GeraJobs / US Real Pay Index / Conservation Scientists
Best States to Be a Conservation Scientists
After 2025 state income tax and 2024 cost of living, a conservation scientists salary goes furthest in Louisiana — a $80,190 BLS median worth $88,609 in real terms (Gera US Real Pay Index 122.4).
Which US states are best for a conservation scientists after cost of living and tax?
For a conservation scientists, the Gera US Real Pay Index ranks Louisiana #1: a $80,190 BLS median becomes $88,609 in cost-of-living-and-tax-adjusted terms (index 122.4). Florida ranks last ($49,442, index 68.3). Real BLS OEWS May 2025 across 51 states; re-dated annually.
Gera US Real Pay Index
Louisiana ranks #1 of 51 states for a conservation scientists. Index 100 = the average state; 122.4 means pay goes 22.4% further after tax and cost of living.
How this is calculatedConservation Scientists — real pay by state (best first)
| # | State | BLS median | State tax | Cost (RPP) | Real pay | Index |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Louisiana | $80,190 | $2,031 | 88.2 | $88,609 | 122.4 |
| 2 | Wyoming | $81,310 | — | 92.7 | $87,722 | 121.1 |
| 3 | North Dakota | $77,280 | $269 | 89.0 | $86,569 | 119.5 |
| 4 | South Dakota | $76,400 | — | 88.6 | $86,244 | 119.1 |
| 5 | District of Columbia | $99,400 | $5,574 | 109.9 | $85,373 | 117.9 |
| 6 | Alabama | $77,000 | $3,585 | 88.8 | $82,653 | 114.1 |
| 7 | Nebraska | $76,400 | $2,877 | 90.1 | $81,599 | 112.7 |
| 8 | Idaho | $81,330 | $3,511 | 95.5 | $81,491 | 112.5 |
| 9 | Arkansas | $73,320 | $2,651 | 86.9 | $81,288 | 112.2 |
| 10 | Wisconsin | $79,540 | $3,063 | 94.1 | $81,276 | 112.2 |
| 11 | New Mexico | $76,800 | $2,496 | 92.2 | $80,580 | 111.3 |
| 12 | Colorado | $84,820 | $3,072 | 103.1 | $79,327 | 109.5 |
| 13 | Oklahoma | $71,270 | $2,848 | 87.8 | $77,892 | 107.6 |
| 14 | Alaska | $79,260 | — | 102.4 | $77,433 | 106.9 |
| 15 | Kentucky | $71,980 | $2,748 | 90.2 | $76,788 | 106.0 |
| 16 | Tennessee | $70,500 | — | 91.9 | $76,739 | 106.0 |
| 17 | Utah | $78,850 | $3,588 | 98.9 | $76,127 | 105.1 |
| 18 | Iowa | $69,240 | $2,591 | 87.8 | $75,943 | 104.9 |
| 19 | Maryland | $83,290 | $3,624 | 105.0 | $75,902 | 104.8 |
| 20 | West Virginia | $69,910 | $2,435 | 89.5 | $75,394 | 104.1 |
| 21 | Montana | $73,920 | $3,223 | 94.6 | $74,697 | 103.1 |
| 22 | Maine | $75,900 | $3,509 | 97.0 | $74,592 | 103.0 |
| 23 | Washington | $78,450 | — | 107.0 | $73,309 | 101.2 |
| 24 | Nevada | $73,030 | — | 100.0 | $73,045 | 100.9 |
| 25 | Virginia | $77,380 | $3,650 | 101.1 | $72,925 | 100.7 |
| 26 | Rhode Island | $76,130 | $2,255 | 102.3 | $72,228 | 99.7 |
| 27 | Oregon | $80,790 | $6,265 | 103.4 | $72,102 | 99.6 |
| 28 | New Hampshire | $74,650 | — | 104.2 | $71,665 | 99.0 |
| 29 | Kansas | $67,200 | $2,950 | 90.1 | $71,335 | 98.5 |
| 30 | Massachusetts | $78,740 | $3,717 | 105.8 | $70,939 | 98.0 |
| 31 | Texas | $68,620 | — | 97.1 | $70,701 | 97.6 |
| 32 | Vermont | $70,130 | $2,247 | 98.0 | $69,298 | 95.7 |
| 33 | California | $79,810 | $3,300 | 110.7 | $69,102 | 95.4 |
| 34 | Connecticut | $73,860 | $2,487 | 103.6 | $68,886 | 95.1 |
| 35 | Minnesota | $71,280 | $3,358 | 98.6 | $68,872 | 95.1 |
| 36 | Georgia | $69,240 | $3,085 | 96.3 | $68,702 | 94.9 |
| 37 | New York | $76,990 | $3,629 | 107.9 | $67,976 | 93.9 |
| 38 | Missouri | $63,130 | $2,086 | 90.8 | $67,216 | 92.8 |
| 39 | Indiana | $64,570 | $1,907 | 93.3 | $67,142 | 92.7 |
| 40 | Ohio | $63,160 | $955 | 92.8 | $67,051 | 92.6 |
| 41 | Mississippi | $59,510 | $1,813 | 87.0 | $66,354 | 91.6 |
| 42 | Illinois | $69,590 | $3,304 | 100.0 | $66,314 | 91.6 |
| 43 | North Carolina | $64,460 | $2,198 | 94.3 | $66,008 | 91.1 |
| 44 | Arizona | $66,750 | $1,194 | 100.7 | $65,115 | 89.9 |
| 45 | Michigan | $63,500 | $2,452 | 96.2 | $63,448 | 87.6 |
| 46 | Delaware | $63,850 | $2,873 | 99.8 | $61,094 | 84.4 |
| 47 | Pennsylvania | $61,480 | $1,887 | 97.6 | $61,075 | 84.3 |
| 48 | New Jersey | $64,020 | $1,989 | 108.8 | $57,011 | 78.7 |
| 49 | Hawaii | $65,740 | $3,466 | 110.0 | $56,638 | 78.2 |
| 50 | South Carolina | $52,310 | $1,636 | 93.7 | $54,053 | 74.6 |
| 51 | Florida | $51,130 | — | 103.4 | $49,442 | 68.3 |
"Real pay" = BLS median − 2025 state income tax, divided by the state's 2024 BEA cost of living (US = 100). Only the 51 states for which BLS publishes a median for this occupation are ranked; suppressed cells are excluded, never set to zero.
