Forest and Conservation Technicians Salary
Forest and Conservation Technicians in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA make a median of $54,940 a year, or about $26.41 an hour. The range runs from $42K at the entry level to $84K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.7), which stretches that salary to about $59,913 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,318/month, about 36.5% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $55K get you in Des Moines-West Des Moines?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Des Moines-West Des Moines’s Regional Price Parity (91.7). 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 forest and conservation technicians
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What this looks like in Des Moines-West Des Moines
Forest and conservation technicians pay in Des Moines-West Des Moines tracks closely to the national median, $55K locally vs. $55K nationwide, a 1% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,318/month, which is 36.4% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 91.7 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 8% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for forest and conservation technicians in metros near Des Moines-West Des Moines, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin | $50K | $48K |
| Milwaukee-Waukesha | $63K | $65K |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington | $64K | $61K |
| Rapid City | $58K | $65K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA
Entry-level forest and conservation technicians (10th percentile) start around $42K. Mid-career wages sit at $55K. Top earners bring in $84K or more, a $43K spread from bottom to top.
Forest and Conservation Technicians pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Forest and Conservation Technicians salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Dakota | $69K | +26% | 160 |
| Alaska | $68K | +25% | 500 |
| Maryland | $65K | +19% | 130 |
| Wisconsin | $63K | +15% | 620 |
| Louisiana | $59K | +9% | 210 |
| Minnesota | $59K | +8% | 580 |
| California | $58K | +7% | 6,640 |
| New York | $58K | +6% | 190 |
| Colorado | $58K | +5% | 1,040 |
| Pennsylvania | $57K | +5% | 420 |
| Alabama | $57K | +4% | 180 |
| Arizona | $57K | +4% | 1,310 |
| Massachusetts | $56K | +4% | N/A |
| Oregon | $56K | +2% | 2,530 |
| South Carolina | $56K | +2% | 180 |
| South Dakota | $55K | +0% | 350 |
| West Virginia | $55K | +0% | 100 |
| Nevada | $54K | -1% | 750 |
| Washington | $54K | -1% | 1,160 |
| Vermont | $54K | -1% | 50 |
| Oklahoma | $54K | -1% | 130 |
| Idaho | $53K | -2% | 2,020 |
| Wyoming | $53K | -2% | 560 |
| Arkansas | $53K | -2% | 310 |
| New Mexico | $53K | -3% | 880 |
| Illinois | $53K | -3% | 820 |
| Montana | $52K | -4% | 1,760 |
| Florida | $52K | -4% | 380 |
| Mississippi | $52K | -4% | 250 |
| Texas | $52K | -4% | 600 |
| Iowa | $52K | -5% | 380 |
| Nebraska | $52K | -5% | 100 |
| New Hampshire | $52K | -5% | 60 |
| Georgia | $51K | -7% | 230 |
| Hawaii | $50K | -8% | 140 |
| Virginia | $50K | -8% | 380 |
| Ohio | $49K | -10% | 230 |
| Indiana | $49K | -11% | 150 |
| North Carolina | $48K | -11% | 650 |
| Utah | $48K | -12% | 1,140 |
| Tennessee | $48K | -12% | 390 |
| Michigan | $46K | -16% | 560 |
| Kentucky | $44K | -20% | 240 |
| Kansas | $42K | -24% | 170 |
| Missouri | $34K | -38% | 600 |
Showing 1–10 of 45 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track forest and conservation technicians salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Des Moines-West Des Moines numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a forest and conservation technician afford a 2BR apartment alone in Des Moines-West Des Moines?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $55K, rent takes 36.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,318/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,100/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for forest and conservation technicians in Des Moines-West Des Moines?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new forest and conservation technicians typically earn — is $42K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,505/month. At HUD’s $1,318/month FMR, rent would take 53% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is forest and conservation technician a high-paying job in Des Moines-West Des Moines?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $55K locally vs. $55K nationally, a 1% difference.
How does Des Moines-West Des Moines compare to the national average for forest and conservation technicians?
Des Moines-West Des Moines pays $55K median vs. the U.S. average of $55K — that’s +1%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 91.7), the purchasing-power equivalent is $60K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do forest and conservation technicians make in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA?
The median is $54,940 a year, that works out to about $26 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $41,750, and experienced forest and conservation technicians can clear $84,450. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $55K enough to live in Des Moines-West Des Moines?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,623/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,318/month, which eats 36.4% 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 forest and conservation technicians salary go in Des Moines-West Des Moines?
Des Moines-West Des Moines has a Regional Price Parity of 91.7 (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 forest and conservation technicians salary is worth about $59,913 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do forest and conservation technicians 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.