Education
Forestry and Conservation Science Teachers, Postsecondary
- Median pay
- $101,420
- Outlook
- As fast as average
Doctoral or professional degree
- Instructing
- Learning Strategies
- Reading Comprehension
ProgramsNatural Resources and Conservation
Forestry
CIP03.05
74 colleges offer Forestry. See what it covers, which degree levels are available and what graduates earn and borrow.
Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition
- Colleges offering it
- 74
- at its most common level
- Bachelor's earnings
- $58,499
- median, 4 years after
- Bachelor's debt
- $18,937
- median federal loans
Colleges offering it, by degree level
- Certificate
- 43
- Associate's
- 74
- Bachelor's
- 53
- Master's
- 34
- Post-baccalaureate certificate
- 2
- Doctoral
- 23
- Graduate/professional certificate
- 12
What it covers
About Forestry
A program that generally prepares individuals to manage and develop forest areas for economic, recreational, and ecological purposes. Includes instruction in forest-related sciences, mapping, statistics, harvesting and production technology, natural resources management and economics, wildlife sciences, administration, and public relations.
Definition: National Center for Education Statistics, Classification of Instructional Programs 2020, code 03.05.
Programs in this field
Colleges report these specific programs under CIP 03.05.
- Forestry, General
- Forest Sciences and Biology
- Forest Management/Forest Resources Management
- Urban Forestry
- Wood Science and Wood Products/Pulp and Paper Technology/Technician
- Forest Resources Production and Management
- Forest Technology/Technician
By degree level
Earnings and debt by degree level
Medians across colleges of each college's own program median. Earnings are for graduates who received federal aid and were working.
| Degree level | Colleges | Median earnings | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Certificate | 43 | $58,0544 yrs after · 1 college | $12,5001 college |
| Associate's | 74 | $49,9504 yrs after · 3 colleges | $8,7502 colleges |
| Bachelor's | 53 | $58,4994 yrs after · 31 colleges | $18,93724 colleges |
| Master's | 34 | $72,8074 yrs after · 3 colleges | Not reported |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 2 | Not reported | Not reported |
| Doctoral | 23 | Not reported | Not reported |
| Graduate/professional certificate | 12 | Not reported | Not reported |
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard field-of-study data, 2025. Colleges with too few graduates have their earnings and debt suppressed, so the number of colleges reporting is smaller than the number offering the program.
Bachelor's programs
Where Forestry graduates earn the most
Median earnings four years after finishing, among programs with at least 10 graduates in the latest year. Earnings are one measure; cost and graduation rate matter too.
- 1
North Carolina State University at Raleigh
Raleigh, NC · Public · 86 graduates
$86,357
debt $18,115
- 2
California Polytechnic State University-Humboldt
Arcata, CA · Public · 51 graduates
$79,849
debt $19,122
- 3
California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo
San Luis Obispo, CA · Public · 40 graduates
$77,419
debt $15,000
- 4
Athens, GA · Public · 10 graduates
$68,965
debt not reported
- 5
Ruston, LA · Public · 33 graduates
$65,941
debt $21,130
- 6
Auburn, AL · Public · 30 graduates
$64,704
debt $18,500
- 7
Morgantown, WV · Public · 16 graduates
$64,568
debt $15,000
- 8
Moscow, ID · Public · 31 graduates
$64,392
debt $12,723
- 9
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
Blacksburg, VA · Public · 99 graduates
$64,204
debt $19,750
- 10
Clemson, SC · Public · 16 graduates
$63,764
debt $26,425
Careers
Careers this program leads to
Occupations linked to Forestry by the NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk, highest national median pay first. Pay and outlook are BLS figures for each occupation.
Science
Foresters
- Median pay
- $76,400
- Outlook
- As fast as average
Bachelor's degree
- Critical Thinking
- Monitoring
- Reading Comprehension
- Bright outlook
Science
Conservation Scientists
- Median pay
- $73,010
- Outlook
- Faster than average
Bachelor's degree
- Active Listening
- Reading Comprehension
- Complex Problem Solving
- Bright outlook
Science
Park Naturalists
- Median pay
- $73,010
- Outlook
- Faster than average
Bachelor's degree
- Speaking
- Active Listening
- Writing
- Bright outlook
Science
Range Managers
- Median pay
- $73,010
- Outlook
- Faster than average
Bachelor's degree
- Active Listening
- Reading Comprehension
- Speaking
Farming, fishing and forestry
First-Line Supervisors of Farming, Fishing, and Forestry Workers
- Median pay
- $59,320
- Outlook
- As fast as average
High school diploma
- Coordination
- Critical Thinking
- Monitoring
Science
Forest and Conservation Technicians
- Median pay
- $54,560
- Outlook
- Decline
Associate's degree
- Active Listening
- Critical Thinking
- Reading Comprehension
Farming, fishing and forestry
Forest and Conservation Workers
- Median pay
- $43,680
- Outlook
- Decline
High school diploma
- Critical Thinking
- Monitoring
- Active Learning
More in Natural Resources and Conservation
Other programs in the same area of study, by how many colleges offer them.
Every program in this areaQuestions about Forestry
How many colleges offer Forestry?
Published colleges on CollegesRef report Forestry at these degree levels: certificate (43 colleges), associate's (74 colleges), bachelor's (53 colleges), master's (34 colleges), post-baccalaureate certificate (2 colleges), doctoral (23 colleges), graduate/professional certificate (12 colleges). Counts are from College Scorecard field-of-study data (2025).
What do Forestry graduates earn?
At the median college, bachelor's graduates in Forestry earn $58,499 a year four years after finishing, across 31 colleges that report earnings. Figures cover graduates who received federal aid.
Where do Forestry graduates earn the most?
North Carolina State University at Raleigh reports the highest median earnings for bachelor's graduates in Forestry: $86,357 four years after finishing, among programs with at least 10 graduates.