Forest and Conservation Workers Salary
Forest and Conservation Workers in Sioux Falls, SD-MN make a median of $37,470 a year, or about $18.02 an hour. The range runs from $37K at the entry level to $51K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 90.63), which stretches that salary to about $41,344 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,156/month, about 42.9% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $37K 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 workers
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What this looks like in Sioux Falls
Pay for forest and conservation workers in Sioux Falls runs about 14% below the U.S. median of $44K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,156/month, which is 43.2% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. 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. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for forest and conservation workerss.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for forest and conservation workers in metros near Sioux Falls, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Rapid City | $50K | $56K |
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 workers (10th percentile) start around $37K. Mid-career wages sit at $37K. Top earners bring in $51K or more, a $13K 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 Sioux Falls numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a forest and conservation worker afford a 2BR apartment alone in Sioux Falls?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $37K, rent takes 43.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,156/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $800/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 Sioux Falls?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new forest and conservation workers typically earn — is $37K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,248/month. At HUD’s $1,156/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 Sioux Falls?
Local pay runs 14% below the national median — $37K here vs. $44K nationally. Cost of living is 9% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Sioux Falls compare to the national average for forest and conservation workers?
Sioux Falls pays $37K median vs. the U.S. average of $44K — that’s -14%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 90.63), the purchasing-power equivalent is $41K — below the national median.
How much do forest and conservation workers make in Sioux Falls, SD-MN?
The median is $37,470 a year, that works out to about $18 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $37,470, and experienced forest and conservation workers can clear $50,640. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $37K enough to live in Sioux Falls?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,679/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,156/month, which eats 43.2% 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 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 workers salary is worth about $41,344 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.