Forest and Conservation Technicians Salary
Forest and Conservation Technicians in Jefferson City, MO make a median of $33,920 a year, or about $16.31 an hour. The range runs from $33K at the entry level to $47K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 87.97), which stretches that salary to about $38,559 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $910/month, about 39.3% of take-home, which is tight.
Where the paycheck goes
What $34K actually covers in Jefferson City, month by month
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Jefferson City’s Regional Price Parity (87.97). 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 Jefferson City
Pay for forest and conservation technicians in Jefferson City runs about 38% below the U.S. median of $55K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $910/month, which is 38.3% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 87.97 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 12% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for forest and conservation technicians.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for forest and conservation technicians in metros near Jefferson City, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| St. Louis | $45K | $48K |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin | $50K | $48K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Jefferson City, MO
Entry-level forest and conservation technicians (10th percentile) start around $33K. Mid-career wages sit at $34K. Top earners bring in $47K or more, a $14K 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 annually. We'll email you when Jefferson City numbers change.
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Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a forest and conservation technician afford a 2BR apartment alone in Jefferson City?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $34K, rent takes 38.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $910/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 Jefferson City?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new forest and conservation technicians typically earn — is $33K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,340/month. At HUD’s $910/month FMR, rent would take 39% 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 Jefferson City?
Local pay runs 38% below the national median — $34K here vs. $55K nationally. Cost of living is 12% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Jefferson City compare to the national average for forest and conservation technicians?
Jefferson City pays $34K median vs. the U.S. average of $55K — that’s -38%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 87.97), the purchasing-power equivalent is $39K — below the national median.
How much do forest and conservation technicians make in Jefferson City, MO?
The median is $33,920 a year, that works out to about $16 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $33,400, and experienced forest and conservation technicians can clear $47,240. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $34K enough to live in Jefferson City?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,373/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $910/month, which eats 38.3% 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 Jefferson City?
Jefferson City has a Regional Price Parity of 87.97 (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 $38,559 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.