Forest and Conservation Technicians Salary
Forest and Conservation Technicians in Sioux Falls, SD-MN make a median of $65,670 a year, or about $31.57 an hour. The range runs from $50K at the entry level to $77K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 90.63), which stretches that salary to about $72,459 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,156/month, or 25.3% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $66K get you in Sioux Falls?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Sioux Falls’s Regional Price Parity (90.63). 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 Sioux Falls
Sioux Falls sits well above the national pay line for forest and conservation technicians, local pay runs about 20% higher than the U.S. median of $55K. Rent runs $1,156/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 25.4% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 90.63 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 9% 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 Sioux Falls, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Rapid City | $58K | $65K |
| Missoula | $59K | $61K |
| Helena | $54K | $57K |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington | $64K | $61K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Sioux Falls, SD-MN
Entry-level forest and conservation technicians (10th percentile) start around $50K. Mid-career wages sit at $66K. Top earners bring in $77K or more, a $27K 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 Sioux Falls numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a forest and conservation technician afford a 2BR apartment alone in Sioux Falls?
Yes — at the median salary of $66K, rent takes 25.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,156/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for forest and conservation technicians in Sioux Falls?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new forest and conservation technicians typically earn — is $50K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,020/month. At HUD’s $1,156/month FMR, rent would take 38% 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 Sioux Falls?
Local pay is 20% above the national median — $66K here vs. $55K nationally.
How does Sioux Falls compare to the national average for forest and conservation technicians?
Sioux Falls pays $66K median vs. the U.S. average of $55K — that’s +20%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 90.63), the purchasing-power equivalent is $72K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do forest and conservation technicians make in Sioux Falls, SD-MN?
The median is $65,670 a year, that works out to about $32 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $50,340, and experienced forest and conservation technicians can clear $77,150. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $66K enough to live in Sioux Falls?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,549/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,156/month, which eats 25.4% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a forest and conservation technicians salary go in Sioux Falls?
Sioux Falls has a Regional Price Parity of 90.63 (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 $72,459 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.