Forest and Conservation Technicians Salary
Forest and Conservation Technicians in Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI make a median of $35,360 a year, or about $17 an hour. The range runs from $35K at the entry level to $35K for experienced workers.
So what does $35K get you in Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood’s Regional Price Parity (95.5). 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 Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood
Pay for forest and conservation technicians in Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood runs about 35% below the U.S. median of $55K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,519/month, which is 63% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 95.5) 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 forest and conservation technicianss.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for forest and conservation technicians in metros near Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Lansing-East Lansing | $53K | , |
| Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek | $37K | , |
| Milwaukee-Waukesha | $63K | , |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood | $49K | , |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI
Entry-level forest and conservation technicians (10th percentile) start around $35K. Mid-career wages sit at $35K. Top earners bring in $35K or more, a $0 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 |
| Vermont | $54K | -1% | 50 |
| Washington | $54K | -1% | 1,160 |
| Oklahoma | $54K | -1% | 130 |
| Wyoming | $53K | -2% | 560 |
| Arkansas | $53K | -2% | 310 |
| Idaho | $53K | -2% | 2,020 |
| New Mexico | $53K | -3% | 880 |
| Illinois | $53K | -3% | 820 |
| Florida | $52K | -4% | 380 |
| Montana | $52K | -4% | 1,760 |
| Mississippi | $52K | -4% | 250 |
| Texas | $52K | -4% | 600 |
| Iowa | $52K | -5% | 380 |
| New Hampshire | $52K | -5% | 60 |
| Nebraska | $52K | -5% | 100 |
| 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
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 Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a forest and conservation technician afford a 2BR apartment alone in Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $35K, rent takes 63% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,519/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $700/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 Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new forest and conservation technicians typically earn — is $35K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,122/month. At HUD’s $1,519/month FMR, rent would take 72% 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 Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood?
Local pay runs 35% below the national median — $35K here vs. $55K nationally.
How does Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood compare to the national average for forest and conservation technicians?
Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood pays $35K median vs. the U.S. average of $55K — that’s -35%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 95.5), the purchasing-power equivalent is $37K — below the national median.
How much do forest and conservation technicians make in Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI?
The median is $35,360 a year, that works out to about $17 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $35,360, and experienced forest and conservation technicians can clear $35,360. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $35K enough to live in Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,412/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,519/month, which eats 63% 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 Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood?
Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood 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 forest and conservation technicians salary is worth about $37,026 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.