Forest and Conservation Workers Salary
Forest and Conservation Workers in Pennsylvania make a median of $50,250 a year, or about $24.16 an hour. The range runs from $44K at the entry level to $62K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 94.97), which stretches that salary to about $52,911 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,351/month, about 40.2% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Pennsylvania. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $50K get you in Pennsylvania?
About forest and conservation workers
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What this looks like in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania sits well above the national pay line for forest and conservation workers, local pay runs about 15% higher than the U.S. median of $44K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,351/month, which is 39.7% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 94.97 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 5% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. The pay premium is real, but so are the offsets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Pennsylvania
Entry-level forest and conservation workers (10th percentile) start around $44K. Mid-career wages sit at $50K. Top earners bring in $62K or more, a $19K spread from bottom to top.
Forest and Conservation Workers salary by metro in Pennsylvania
2 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pittsburgh | $51K | +2% | 30 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington | $39K | -21% | 110 |
Compare to other states
Track forest and conservation workers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Pennsylvania numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a forest and conservation worker afford a 2BR apartment alone in Pennsylvania?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $50K, rent takes 39.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,351/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 workers in Pennsylvania?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new forest and conservation workers typically earn — is $44K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,624/month. At HUD’s $1,351/month FMR, rent would take 51% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is forest and conservation worker a high-paying job in Pennsylvania?
Local pay is 15% above the national median — $50K here vs. $44K nationally.
How does Pennsylvania compare to the national average for forest and conservation workers?
Pennsylvania pays $50K median vs. the U.S. average of $44K — that’s +15%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 94.97), the purchasing-power equivalent is $53K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do forest and conservation workers make in Pennsylvania?
The median is $50,250 a year, that works out to about $24 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $43,740, and experienced forest and conservation workers can clear $62,290. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $50K enough to live in Pennsylvania?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,406/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,351/month, which eats 39.7% 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 workers salary go in Pennsylvania?
Pennsylvania has a Regional Price Parity of 94.97 (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 workers salary is worth about $52,911 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do forest and conservation workers 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.