Forestry and conservation science teachers, postsecondary salary
| Measure | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $50,100 | Data unavailable |
| Median (50th percentile) | $101,420 | Data unavailable |
| Mean (average) | $102,450 | Data unavailable |
| 90th percentile | $148,920 | Data unavailable |
BLS publishes only annual wages for this occupation because workers are typically paid on an annual basis rather than hourly.
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
Forestry and conservation science teachers, postsecondary pay by state and metro area
Table: median wage and employment for all 16 states and territories
| State | Median | 10th pct | 90th pct | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $80,380 | $48,230 | $125,460 | 80 | 4.11 |
| Arizona | $115,730 | $73,980 | $124,630 | 60 | 1.8 |
| California | $61,730 | $37,700 | $201,100 | 110 | 0.63 |
| Georgia | $94,310 | $56,650 | $136,710 | 40 | 0.93 |
| Indiana | $102,330 | $71,470 | $180,450 | 40 | 1.32 |
| Maine | $82,280 | $59,110 | $137,130 | 50 | 7.5 |
| Michigan | $138,130 | $111,670 | $138,370 | 60 | 1.36 |
| Minnesota | $82,670 | $38,330 | $131,720 | 180 | 6.1 |
| Missouri | $79,820 | $51,780 | $123,680 | 70 | 2.31 |
| Montana | $104,220 | $33,490 | $124,670 | 60 | 12.64 |
| North Carolina | $108,430 | $63,360 | $173,400 | 90 | 1.86 |
| Oregon | $126,930 | $66,880 | $184,340 | 210 | 10.76 |
| Virginia | $132,820 | $66,470 | $176,210 | 60 | 1.54 |
| Washington | $104,490 | $52,230 | $160,830 | 40 | 1.18 |
| West Virginia | $84,450 | $69,060 | $119,000 | 40 | 5.56 |
| Wisconsin | $98,410 | $65,120 | $173,640 | 40 | 1.45 |
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 forestry and conservation science teachers, postsecondary
- Average annual openings, 2025 to 2035: 100. Openings include new jobs plus replacement needs when workers retire or leave the occupation. Official projection
- 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 forestry and conservation science teachers, postsecondary
- Typical entry education
- Doctoral or professional degree
- Related work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- None
- O*NET Job Zone
- Job Zone Five: Extensive Preparation Needed
Highest education of people working in this occupation
O*NET describes this preparation level as: Most of these occupations require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree).
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
- Agroecology and Sustainable Agriculture CIP 01.0308
- Range Science and Management CIP 01.1106
- Natural Resources/Conservation, General CIP 03.0101
- Environmental/Natural Resources Management and Policy, General CIP 03.0201
- Water, Wetlands, and Marine Resources Management CIP 03.0205
- Land Use Planning and Management/Development CIP 03.0206
- Environmental/Natural Resources Management and Policy, Other CIP 03.0299
- 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
- Wildlife, Fish and Wildlands Science and Management CIP 03.0601
- Natural Resources and Conservation, Other CIP 03.9999
- Science Teacher Education/General Science Teacher Education CIP 13.1316
- Ecology CIP 26.1301
Skills, knowledge, and daily work
Most important skills
Most important knowledge areas
Typical tasks
- Prepare course materials, such as syllabi, homework assignments, and handouts.
- Prepare and deliver lectures to undergraduate or graduate students on topics, such as forest resource policy, forest pathology, and mapping.
- Evaluate and grade students' class work, assignments, and papers.
- Supervise students' laboratory or field work.
- Maintain student attendance records, grades, and other required records.
- Keep abreast of developments in the field by reading current literature, talking with colleagues, and participating in professional conferences.
- Supervise undergraduate or graduate teaching, internship, and research work.
- Collaborate with colleagues to address teaching and research issues.
Technology skills
- Atlassian JIRA (hot technology)
- ESRI ArcGIS software (hot technology)
- Google Angular (hot technology)
- Google Docs (hot technology)
- Hibernate ORM (hot technology)
- JavaScript (hot technology)
- Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Microsoft Visio (hot technology)
- Microsoft Word (hot technology)
- MySQL (hot technology)
- Oracle Database (hot technology)
- Oracle Java (hot technology)
- SAP software (hot technology)
Transferable skills for career changers: Instructing, Complex Problem Solving, Social Perceptiveness, Judgment and Decision Making, Time Management, Coordination.
Common job titles: Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, Conservation Biology Professor, Extension Professor, Forest Technology Professor, Forestry Professor, Lecturer, Natural Resources Professor, Professor, Research Professor.
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 forestry and conservation science teachers, postsecondary make?
The national median annual wage for forestry and conservation science teachers, postsecondary was $101,420 in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program. The lowest paid 10 percent earned less than $50,100 and the highest paid 10 percent earned more than $148,920. These figures cover all workers in the occupation, not only new entrants.
What education do forestry and conservation science teachers, postsecondary need?
BLS lists doctoral or professional 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 forestry and conservation science teachers, postsecondary a growing career?
BLS projects employment of forestry and conservation science teachers, postsecondary to change +2.8% from 2025 to 2035, compared with +3.5% for all occupations. About 100 openings are projected each year on average, including openings from workers who retire or change occupations.
Which states pay forestry and conservation science teachers, postsecondary the most?
By median annual wage in May 2025, the highest paying states were Michigan ($138,130), Virginia ($132,820), Oregon ($126,930). Pay differences partly reflect differences in living costs.