Forest and Conservation Workers Salary
Forest and Conservation Workers in Rapid City, SD make a median of $50,110 a year, or about $24.09 an hour. The range runs from $32K at the entry level to $61K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 89.16), which stretches that salary to about $56,202 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,336/month, about 38.4% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $50K get you in Rapid City?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Rapid City’s Regional Price Parity (89.16). 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 workers
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What this looks like in Rapid City
Rapid City 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 $1,336/month, which is 37.9% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 89.16 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 11% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. The pay premium is real, but so are the offsets.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for forest and conservation workers in metros near Rapid City, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Sioux Falls | $37K | $41K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Rapid City, SD
Entry-level forest and conservation workers (10th percentile) start around $32K. Mid-career wages sit at $50K. Top earners bring in $61K or more, a $29K spread from bottom to top.
Forest and Conservation Workers pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Forest and Conservation Workers salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Idaho | $59K | +36% | N/A |
| Hawaii | $56K | +29% | 60 |
| Virginia | $55K | +25% | N/A |
| Massachusetts | $52K | +19% | 120 |
| Pennsylvania | $50K | +15% | 210 |
| Ohio | $48K | +11% | 160 |
| Arkansas | $47K | +8% | 30 |
| Oregon | $46K | +5% | 70 |
| Washington | $44K | +2% | 460 |
| South Carolina | $44K | +1% | 40 |
| California | $44K | +0% | 2,270 |
| New Jersey | $42K | -5% | 40 |
| Tennessee | $40K | -8% | 210 |
| Louisiana | $40K | -9% | 150 |
| Minnesota | $40K | -9% | 30 |
| South Dakota | $38K | -13% | 490 |
| Colorado | $38K | -14% | 110 |
| Missouri | $37K | -15% | 120 |
| Florida | $37K | -16% | 70 |
| Wisconsin | $36K | -17% | 300 |
| New Mexico | $36K | -17% | 30 |
| Nevada | $36K | -18% | N/A |
| Georgia | $34K | -22% | 160 |
| Connecticut | $34K | -22% | 40 |
| Iowa | $34K | -23% | 40 |
| Montana | $33K | -25% | N/A |
| Texas | $30K | -30% | N/A |
Showing 1–10 of 27 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track forest and conservation workers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Rapid City numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a forest and conservation worker afford a 2BR apartment alone in Rapid City?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $50K, rent takes 37.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,336/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 workers in Rapid City?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new forest and conservation workers typically earn — is $32K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,914/month. At HUD’s $1,336/month FMR, rent would take 70% 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 Rapid City?
Local pay is 15% above the national median — $50K here vs. $44K nationally.
How does Rapid City compare to the national average for forest and conservation workers?
Rapid City pays $50K median vs. the U.S. average of $44K — that’s +15%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 89.16), the purchasing-power equivalent is $56K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do forest and conservation workers make in Rapid City, SD?
The median is $50,110 a year, that works out to about $24 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $31,900, and experienced forest and conservation workers can clear $61,010. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $50K enough to live in Rapid City?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,525/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,336/month, which eats 37.9% 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 Rapid City?
Rapid City has a Regional Price Parity of 89.16 (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 $56,202 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.