Where does your salary go furthest?
Enter a salary and a state. We adjust for 2025 state income tax and the 2024 BEA cost of living to show your real, purchasing-power-equivalent pay — then rank every state.
In Louisiana, a $80,190 salary is worth about $88,184 in cost-of-living-and-tax-adjusted terms.
State income tax $2,406 (flat 3.00%) · take-home $77,784 · BEA cost of living 88.2 (US = 100).
The same salary goes furthest in South Dakota — worth $90,522, a $2,338 gain over Louisiana.
| # | State | Real value | Cost (RPP) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | South Dakota | $90,522 | 88.6 |
| 2 | Arkansas | $88,642 | 86.9 |
| 3 | Louisiana | $88,184 | 88.2 |
| 4 | Mississippi | $88,164 | 87.0 |
| 5 | Iowa | $87,900 | 87.8 |
| 6 | North Dakota | $87,889 | 89.0 |
| 7 | Tennessee | $87,286 | 91.9 |
| 8 | Oklahoma | $86,952 | 87.8 |
| 9 | Wyoming | $86,513 | 92.7 |
| 10 | Alabama | $85,767 | 88.8 |
| 11 | Kentucky | $85,385 | 90.2 |
| 12 | West Virginia | $85,282 | 89.5 |
Estimate only. State income tax is approximated from each state's 2025 flat rate (or top marginal rate as an upper bound for graduated states) and ignores federal tax, deductions and credits. The pre-published occupation and state pages use exact 2025 bracket math. Cost of living is the 2024 BEA Regional Price Parity (All Items).
Conservation Scientists — real pay FAQ
- What is the best state to be a conservation scientists?
- By the Gera US Real Pay Index, Louisiana is the best state for a conservation scientists: a BLS median of $80,190 is worth $88,609 after the 2025 state income tax ($2,031) and the 2024 BEA cost-of-living adjustment (RPP 88.2), an index of 122.4 where the average state is 100.
- Does the highest-paying state also leave you best off?
- Not necessarily. District of Columbia has the highest headline BLS median for a conservation scientists at $99,400, but after state tax and cost of living it ranks #5 of 51 on real pay (index 117.9). That gap is exactly what the Gera US Real Pay Index reveals.
- Where does a conservation scientists salary go least far?
- Florida ranks last of 51 states for a conservation scientists: a $51,130 BLS median is worth only $49,442 after tax and cost of living (index 68.3). Higher local prices and/or income tax less far than the national average erode the headline pay.
Compare other occupations
- Home Health and Personal Care AidesWashington
- Retail SalespersonsNorth Dakota
- Fast Food and Counter WorkersCalifornia
- General and Operations ManagersSouth Dakota
- Registered NursesCalifornia
- CashiersWashington
- Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, HandNorth Dakota
- Stockers and Order FillersWyoming
- Customer Service RepresentativesIowa
- Office Clerks, GeneralNorth Dakota
- Waiters and WaitressesVermont
- Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping CleanersWashington
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Related on GeraJobs
- Gera US Real Pay Index — all states ranked — and how the index is calculated.
- Methodology — the exact BLS + BEA + tax computation.
- Browse US jobs with salary ranges — roles hiring now.
Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) (May 2025 state estimates, US federal public domain); U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis — Regional Price Parities (All Items), by state (2024 (US = 100)); Tax Foundation — 2025 State Individual Income Tax Rates and Brackets. The Gera US Real Pay Index for a conservation scientists is computed by GeraJobs from these figures; no figure is modelled or interpolated.