Forest and Conservation Technicians Salary
Forest and Conservation Technicians in Lansing-East Lansing, MI make a median of $52,840 a year, or about $25.4 an hour. The range runs from $35K at the entry level to $65K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 94.99), which stretches that salary to about $55,627 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,268/month, about 36.5% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $53K get you in Lansing-East Lansing?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Lansing-East Lansing’s Regional Price Parity (94.99). 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 Lansing-East Lansing
Forest and conservation technicians pay in Lansing-East Lansing tracks closely to the national median, $53K locally vs. $55K nationwide, a 3% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,268/month, which is 36% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 94.99 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 5% 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 Lansing-East Lansing, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood | $35K | $37K |
| Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek | $37K | $40K |
| Milwaukee-Waukesha | $63K | $65K |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood | $49K | $51K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Lansing-East Lansing, MI
Entry-level forest and conservation technicians (10th percentile) start around $35K. Mid-career wages sit at $53K. Top earners bring in $65K or more, a $29K 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 Lansing-East Lansing numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a forest and conservation technician afford a 2BR apartment alone in Lansing-East Lansing?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $53K, rent takes 36% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,268/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 Lansing-East Lansing?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new forest and conservation technicians typically earn — is $35K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,119/month. At HUD’s $1,268/month FMR, rent would take 60% 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 Lansing-East Lansing?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $53K locally vs. $55K nationally, a 3% difference.
How does Lansing-East Lansing compare to the national average for forest and conservation technicians?
Lansing-East Lansing pays $53K median vs. the U.S. average of $55K — that’s -3%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 94.99), the purchasing-power equivalent is $56K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do forest and conservation technicians make in Lansing-East Lansing, MI?
The median is $52,840 a year, that works out to about $25 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $35,320, and experienced forest and conservation technicians can clear $64,770. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $53K enough to live in Lansing-East Lansing?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,521/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,268/month, which eats 36% 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 Lansing-East Lansing?
Lansing-East Lansing has a Regional Price Parity of 94.99 (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 $55,627 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.