Forest and Conservation Workers Salary
Forest and Conservation Workers in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA make a median of $43,680 a year, or about $21 an hour. The range runs from $40K at the entry level to $46K for experienced workers.
So what does $44K get you in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad’s Regional Price Parity (111.9). 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 San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad
Forest and conservation workers pay in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad tracks closely to the national median, $44K locally vs. $44K nationwide, a 0% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $2,511/month, which is 83.2% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost-of-living overall is 12% above the national average (BEA RPP 111.9), so groceries and services cost more too. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for forest and conservation workers in metros near San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont | $36K | , |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim | $44K | , |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom | $44K | , |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura | $44K | , |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA
Entry-level forest and conservation workers (10th percentile) start around $40K. Mid-career wages sit at $44K. Top earners bring in $46K or more, a $6K 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
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 San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a forest and conservation worker afford a 2BR apartment alone in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $44K, rent takes 83.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,511/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $900/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 San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new forest and conservation workers typically earn — is $40K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,371/month. At HUD’s $2,511/month FMR, rent would take 106% 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 San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $44K locally vs. $44K nationally, a 0% difference.
How does San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad compare to the national average for forest and conservation workers?
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad pays $44K median vs. the U.S. average of $44K — that’s +0%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 111.9), the purchasing-power equivalent is $39K — below the national median.
How much do forest and conservation workers make in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA?
The median is $43,680 a year, that works out to about $21 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $39,520, and experienced forest and conservation workers can clear $45,760. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $44K enough to live in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,017/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,511/month, which eats 83.2% 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 San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad?
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad has a Regional Price Parity of 100 (100 is the national average). That's right at the national average. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median forest and conservation workers salary is worth about $39,035 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.