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Conservation science teacher: pay, job outlook and how to become one

Updated October 29, 2026. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET data. Published by Humblebee.

$101,420median pay per year, May 2025[1]
  1. $50,100lowest 10% earn less
  2. $77,44025th percentile
  3. $101,420median
  4. $126,93075th percentile
  5. $148,920top 10% earn more
Middle half of workers in the inner band[3]Median for all US jobs, $50,980[4]

A postsecondary conservation science teacher earned a median of $101,420 a year in May 2025[1]. Jobs are projected to grow 2.8% from 2025 to 2035[2].

Job growth, 2025–35
+2.8%[2]
Openings per year
100[5]
Typical entry education
Doctoral or professional degree[6]

How much do conservation science teachers make?

BLS calls this job Forestry and Conservation Science Teachers, Postsecondary. The median wage was $101,420 a year, so half of workers earned more and half earned less[1]. The average was $102,450[7]. BLS publishes only annual wages for this job, not hourly wages[8].

Here is the spread across the job[3]:

Point in the range Annual wage
10th percentile[3] $50,100
25th percentile[3] $77,440
Median[1] $101,420
75th percentile[3] $126,930
90th percentile[3] $148,920

A percentile is a boundary. The lowest-paid 10% of workers earned less than $50,100[3][9]. BLS does not publish a starting salary[9].

The median for all occupations in the US was $50,980[4]. The median for this job was higher.

These figures cover people paid a wage or salary. They leave out the self-employed, bonuses not tied to production, and the cost of benefits such as health insurance[10].

Pay by state and city

Among the 16 states with published data, Michigan had the highest median at $138,130 a year[11]. Virginia was next at $132,820, then Oregon at $126,930[11]. California was last at $61,730[11]. Many state figures rest on small job counts. Michigan's is based on 60 jobs[11].

Oregon had the most jobs, at 210[12]. Minnesota followed with 180, then California with 110[12]. Among metro areas, Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI had 60 jobs and a median of $101,420[13].

Show median pay in 16 states
StateMedian per yearJobs
Michigan[11]$138,13060
Virginia$132,82060
Oregon$126,930210
Arizona$115,73060
North Carolina$108,43090
Washington$104,49040
Montana$104,22060
Indiana$102,33040
Wisconsin$98,41040
Georgia$94,31040
West Virginia$84,45040
Minnesota$82,670180
Maine$82,28050
Alabama$80,38080
Missouri$79,82070
California$61,730110

How to become a conservation science teacher

BLS lists a doctoral or professional degree as the typical education for entry. It lists no related work experience and no on-the-job training[6]. The details below come from a BLS profile on postsecondary teachers that covers a wider group of occupations, so they are general[14].

Schools may prefer teaching or other work experience[18]. Some teachers gain teaching experience as graduate teaching assistants[19].

Teachers with a doctorate often seek tenure, which protects them from being fired without just cause. It may take up to 7 years to move through the ranks of assistant professor, associate professor and professor[20].

O*NET places the job in Job Zone Five, which means extensive preparation is needed[21].

What conservation science teachers do

O*NET describes the job as teaching courses in forestry and conservation science. Some teachers also do research[22]. Typical tasks include[23]:

Where they work

The BLS profile for the wider group of postsecondary teachers lists colleges, universities and professional schools (state) as the largest employer, at 41%[24][14].

Full-time work is typical for postsecondary teachers, though part-time work is common[25]. Courses are generally held during the day, with some in the evening or on weekends[26]. Full-time teachers usually need to be on campus to teach and hold office hours. Otherwise they can generally set their own schedules[27]. Academic calendars include breaks between terms[28].

Balancing teaching with research and publishing can be stressful, especially for beginning teachers seeking advancement[29].

Job outlook

BLS projects employment to grow 2.8% from 2025 to 2035, from about 1,800 to 1,900 jobs[2]. That is slower than the 3.5% projected for all occupations[30]. These counts include self-employed workers[2].

BLS expects about 100 openings a year[5]. Openings include jobs left by people who retire or switch occupations, not only new jobs[5]. Each year, 3.5% of workers leave the labor force and 3% move to a different occupation[31].

The OEWS count of about 1,520 wage and salary jobs[32] and the projection count of about 1,800[2] measure different things, so they do not match.

Is it a good fit?

The pay is well above the all-occupations median, and the top of the range is high[1][3][4]. The cost is a long path, since the typical entry education is a doctoral or professional degree[6]. The job is very small, growth is projected below the all-occupations rate, and about 100 openings are expected a year[2][30][5]. This fits people who are ready for years of study and who can handle a small field.

Related occupations from O*NET, with BLS median pay and projected growth[33].

