SOC 19-1031 · May 2025 · BLS OEWS
Conservation Scientists — Charleston
Charleston, WV
Median pay for this occupation in Charleston, WV comes to $81,760 a year, ahead of the national median of $73,010 by 12.0%.
Wage distribution · annual
Shaded band holds the middle 50% of earners
The next ten years
Projected to grow about as fast as average
- Change in jobs, 2024 to 2034
- +3.4%
- Openings per year
- 2,500
- Typical entry-level education
- Bachelor's degree
Includes jobs opened by workers leaving the occupation, not only new positions.
Projections are published nationally only. This is the outlook for the occupation across the United States, not a measurement for Charleston, WV.
Projections are based on 2024 employment and run to 2034. The wages above are from the May 2025 survey, a separate BLS programme on a different release cycle, so the two are not two views of one dataset.
Salary overview
Median pay for this occupation in Charleston, WV comes to $81,760 a year, ahead of the national median of $73,010 by 12.0%. Pay ranges from under $44,880 at the tenth percentile to more than $135,610 at the ninetieth, with the interquartile range running from $52,960 to $93,360.
Of the 341 occupations with published wages in this area, it sits 52nd.
Percentile breakdown
| Percentile | Annual | vs US median |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $44,880 | −38.5% |
| 25th | $52,960 | −27.5% |
| Median (50th) | $81,760 | +12.0% |
| 75th | $93,360 | +27.9% |
| 90th | $135,610 | +85.7% |
| Mean | $83,560 | +14.5% |
What the pay is worth locally
Prices in Charleston run 11.3% below the national average, so the median of $81,760 goes as far as $92,176 would elsewhere in the country. Measured that way it compares to the national median at 26.3% above the national median in real terms.
Published median
$81,760as reported by BLSLocal price level
88.7US average = 100 · BEA 2024Adjusted for local prices
$92,176US average = 100 · BEA 2024Why the state that pays most is usually not where pay goes furthest
Key takeaways
- Median pay is $81,760 a year, 12.0% above the national median.
- Published pay spans $44,880 to $135,610 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median wage for Conservation Scientists in Charleston, WV?
The median annual wage is $81,760, or $39.31 per hour, as of May 2025. Half of the workers in this occupation earn more than that and half earn less.
Is that higher than the national average?
The national median for this occupation is $73,010, so pay in Charleston, WV is 12.0% higher. These figures are medians, not averages: half of workers fall on each side.
What do the top earners make?
The top tenth of this occupation in Charleston, WV earns more than $135,610 per year. The ninetieth percentile is the highest figure the survey publishes.
What is the starting range?
The tenth percentile wage is $44,880 per year. The survey measures wages actually paid rather than experience level, so this reflects the lowest-paid tenth rather than entry-level pay specifically.
Source and methodology
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 Wages are for wage-and-salary workers; self-employed workers are not included. Salary Explorer is an independent project. It is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics or any government agency. Full methodology.
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