The average salary for a forester in the United States is around $76,400 per year.
Avg Salary
Foresters earn an average yearly salary of $76,400.
Wages typically start from $50,790 and go up to $109,700.
13% above national average Updated in 2025
Forester earnings by seniority
90th percentile
Top-level forester earnings begin at:
$52.74 per hour
$109,700 per year
75th percentile
Senior-level forester earnings begin at:
$44.06 per hour
$91,640 per year
50th percentile
Mid-level forester earnings begin at:
$36.73 per hour
$76,400 per year
25th percentile
Junior-level forester earnings begin at:
$30.15 per hour
$62,710 per year
10th percentile
Starting level forester earnings begin at:
$24.42 per hour
$50,790 per year
Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.
Forester salary by state
| State Name | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Massachusetts | $89,650 |
| Alaska | $87,210 |
| South Carolina | $86,780 |
| Maryland | $86,100 |
| Connecticut | $84,820 |
| Iowa | $83,000 |
| Illinois | $82,160 |
| Oregon | $81,450 |
| Vermont | $80,750 |
| Texas | $80,370 |
| New Jersey | $80,300 |
| Alabama | $79,530 |
| Washington | $78,460 |
| Pennsylvania | $78,280 |
| North Carolina | $77,870 |
| Georgia | $76,970 |
| Minnesota | $76,490 |
| Colorado | $76,400 |
| Michigan | $75,920 |
| Utah | $75,210 |
| District of Columbia | $74,710 |
| New York | $73,710 |
| Ohio | $73,320 |
| Tennessee | $71,990 |
| Virginia | $71,990 |
| Louisiana | $71,420 |
| Mississippi | $71,280 |
| Arkansas | $69,240 |
| New Mexico | $69,240 |
| Wyoming | $68,180 |
| Kansas | $67,540 |
| Arizona | $67,200 |
| Montana | $67,200 |
| Maine | $66,480 |
| Wisconsin | $66,010 |
| Idaho | $65,170 |
| New Hampshire | $65,170 |
| South Dakota | $64,460 |
| Florida | $64,130 |
| Missouri | $63,220 |
| West Virginia | $62,550 |
| Indiana | $61,110 |
| Nebraska | $57,560 |
| Kentucky | $56,460 |
| North Dakota | $51,750 |
| Nevada | $51,070 |
| Oklahoma | $50,990 |
| California | $107,120 |
How do forester salaries compare to similar careers?
Foresters earn about the same as related careers in the United States. On average, they make less than animal scientists but more than conservation scientists.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Animal scientist salary | $69K |
| Soil and plant scientist salary | $79K |
| Cartographer salary | $81K |
| Geodesist salary | $75K |
| Forensic science technician salary | $72K |
| Forester salary | $76K |
| Soil and water conservationist salary | $73K |
| Park naturalist salary | $73K |
| Range manager salary | $73K |
| Conservation scientist salary | $73K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)