California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo: Forestry

Bachelor's degree · CIP 03.05 · No credentials fully online · San Luis Obispo, CA

Graduates of this program who were working and not enrolled had median earnings of $45,731 one year after completing and $77,419 four years after. The median federal loan debt of graduates was $15,000. Nationally, graduates of bachelor's degree programs in this field earned a median of $46,339 one year after completing.

Median earnings, 1 year
$45,731
30 graduates measured Verified data
Median earnings, 4 years
$77,419
Verified data
Median federal debt
$15,000
27 borrowers Verified data
Debt to first-year earnings
0.33x
median debt / median earnings Calculated estimate

This program compared with the national picture

MeasureThis programNational median, same field and credential
Median earnings 1 year after completion$45,731$46,339
Median earnings 4 years after completion$77,419$58,784
Median federal loan debt (Stafford and Grad PLUS)$15,000$20,500 Median of programs
Estimated monthly payment on median debt (10-year standard)$170
Graduates in the most recent year401,143 across 59 programs

Earnings cohorts: Treasury AY2020-21, AY2021-22 pooled earnings cohort measured in CY2022, CY2023, inflation adjusted to 2024 dollars. Debt cohort: NSLDS pooled AY2022-23, AY2023-24 cohort. Debt covers federal loans only and excludes private loans and Parent PLUS loans. Earnings are for graduates working and not enrolled, before taxes.

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.

Careers this field prepares students for

From the official CIP to SOC crosswalk. Graduates do not all enter these occupations, and occupation wages describe all workers, not new graduates. Official crosswalk

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.

Comparable programs with the highest early earnings

SchoolMedian earnings, 1 yrMedian debt
North Carolina State University at Raleigh
NC · Public
$75,247$18,675
Louisiana Tech University
LA · Public
$54,749$21,850
University of Idaho
ID · Public
$53,681$15,491
Stephen F Austin State University
TX · Public
$53,457$23,027
Colorado State University-Fort Collins
CO · Public
$52,331$25,000
Paul Smiths College of Arts and Science
NY · Private, nonprofit
$51,465$23,741
Mississippi State University
MS · Public
$50,109$15,250
Clemson University
SC · Public
$48,907$26,425
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
VA · Public
$47,556$20,500
Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College
GA · Public
$47,287$24,599

See all Forestry programs and national outcomes

Model this program's ROI

Plug this program's published earnings and debt into the ROI calculator, then add your own tuition, aid, and current salary.

Open in the ROI calculator
California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo Forestry (Bachelor's degree): Earnings and Debt | ConnectPrep Career Intelligence