Conservation Scientists build complex problem solving, judgment and decision making and time management skills that carry over to other work. Below are 25 careers ranked by how closely their skills match, with pay from BLS May 2025. The closest match is Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health (93%).
Updated October 2026 · Data: O*NET 31.0 and BLS OEWS May 2025 · How we match careers
Sorted by skill match.
| # | Career | Skill match | Median pay | Pay change | Extra education |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health | 93% | $82,220 | +13% | None |
| 2 | Environmental Restoration Planners | 88% | $82,220Pay for the broader BLS group “Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health” | Not compared | Graduate degree |
| 3 | Water Resource Specialists | 87% | $167,220Pay for the broader BLS group “Natural Sciences Managers” | Not compared | None |
| 4 | Brownfield Redevelopment Specialists and Site Managers | 86% | $141,900Pay for the broader BLS group “Managers, All Other” | Not compared | None |
| 5 | Hydrologists | 85% | $96,600 | +32% | None |
| 6 | Environmental Engineers | 83% | $107,110 | +47% | None |
| 7 | Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers | 83% | $101,920 | +40% | None |
| 8 | Industrial Ecologists | 82% | $82,220Pay for the broader BLS group “Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health” | Not compared | Graduate degree |
| 9 | Environmental Compliance Inspectors | 81% | $80,730Pay for the broader BLS group “Compliance Officers” | Not compared | None |
| 10 | Water/Wastewater Engineers | 80% | $100,840Pay for the broader BLS group “Civil Engineers” | Not compared | None |
Compared with Conservation Scientists, median $73,010. Skill match is our estimate (0–99) from O*NET 31.0 skills, knowledge, work activities and interests, adjusted for preparation and big pay drops. Pay: BLS OEWS May 2025, national median.
How important each skill is in work as conservation scientists (O*NET importance, scale 1–5).
The gaps that show up most often across your top 10 matches.
Free and low-cost training: use the CareerOneStop training finder below.
A concrete first step, the skills to add, and the hard parts of each job, from O*NET 31.0 education, training and work context data.
93% skill match · $82,220 · +13% pay
Coordination · Complex Problem Solving · Quality Control Analysis
88% skill match · $82,220 (broader BLS group)
Judgment and Decision Making · Systems Analysis · Operations Analysis
87% skill match · $167,220 (broader BLS group)
Quality Control Analysis · Time Management · Judgment and Decision Making
If you want to stay close to what you do now, these roles are the nearest.
The closest matches are Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health (93% skill match, median $82,220), Environmental Restoration Planners (88% skill match, median $82,220) and Water Resource Specialists (87% skill match, median $167,220), based on O*NET 31.0 data and BLS May 2025 pay.
Among the 25 matches, 12 pay more than conservation scientists at the median. The biggest increases: Medical Dosimetrists (+102%, $147,470), Petroleum Engineers (+98%, $144,910) and Health and Safety Engineers, Except Mining Safety Engineers and Inspectors (+58%, $115,160).
23 of the 25 matches usually need no more education than you have now, based on O*NET Job Zones. 2 usually need a graduate degree: Environmental Restoration Planners and Industrial Ecologists.
We compare the importance of skills, knowledge, work activities and interests in O*NET 31.0 for your job and every other career, then adjust for extra preparation and big pay drops. The full method is on our Methodology page.