Frequently asked questions

How much does a conservation science teacher make?
The median was $101,420 a year in May 2025[1]. BLS publishes only annual wages for this job[8].
What degree do you need to be a conservation science teacher?
BLS lists a doctoral or professional degree as the typical education for entry[6]. A master's degree may be enough at some community colleges[17].
Is conservation science teaching in demand?
BLS projects 2.8% growth from 2025 to 2035, compared with 3.5% for all occupations[2][30]. About 100 openings are expected each year[5].
What state pays conservation science teachers the most?
Michigan had the highest median, at $138,130 a year[11]. Oregon had the most jobs, at 210[12].

Facts and sources

  1. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Forestry and Conservation Science Teachers, Postsecondary in the US was $101,420 per year. Half of workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  2. BLS Employment Projections: employment of Forestry and Conservation Science Teachers, Postsecondary is projected to grow 2.8% from 2025 to 2035, from about 1,800 to 1,900 jobs (a change of +100). These counts include self-employed workers. BLS Employment Projections
  3. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Forestry and Conservation Science Teachers, Postsecondary: 10th percentile $50,100, 25th percentile $77,440, 75th percentile $126,930, 90th percentile $148,920. The 10th percentile means 10% of workers earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  4. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in the US was $50,980. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  5. BLS Employment Projections: about 100 openings for Forestry and Conservation Science Teachers, Postsecondary are projected each year, on average, from 2025 to 2035. Openings include jobs that open when workers retire or move to other occupations, not only new jobs. BLS Employment Projections
  6. BLS Employment Projections, typical path into Forestry and Conservation Science Teachers, Postsecondary: education needed for entry: Doctoral or professional degree; work experience in a related occupation: None; typical on-the-job training: None. BLS Employment Projections
  7. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Forestry and Conservation Science Teachers, Postsecondary was $102,450 per year. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  8. BLS publishes only annual wages for Forestry and Conservation Science Teachers, Postsecondary, not hourly wages, because many work fewer than 2,080 hours a year but are paid yearly. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  9. BLS OEWS FAQ: a percentile wage is a boundary. The median (50th percentile) separates the highest-paid 50% from the lowest-paid 50% of workers in the occupation. OEWS publishes percentile wages, not a starting salary. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  10. BLS OEWS FAQ: OEWS covers part-time and full-time workers paid a wage or salary. It does not cover the self-employed, owners and partners in unincorporated firms, household workers or unpaid family workers. OEWS wages do not include nonproduction bonuses or employer costs of benefits such as health insurance or retirement contributions. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  11. Median annual wage for Forestry and Conservation Science Teachers, Postsecondary in every state with published data, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  12. BLS OEWS, May 2025, states with the most Forestry and Conservation Science Teachers, Postsecondary jobs: Oregon 210; Minnesota 180; California 110; North Carolina 90; Alabama 80. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  13. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the most Forestry and Conservation Science Teachers, Postsecondary jobs: Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI 60 (median $101,420). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  14. The BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile "Postsecondary Teachers" covers Forestry and Conservation Science Teachers, Postsecondary together with other related occupations, so its text describes the wider group. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  15. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Education. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  16. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Education. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  17. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Education. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  18. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Work Experience in a Related Occupation. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  19. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Work Experience in a Related Occupation. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  20. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Advancement. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  21. O*NET 25-1043.00: Job Zone Five: Extensive Preparation Needed. Extensive skill, knowledge, and experience are needed for these occupations. Many require more than five years of experience. For example, surgeons must complete four years of college and an additional five to seven years of specialized medical training to be able to do their job. O*NET OnLine
  22. O*NET description of Forestry and Conservation Science Teachers, Postsecondary. O*NET OnLine
  23. O*NET task list for Forestry and Conservation Science Teachers, Postsecondary. O*NET OnLine
  24. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, largest employers of postsecondary teachers in 2025: Colleges, universities, and professional schools; state 41%. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  25. Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment: Work Schedules. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  26. Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment: Work Schedules. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  27. Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment: Work Schedules. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  28. Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment: Work Schedules. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  29. Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  30. BLS Employment Projections: employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5% from 2025 to 2035. BLS Employment Projections
  31. BLS Employment Projections, 2025-35 annual average for Forestry and Conservation Science Teachers, Postsecondary: 3.5% of workers leave the labor force each year and 3% move to a different occupation. BLS Employment Projections
  32. BLS OEWS, May 2025: about 1,520 people were employed as Forestry and Conservation Science Teachers, Postsecondary in the US (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  33. Related occupations (O*NET) with BLS pay, growth and entry education. O*NET OnLine

Notes are for reading the data only. They are not facts and cannot be cited: use the wage_scope and percentile_meaning facts instead. OEWS employment (jobs in May 2025) and Employment Projections employment (2025, includes self-employed) are different measures and can differ. O*NET education shares come from a small survey of workers in the occupation, not from all workers. The Occupational Outlook Handbook text covers a wider group of occupations than this page.

This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerFacts has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.