — $64K here vs. $73K nationally.
How does Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk compare to the national average for conservation scientists?
Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk pays $64K median vs. the U.S. average of $73K — that’s -13%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 97.94), the purchasing-power equivalent is $65K — below the national median.
How much do conservation scientists make in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC?
The median is $63,790 a year, that works out to about $31 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $46,210, and experienced conservation scientists can clear $101,920. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $64K enough to live in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,176/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,713/month, which eats 41% 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 Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk?
Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk has a Regional Price Parity of 97.94 (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 $65,132 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.