Forester salary in the U.S.
Foresters in the U.S. earn a median of $76,400 a year ($36.73 an hour), based on BLS data for 10,430 workers.
Pay ranges from $50,790 for the lowest-paid 10% to $109,700 for the top 10%. The average (mean) salary is $79,170, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for foresters in the U.S.
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $50,790 | $24.42 |
| 25th percentile | $62,710 | $30.15 |
| Median | $76,400 | $36.73 |
| 75th percentile | $91,640 | $44.06 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $109,700 | $52.74 |
| Average (mean) | $79,170 | $38.06 |
Half of foresters earn more than the median and half earn less. Percentiles show the spread: 10% earn less than the 10th percentile, and 10% earn more than the 90th.
Median paycheck, before taxes
| Pay period | Amount |
|---|---|
| Monthly | $6,366.67 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $3,183.33 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $2,938.46 |
| Weekly | $1,469.23 |
| Hourly | $36.73 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Forester salary by state
| State | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| California | $107,120 | 820 |
| Massachusetts | $89,650 | 130 |
| Alaska | $87,210 | 80 |
| South Carolina | $86,780 | 250 |
| Maryland | $86,100 | 120 |
| Connecticut | $84,820 | 60 |
| Iowa | $83,000 | 50 |
| Illinois | $82,160 | 220 |
| Oregon | $81,450 | 670 |
| Vermont | $80,750 | 80 |
| Texas | $80,370 | 210 |
| Alabama | $79,530 | 240 |
| Washington | $78,460 | 950 |
| Pennsylvania | $78,280 | 310 |
| North Carolina | $77,870 | n/a |
| Georgia | $76,970 | 370 |
| Minnesota | $76,490 | 390 |
| Colorado | $76,400 | 210 |
| Michigan | $75,920 | 340 |
| Utah | $75,210 | 40 |
| District of Columbia | $74,710 | n/a |
| New York | $73,710 | 280 |
| Ohio | $73,320 | 160 |
| Tennessee | $71,990 | 120 |
| Virginia | $71,990 | 340 |
| Mississippi | $71,280 | 110 |
| Arkansas | $69,240 | 130 |
| New Mexico | $69,240 | 50 |
| Wyoming | $68,180 | 60 |
| Kansas | $67,540 | 40 |
| Arizona | $67,200 | 70 |
| Montana | $67,200 | 240 |
| Maine | $66,480 | 70 |
| Wisconsin | $66,010 | 570 |
| Idaho | $65,170 | 280 |
| New Hampshire | $65,170 | 110 |
| South Dakota | $64,460 | 120 |
| Florida | $64,130 | 380 |
| Missouri | $63,220 | 120 |
| West Virginia | $62,550 | 100 |
| Indiana | $61,110 | 160 |
| Kentucky | $56,460 | 120 |
| Nevada | $51,070 | n/a |
| Oklahoma | $50,990 | 120 |
Best-paying metro areas for foresters
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $112,560 | 70 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $107,750 | 110 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $107,690 | 110 |
| Fresno, CA | $102,540 | 30 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $93,340 | 40 |
| Columbia, SC | $89,990 | 50 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $89,780 | 180 |
| Salem, OR | $89,220 | 110 |
| Birmingham, AL | $87,050 | 40 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $86,310 | 240 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $86,070 | 90 |
| Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | $86,060 | 50 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $85,610 | 130 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | $83,720 | 70 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $82,310 | 40 |
Metro areas with the most foresters
| Metro area | Workers | Median salary |
|---|---|---|
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 280 | $74,710 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | 240 | $86,310 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | 180 | $89,780 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | 130 | $85,610 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 110 | $107,690 |
| Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA | 110 | $76,600 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | 110 | $107,750 |
| Salem, OR | 110 | $89,220 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | 100 | $80,600 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | 90 | $86,070 |
| Duluth, MN-WI | 90 | $76,400 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 90 | $69,620 |
| Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA | 80 | $76,600 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | 70 | $83,720 |
| Richmond, VA | 70 | $66,430 |
Related jobs in the U.S.
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists | $103,410 | $49.72 |
| Biological Scientists, All Other | $98,920 | $47.56 |
| Biochemists and Biophysicists | $127,410 | $61.26 |
| Conservation Scientist | $73,010 | $35.10 |
| Microbiologist | $87,990 | $42.30 |
| Zoologists and Wildlife Biologists | $76,780 | $36.91 |
| Soil and Plant Scientists | $78,850 | $37.91 |
| Food Scientists and Technologists | $88,720 | $42.65 |
| Epidemiologist | $87,220 | $41.93 |
| Life Scientists, All Other | $93,750 | $45.07 |
| Animal Scientist | $68,940 | $33.14 |
| Occupational Health and Safety Specialists | $90,150 | $43.34 |
| Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health | $82,220 | $39.53 |
| Chemist | $91,240 | $43.87 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates, occupation code 19-1032. Wages include base pay, tips, commissions and shift pay, but not overtime, bonuses or benefits, and exclude the self-employed.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a forester make in the U.S.?
The median salary for foresters in the U.S. is $76,400 a year, or $36.73 an hour. Pay ranges from $50,790 for the lowest-paid 10% to $109,700 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid foresters make in the U.S.?
The top 10% of foresters in the U.S. earn at least $109,700 a year. The top 25% earn $91,640 or more.
What is the starting pay for foresters in the U.S.?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $50,790 a year, and a quarter of foresters earn $62,710 or less.
How many foresters work in the U.S.?
About 10,430 foresters are employed in the U.S., not counting the self-employed.