Forestry: earnings, debt, and careers
CIP 03.05. Official graduate outcomes from the U.S. Department of Education across 268 programs, and the careers this field is linked to.
Graduate earnings by credential level
| Credential | Programs | Graduates (recent year) | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Typical program median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Undergraduate certificate | 47 | 419 | $41,922 | $51,345 | $13,000 1 programs |
| Associate's degree | 82 | 357 | $39,285 | $48,725 | $11,868 2 programs |
| Bachelor's degree | 59 | 1,143 | $46,339 | $58,784 | $20,500 26 programs |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 2 | 0 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Master's degree | 39 | 351 | $55,831 | $67,466 | Data unavailable |
| Doctoral degree | 26 | 108 | $66,544 | $82,046 | Data unavailable |
| Graduate certificate | 13 | 82 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
National earnings are published by the Department of Education for each field and credential level Verified data. Typical program median debt is ConnectPrep's calculation: the median across programs of each program's median federal debt Calculated estimate. It covers federal loans only.
Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard, Most Recent Field of Study Data. Varies by measure; see measure definitions. Published October 15, 2026. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.
Undergraduate certificate programs with the highest early earnings
| School | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northern Arizona University AZ · Public · 44 graduates measured | $43,686 | $58,054 | $13,000 |
Ranked by published median earnings one year after completion. Programs with suppressed earnings do not appear, so this is not a ranking of program quality.
Associate's degree programs with the highest early earnings
| School | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Horry-Georgetown Technical College SC · Public · 22 graduates measured | $42,059 | $44,915 | Data unavailable |
| Pennsylvania College of Technology PA · Public · 30 graduates measured | $40,768 | $53,373 | $14,485 |
Ranked by published median earnings one year after completion. Programs with suppressed earnings do not appear, so this is not a ranking of program quality.
Bachelor's degree programs with the highest early earnings
| School | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Carolina State University at Raleigh NC · Public · 90 graduates measured | $75,247 | $86,357 | $18,675 |
| Louisiana Tech University LA · Public · 26 graduates measured | $54,749 | $65,941 | $21,850 |
| University of Idaho ID · Public · 49 graduates measured | $53,681 | $64,392 | $15,491 |
| Stephen F Austin State University TX · Public · 56 graduates measured | $53,457 | $55,786 | $23,027 |
| Colorado State University-Fort Collins CO · Public · 34 graduates measured | $52,331 | $62,919 | $25,000 |
| Paul Smiths College of Arts and Science NY · Private, nonprofit · 32 graduates measured | $51,465 | $49,291 | $23,741 |
| Mississippi State University MS · Public · 46 graduates measured | $50,109 | $58,499 | $15,250 |
| Clemson University SC · Public · 25 graduates measured | $48,907 | $63,764 | $26,425 |
| Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University VA · Public · 87 graduates measured | $47,556 | $64,204 | $20,500 |
| Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College GA · Public · 29 graduates measured | $47,287 | $57,678 | $24,599 |
| West Virginia University WV · Public · 17 graduates measured | $46,977 | $64,568 | $17,618 |
| SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry NY · Public · 33 graduates measured | $46,942 | $57,664 | $14,500 |
| Pennsylvania State University-Penn State DuBois PA · Public · 25 graduates measured | $46,652 | Data unavailable | $25,500 |
| Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus PA · Public · 25 graduates measured | $46,652 | Data unavailable | $25,500 |
| University of Minnesota-Twin Cities MN · Public · 52 graduates measured | $46,446 | $58,651 | $20,000 |
Ranked by published median earnings one year after completion. Programs with suppressed earnings do not appear, so this is not a ranking of program quality.
Master's degree programs with the highest early earnings
| School | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Michigan Technological University MI · Public · 19 graduates measured | $57,390 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| University of Florida FL · Public · 44 graduates measured | $56,462 | $72,807 | Data unavailable |
| University of Georgia GA · Public · 53 graduates measured | $54,866 | $61,616 | Data unavailable |
Ranked by published median earnings one year after completion. Programs with suppressed earnings do not appear, so this is not a ranking of program quality.
Careers linked to Forestry
| Occupation | Median wage, all workers | Change 2025 to 2035 | Typical entry education |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conservation scientists | $73,010 | +5.3% | Bachelor's degree |
| Foresters | $76,400 | +2.2% | Bachelor's degree |
| Forest and conservation technicians | $54,560 | -2.1% | Associate's degree |
| Forestry and conservation science teachers, postsecondary | $101,420 | +2.8% | Doctoral or professional degree |
| First-line supervisors of farming, fishing, and forestry workers | $59,320 | +3.8% | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Forest and conservation workers | $43,680 | -1.5% | High school diploma or equivalent |
Occupations mapped to this field in the NCES and BLS CIP to SOC crosswalk. Occupation wages describe all workers, not recent graduates.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics and U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 Crosswalk. CIP 2020 and SOC 2018 taxonomies. Published April 30, 2020. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, National. May 2025 reference period. Published April 30, 2026. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, Table 1.2: Occupational projections, 2025-35, and worker characteristics, 2025. Base year 2025, projected year 2035. Published August 27, 2026. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.
Detailed CIP codes in this field (8)
- 03.0501 Forestry, General
- 03.0502 Forest Sciences and Biology
- 03.0506 Forest Management/Forest Resources Management
- 03.0508 Urban Forestry
- 03.0509 Wood Science and Wood Products/Pulp and Paper Technology/Technician
- 03.0510 Forest Resources Production and Management
- 03.0511 Forest Technology/Technician
- 03.0599 Forestry, Other