Foresters salary
| Measure | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $50,790 | $24.42 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $76,400 | $36.73 |
| Mean (average) | $79,170 | $38.06 |
| 90th percentile | $109,700 | $52.74 |
These wages describe everyone employed in the occupation, from new entrants to experienced workers. They are not starting salaries and not earnings of graduates from any particular program. Verified data
Foresters pay by state and metro area
Table: median wage and employment for all 45 states and territories
| State | Median | 10th pct | 90th pct | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $79,530 | $50,240 | $95,400 | 240 | 1.7 |
| Alaska | $87,210 | $61,840 | $104,680 | 80 | 3.85 |
| Arizona | $67,200 | $49,940 | $88,710 | 70 | 0.32 |
| Arkansas | $69,240 | $47,750 | $91,170 | 130 | 1.49 |
| California | $107,120 | $71,110 | $156,750 | 820 | 0.67 |
| Colorado | $76,400 | $52,090 | $97,410 | 210 | 1.07 |
| Connecticut | $84,820 | $71,400 | $98,730 | 60 | 0.53 |
| District of Columbia | $74,710 | $74,700 | $103,330 | ||
| Florida | $64,130 | $49,920 | $112,660 | 380 | 0.57 |
| Georgia | $76,970 | $31,460 | $109,700 | 370 | 1.11 |
| Idaho | $65,170 | $48,110 | $80,770 | 280 | 4.92 |
| Illinois | $82,160 | $60,230 | $120,150 | 220 | 0.55 |
| Indiana | $61,110 | $48,150 | $97,020 | 160 | 0.76 |
| Iowa | $83,000 | $68,470 | $104,720 | 50 | 0.51 |
| Kansas | $67,540 | $57,240 | $87,230 | 40 | 0.42 |
| Kentucky | $56,460 | $49,940 | $88,710 | 120 | 0.87 |
| Louisiana | Data unavailable | 130 | 1.04 | ||
| Maine | $66,480 | $54,070 | $87,810 | 70 | 1.71 |
| Maryland | $86,100 | $35,970 | $109,500 | 120 | 0.63 |
| Massachusetts | $89,650 | $63,110 | $105,350 | 130 | 0.54 |
| Michigan | $75,920 | $57,620 | $98,570 | 340 | 1.15 |
| Minnesota | $76,490 | $57,910 | $105,080 | 390 | 1.97 |
| Mississippi | $71,280 | $44,520 | $134,980 | 110 | 1.41 |
| Missouri | $63,220 | $48,240 | $86,630 | 120 | 0.61 |
| Montana | $67,200 | $50,900 | $86,260 | 240 | 6.95 |
| Nevada | $51,070 | $47,340 | $93,360 | ||
| New Hampshire | $65,170 | $46,800 | $97,670 | 110 | 2.46 |
| New Mexico | $69,240 | $57,910 | $87,190 | 50 | 0.85 |
| New York | $73,710 | $58,240 | $108,580 | 280 | 0.43 |
| North Carolina | $77,870 | $46,800 | $96,900 | ||
| Ohio | $73,320 | $53,270 | $96,260 | 160 | 0.44 |
| Oklahoma | $50,990 | $48,280 | $102,300 | 120 | 1.06 |
| Oregon | $81,450 | $60,600 | $107,170 | 670 | 5.06 |
| Pennsylvania | $78,280 | $47,590 | $111,970 | 310 | 0.77 |
| South Carolina | $86,780 | $59,310 | $102,670 | 250 | 1.61 |
| South Dakota | $64,460 | $50,110 | $80,700 | 120 | 3.89 |
| Tennessee | $71,990 | $56,950 | $91,870 | 120 | 0.56 |
| Texas | $80,370 | $60,590 | $101,980 | 210 | 0.22 |
| Utah | $75,210 | $61,590 | $94,560 | 40 | 0.35 |
| Vermont | $80,750 | $61,400 | $100,930 | 80 | 4.09 |
| Virginia | $71,990 | $47,200 | $100,610 | 340 | 1.24 |
| Washington | $78,460 | $59,830 | $119,320 | 950 | 4 |
| West Virginia | $62,550 | $40,910 | $86,820 | 100 | 2.15 |
| Wisconsin | $66,010 | $48,780 | $88,090 | 570 | 2.89 |
| Wyoming | $68,180 | $61,110 | $88,880 | 60 | 3.09 |
A location quotient above 1 means the occupation is more concentrated in that state than in the nation overall.
