Forest and Conservation Technicians Salary
Forest and Conservation Technicians in Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA make a median of $49,100 a year, or about $23.61 an hour. The range runs from $46K at the entry level to $91K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 103.67), that's roughly $47,362 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,960/month, about 55.5% of take-home, which is tight.
Where the paycheck goes
What $49K actually covers in Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, month by month
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater’s Regional Price Parity (103.67). 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 Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater
Forest and conservation technicians pay in Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater tracks closely to the national median, $49K locally vs. $55K nationwide, a 10% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,960/month, which is 56.7% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 103.67) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for forest and conservation technicians in metros near Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue | $57K | $51K |
| Wenatchee-East Wenatchee | $52K | $50K |
| Boise City | $58K | $59K |
| Bend | $59K | $57K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA
Entry-level forest and conservation technicians (10th percentile) start around $46K. Mid-career wages sit at $49K. Top earners bring in $91K or more, a $46K 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 Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater 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 Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $49K, rent takes 56.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,960/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,000/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 Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new forest and conservation technicians typically earn — is $46K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,229/month. At HUD’s $1,960/month FMR, rent would take 61% 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 Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $49K locally vs. $55K nationally, a 10% difference.
How does Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater compare to the national average for forest and conservation technicians?
Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater pays $49K median vs. the U.S. average of $55K — that’s -10%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 103.67), the purchasing-power equivalent is $47K — below the national median.
How much do forest and conservation technicians make in Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA?
The median is $49,100 a year, that works out to about $24 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $45,680, and experienced forest and conservation technicians can clear $91,400. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $49K enough to live in Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,458/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,960/month, which eats 56.7% 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 Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater?
Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater has a Regional Price Parity of 103.67 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median forest and conservation technicians salary is worth about $47,362 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.