The average salary for a forester in the United States is $70,680, but the range typically falls between $55,520 and $82,120. This corresponds to an average hourly wage of $33.98, with a range between $26.69 and $39.48.
There are approximately 9,450 people employed as a forester in the United States. With California, Oregon, Wisconsin employing the highest number of foresters.The state with the best pay for a forester is Iowa, with an average annual salary of $81,430, while Kentucky has the lowest average annual salary of $55,270.
| Annual Salary | Hourly Wage | |
|---|---|---|
| 10th Percentile | $46,700 | $22.45 |
| 25th Percentile | $55,520 | $26.69 |
| Median | $67,330 | $32.37 |
| 75th Percentile | $82,120 | $39.48 |
| 90th Percentile | $98,590 | $47.4 |
The salary of a forester can vary depending on the state. Below is a map of the United States showing the average annual salary for a forester in each state. The darker the color, the higher the salary. The best states for foresters are Iowa, California, Alaska, Ohio, Maryland while the worst states are Kentucky, Oklahoma, Florida, Texas, South Dakota.
| State | Low-end | Average | High-end |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $38,700 | $62,470 | $86,390 |
| Alaska | $57,450 | $80,020 | $96,050 |
| Arizona | $46,700 | $65,270 | $87,530 |
| Arkansas | $45,070 | $67,340 | $95,100 |
| California | $51,650 | $85,410 | $129,900 |
| Colorado | $49,230 | $68,450 | $89,810 |
| Connecticut | $67,270 | $76,710 | $87,110 |
| District of Columbia | $60,080 | $78,920 | $114,440 |
| Florida | $38,620 | $56,000 | $84,220 |
| Georgia | $46,340 | $72,520 | $102,380 |
| Idaho | $46,700 | $61,980 | $82,910 |
| Illinois | $52,450 | $77,420 | $110,410 |
| Indiana | $46,070 | $62,920 | $85,480 |
| Iowa | $66,910 | $81,430 | $93,730 |
| Kansas | $54,090 | $67,760 | $82,440 |
| Kentucky | $39,310 | $55,270 | $79,350 |
| Louisiana | $57,120 | $74,560 | $89,810 |
| Maine | $48,480 | $68,130 | $104,690 |
| Maryland | $56,150 | $77,710 | $100,600 |
| Massachusetts | $47,990 | $68,900 | $92,390 |
| Michigan | $57,120 | $75,250 | $94,490 |
| Minnesota | $51,780 | $71,040 | $91,790 |
| Mississippi | $43,530 | $65,250 | $87,530 |
| Missouri | $44,980 | $60,160 | $80,620 |
| Montana | $47,300 | $66,330 | $82,910 |
| Nevada | $42,910 | $69,020 | $98,650 |
| New Hampshire | $44,920 | $73,290 | $112,290 |
| New Mexico | $44,240 | $61,930 | $78,920 |
| New York | $53,970 | $77,740 | $106,430 |
| North Carolina | $43,530 | $67,590 | $89,260 |
| Ohio | $53,380 | $75,670 | $94,380 |
| Oklahoma | $36,820 | $56,290 | $82,910 |
| Oregon | $49,860 | $75,040 | $100,910 |
| Pennsylvania | $52,860 | $78,270 | $104,540 |
| South Carolina | $47,420 | $71,780 | $97,900 |
| South Dakota | $40,910 | $59,150 | $87,530 |
| Tennessee | $41,610 | $66,480 | $89,670 |
| Texas | $38,930 | $58,650 | $83,780 |
| Utah | $57,120 | $66,150 | $78,310 |
| Vermont | $57,120 | $72,270 | $84,470 |
| Virginia | $44,080 | $70,910 | $103,190 |
| Washington | $54,100 | $73,250 | $102,180 |
| West Virginia | $40,910 | $61,390 | $85,220 |
| Wisconsin | $47,560 | $64,540 | $80,880 |
| Wyoming | $51,360 | $65,670 | $84,050 |
Even between cities, the salary of a forester can vary. For example, the areas with the highest average salary for foresters is San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward area, CA with an average salary of $106,710.The city with the lowest average salary for foresters is Gainesville, FL with an average salary of $48,850.
Areas with highest average salaries for foresters
Areas with lowest average salaries for foresters
The number of foresters in the United States has been increasing over the years. Since 2020, the number of foresters has increased by 90. On average, the number of foresters has been increasing by 0.2% each year. The salary of foresters has been increasing. Since 2020, the salary of foresters has increased by $4,680. On average, the salary of foresters has been increasing by 1.8% each year.
Foresters are part of the life, physical, and social science occupations group. Below is a comparison of the average annual salary for foresters compared to other jobs in the same occupation group. View all life, physical, and social science occupations jobs here.
$90,430 per year
$104,000 per year
$132,650 per year
$73,160 per year
$66,670 per year
$154,380 per year
