Foresters Salary in the United States
The median annual wage for foresters is $76,400, or $36.73 per hour. About 10,430 people work in this occupation nationwide. Wages vary substantially by state — from $107,120 in California to $50,990 in Oklahoma.
Wage distribution nationwide
Earnings spread across all U.S. workers in this occupation.
Salary by state
All 44 states with published data, ranked by median annual wage.
| # | State | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $107,120 | $51.50 | 820 | 0.67 |
| 2 | Massachusetts | $89,650 | $43.10 | 130 | 0.54 |
| 3 | Alaska | $87,210 | $41.93 | 80 | 3.85 |
| 4 | South Carolina | $86,780 | $41.72 | 250 | 1.61 |
| 5 | Maryland | $86,100 | $41.40 | 120 | 0.63 |
| 6 | Connecticut | $84,820 | $40.78 | 60 | 0.53 |
| 7 | Iowa | $83,000 | $39.91 | 50 | 0.51 |
| 8 | Illinois | $82,160 | $39.50 | 220 | 0.55 |
| 9 | Oregon | $81,450 | $39.16 | 670 | 5.06 |
| 10 | Vermont | $80,750 | $38.82 | 80 | 4.09 |
| 11 | Texas | $80,370 | $38.64 | 210 | 0.22 |
| 12 | Alabama | $79,530 | $38.24 | 240 | 1.70 |
| 13 | Washington | $78,460 | $37.72 | 950 | 4.00 |
| 14 | Pennsylvania | $78,280 | $37.64 | 310 | 0.77 |
| 15 | North Carolina | $77,870 | $37.44 | — | — |
| 16 | Georgia | $76,970 | $37.01 | 370 | 1.11 |
| 17 | Minnesota | $76,490 | $36.78 | 390 | 1.97 |
| 18 | Colorado | $76,400 | $36.73 | 210 | 1.07 |
| 19 | Michigan | $75,920 | $36.50 | 340 | 1.15 |
| 20 | Utah | $75,210 | $36.16 | 40 | 0.35 |
| 21 | District of Columbia | $74,710 | $35.92 | — | — |
| 22 | New York | $73,710 | $35.44 | 280 | 0.43 |
| 23 | Ohio | $73,320 | $35.25 | 160 | 0.44 |
| 24 | Virginia | $71,990 | $34.61 | 340 | 1.24 |
| 25 | Tennessee | $71,990 | $34.61 | 120 | 0.56 |
| 26 | Mississippi | $71,280 | $34.27 | 110 | 1.41 |
| 27 | New Mexico | $69,240 | $33.29 | 50 | 0.85 |
| 28 | Arkansas | $69,240 | $33.29 | 130 | 1.49 |
| 29 | Wyoming | $68,180 | $32.78 | 60 | 3.09 |
| 30 | Kansas | $67,540 | $32.47 | 40 | 0.42 |
| 31 | Montana | $67,200 | $32.31 | 240 | 6.95 |
| 32 | Arizona | $67,200 | $32.31 | 70 | 0.32 |
| 33 | Maine | $66,480 | $31.96 | 70 | 1.71 |
| 34 | Wisconsin | $66,010 | $31.73 | 570 | 2.89 |
| 35 | New Hampshire | $65,170 | $31.33 | 110 | 2.46 |
| 36 | Idaho | $65,170 | $31.33 | 280 | 4.92 |
| 37 | South Dakota | $64,460 | $30.99 | 120 | 3.89 |
| 38 | Florida | $64,130 | $30.83 | 380 | 0.57 |
| 39 | Missouri | $63,220 | $30.39 | 120 | 0.61 |
| 40 | West Virginia | $62,550 | $30.07 | 100 | 2.15 |
| 41 | Indiana | $61,110 | $29.38 | 160 | 0.76 |
| 42 | Kentucky | $56,460 | $27.15 | 120 | 0.87 |
| 43 | Nevada | $51,070 | $24.55 | — | — |
| 44 | Oklahoma | $50,990 | $24.52 | 120 | 1.06 |
Related occupations
Same job family, ranked by national employment.
Frequently asked questions
How much do foresters make?
The median annual wage for foresters in the United States is $76,400, or $36.73 per hour. Entry-level workers (10th percentile) earn $50,790, and the top 10% earn $109,700.
How many foresters are employed in the U.S.?
About 10,430 people work as foresters nationwide.
Which state pays foresters the most?
California pays the most at a median of $107,120, followed by Massachusetts ($89,650) and Alaska ($87,210).
Which state pays foresters the least?
Oklahoma has the lowest median at $50,990.
Where are foresters jobs most concentrated?
The location quotient measures employment concentration relative to the national average. The highest is Montana at 6.95×.