Forest and Conservation Technicians Salary
Forest and Conservation Technicians in Missoula, MT make a median of $58,990 a year, or about $28.36 an hour. The range runs from $44K at the entry level to $80K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 96.44), that's roughly $61,168 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,361/month, about 35.1% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $59K get you in Missoula?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Missoula’s Regional Price Parity (96.44). 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 Missoula
Forest and conservation technicians pay in Missoula tracks closely to the national median, $59K locally vs. $55K nationwide, a 8% difference. Rent runs $1,361/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 34.7% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost of living (RPP 96.44) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for forest and conservation technicians in metros near Missoula, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Helena | $54K | $57K |
| Billings | $53K | $57K |
| Bozeman | $53K | $52K |
| Boise City | $58K | $59K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Missoula, MT
Entry-level forest and conservation technicians (10th percentile) start around $44K. Mid-career wages sit at $59K. Top earners bring in $80K or more, a $37K 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 Missoula numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a forest and conservation technician afford a 2BR apartment alone in Missoula?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $59K, rent takes 34.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,361/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,200/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 Missoula?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new forest and conservation technicians typically earn — is $44K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,620/month. At HUD’s $1,361/month FMR, rent would take 52% 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 Missoula?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $59K locally vs. $55K nationally, a 8% difference.
How does Missoula compare to the national average for forest and conservation technicians?
Missoula pays $59K median vs. the U.S. average of $55K — that’s +8%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 96.44), the purchasing-power equivalent is $61K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do forest and conservation technicians make in Missoula, MT?
The median is $58,990 a year, that works out to about $28 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $43,660, and experienced forest and conservation technicians can clear $80,330. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $59K enough to live in Missoula?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,922/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,361/month, which eats 34.7% 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 Missoula?
Missoula has a Regional Price Parity of 96.44 (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 $61,168 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.