Metro areas with the most jobs
Highest paying metro areas
Job outlook for foresters
- Average annual openings, 2025 to 2035: 900. Openings include new jobs plus replacement needs when workers retire or leave the occupation. Official projection
- Share of workers who are self-employed (2025): 0.5%.
- Read the official BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile.
These are official BLS projections. ConnectPrep does not alter them or present its own forecasts as official statistics.
Education and training for foresters
- Typical entry education
- Bachelor's degree
- Related work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- None
- O*NET Job Zone
- Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed
Highest education of people working in this occupation
O*NET describes this preparation level as: Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
Degrees and programs that lead to this career
Programs officially mapped to this occupation in the NCES and BLS CIP to SOC crosswalk. A mapping means the program commonly prepares students for the occupation, not that every graduate works in it. Official crosswalk
- Natural Resources/Conservation, General CIP 03.0101
- Environmental/Natural Resources Management and Policy, General CIP 03.0201
- Forestry, General CIP 03.0501
- Forest Sciences and Biology CIP 03.0502
- Forest Management/Forest Resources Management CIP 03.0506
- Urban Forestry CIP 03.0508
- Wood Science and Wood Products/Pulp and Paper Technology/Technician CIP 03.0509
- Forest Resources Production and Management CIP 03.0510
- Forestry, Other CIP 03.0599
Skills, knowledge, and daily work
Most important skills
Most important knowledge areas
Typical tasks
- Establish short- and long-term plans for management of forest lands and forest resources.
- Plan cutting programs and manage timber sales from harvested areas, assisting companies to achieve production goals.
- Determine methods of cutting and removing timber with minimum waste and environmental damage.
- Negotiate terms and conditions of agreements and contracts for forest harvesting, forest management and leasing of forest lands.
- Perform inspections of forests or forest nurseries.
- Monitor contract compliance and results of forestry activities to assure adherence to government regulations.
- Supervise activities of other forestry workers.
- Provide advice and recommendations, as a consultant on forestry issues, to private woodlot owners, firefighters, government agencies or to companies.
Technology skills
- ESRI ArcGIS software (in demand)
- Microsoft Excel (in demand)
- Microsoft Office software (in demand)
- Microsoft PowerPoint (in demand)
- Geographic information system GIS systems (in demand)
- Microsoft Access (hot technology)
- Microsoft Active Server Pages ASP (hot technology)
- Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Microsoft Word (hot technology)
- ESRI ArcView
- Forest Metrix
- Forest vegetation simulators
- Forest yield software
- Fountains Forestry TwoDog
- Geographic information system GIS software
- Global positioning system GPS software
Transferable skills for career changers: Complex Problem Solving, Judgment and Decision Making, Coordination, Systems Analysis, Systems Evaluation, Time Management.
Common job titles: Area Forester, District Forester, Environmental Protection Forester, Fire Prevention Forester, Forest Silviculturist, Procurement Forester, Resource Forester, Service Forester, Silviculturist, Urban Forester.
Is it worth it? Model the cost of getting there
Use the ROI calculator to compare the cost of the education this career usually requires against staying on your current path. It starts from the official wage distribution above, and you can change every assumption.
Frequently asked questions
How much do foresters make?
The national median annual wage for foresters was $76,400 in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program. The lowest paid 10 percent earned less than $50,790 and the highest paid 10 percent earned more than $109,700. These figures cover all workers in the occupation, not only new entrants.
What education do foresters need?
BLS lists bachelor's degree as the typical education needed to enter this occupation, with none of related work experience and none on-the-job training typically needed to become competent.
Is foresters a growing career?
BLS projects employment of foresters to change +2.2% from 2025 to 2035, compared with +3.5% for all occupations. About 900 openings are projected each year on average, including openings from workers who retire or change occupations.
Which states pay foresters the most?
By median annual wage in May 2025, the highest paying states were California ($107,120), Massachusetts ($89,650), Alaska ($87,210). Pay differences partly reflect differences in living costs.