SOC 19-1032 · Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations

Foresters

Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025United States, all industries

U.S. median annual wage$76,400

U.S. median hourly wage$36.73

U.S. employment10,430

Nationally, foresters earned a median of $76,400 per year as of the May 2025 OEWS estimates, across 10,430 jobs. Pay varies substantially by area — look up a specific state or metro below.

National pay distribution

Pay by state

Every state and territory with a published May 2025 estimate. “Not published” means BLS suppressed the value — it never means zero. Higher medians often track higher living costs; this is not a ranking of where the job is “best”.

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Foresters: pay and employment by state
State
California	$107,120	$51.50	820	0.0
Massachusetts	$89,650	$43.10	130	0.0
Alaska	$87,210	$41.93	80	0.3
South Carolina	$86,780	$41.72	250	0.1
Maryland	$86,100	$41.40	120	0.0
Connecticut	$84,820	$40.78	60	0.0
Iowa	$83,000	$39.91	50	0.0
Illinois	$82,160	$39.50	220	0.0
Oregon	$81,450	$39.16	670	0.3
Vermont	$80,750	$38.82	80	0.3
Texas	$80,370	$38.64	210	0.0
Alabama	$79,530	$38.24	240	0.1
Washington	$78,460	$37.72	950	0.3
Pennsylvania	$78,280	$37.64	310	0.1
North Carolina	$77,870	$37.44	Not published	Not published
Georgia	$76,970	$37.01	370	0.1
Minnesota	$76,490	$36.78	390	0.1
Colorado	$76,400	$36.73	210	0.1
Michigan	$75,920	$36.50	340	0.1
Utah	$75,210	$36.16	40	0.0
District of Columbia	$74,710	$35.92	Not published	Not published
New York	$73,710	$35.44	280	0.0
Ohio	$73,320	$35.25	160	0.0
Tennessee	$71,990	$34.61	120	0.0
Virginia	$71,990	$34.61	340	0.1
Mississippi	$71,280	$34.27	110	0.1
Arkansas	$69,240	$33.29	130	0.1
New Mexico	$69,240	$33.29	50	0.1
Wyoming	$68,180	$32.78	60	0.2
Kansas	$67,540	$32.47	40	0.0
Arizona	$67,200	$32.31	70	0.0
Montana	$67,200	$32.31	240	0.5
Maine	$66,480	$31.96	70	0.1
Wisconsin	$66,010	$31.73	570	0.2
Idaho	$65,170	$31.33	280	0.3
New Hampshire	$65,170	$31.33	110	0.2
South Dakota	$64,460	$30.99	120	0.3
Florida	$64,130	$30.83	380	0.0
Missouri	$63,220	$30.39	120	0.0
West Virginia	$62,550	$30.07	100	0.1
Indiana	$61,110	$29.38	160	0.1
Kentucky	$56,460	$27.15	120	0.1
Nevada	$51,070	$24.55	Not published	Not published
Oklahoma	$50,990	$24.52	120	0.1
Louisiana	Not published	Not published	130	0.1

Pay by metro area

All 52 metro areas where BLS publishes this occupation. Sort by median wage, employment, or local concentration — or see the highest-paying metros ranked.

Each dot is one metro area with a published median — hover any dot for the name and figure. Metros without published estimates are not drawn.

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Foresters: pay and employment by metro area
Metro area
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA	$112,560	$54.11	70	0.0
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA	$107,750	$51.80	110	0.1
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA	$107,690	$51.77	110	0.0
Fresno, CA	$102,540	$49.30	30	0.1
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA	$93,340	$44.88	40	0.0
Columbia, SC	$89,990	$43.26	50	0.1
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA	$89,780	$43.16	180	0.1
Salem, OR	$89,220	$42.90	110	0.6
Birmingham, AL	$87,050	$41.85	40	0.1
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA	$86,310	$41.50	240	0.1
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH	$86,070	$41.38	90	0.0
Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT	$86,060	$41.38	50	0.1
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN	$85,610	$41.16	130	0.0
Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX	$83,720	$40.25	70	0.0
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX	$82,310	$39.57	40	0.0
Corvallis, OR	$81,450	$39.16	40	1.1
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI	$80,600	$38.75	100	0.0
Eugene-Springfield, OR	$79,980	$38.45	60	0.4
Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC	$78,800	$37.89	40	0.0
Longview-Kelso, WA	$78,460	$37.72	30	0.9
Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA	$76,600	$36.83	110	0.9
Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA	$76,600	$36.83	80	0.3
Duluth, MN-WI	$76,400	$36.73	90	0.7
Medford, OR	$76,400	$36.73	40	0.4
Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI	$76,330	$36.70	50	0.1
Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX	$75,810	$36.45	30	0.0
Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA	$74,710	$35.92	50	1.0
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV	$74,710	$35.92	280	0.1
St. Louis, MO-IL	$73,950	$35.56	30	0.0
Columbus, OH	$71,340	$34.30	40	0.0
Jacksonville, FL	$71,040	$34.16	50	0.1
Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL	$70,340	$33.82	40	0.0
Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN	$69,820	$33.57	40	0.0
Madison, WI	$69,620	$33.47	50	0.1
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ	$69,620	$33.47	90	0.0
Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO	$69,010	$33.18	60	0.0
Lansing-East Lansing, MI	$67,750	$32.57	40	0.2
Tallahassee, FL	$66,470	$31.96	30	0.2
Richmond, VA	$66,430	$31.94	70	0.1
Fort Collins-Loveland, CO	$66,110	$31.79	50	0.3
Coeur d'Alene, ID	$66,000	$31.73	30	0.5
Boise City, ID	$65,170	$31.33	40	0.1
Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN	$64,610	$31.06	40	0.0
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA	$64,110	$30.82	60	0.0
Rapid City, SD	$63,210	$30.39	40	0.5
Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR	$61,890	$29.76	40	0.1
Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD	$59,430	$28.57	40	0.0
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL	$58,820	$28.28	Not published	Not published
Gainesville, FL	$51,500	$24.76	30	0.2
Oklahoma City, OK	$50,990	$24.52	Not published	Not published
Raleigh-Cary, NC	$49,790	$23.94	Not published	Not published
Reno, NV	$48,620	$23.38	Not published	Not published

About this data. Estimates are from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program, May 2025 release, retrieved from bls.gov/oes/tables.htm on July 24, 2026. OEWS estimates describe metropolitan/nonmetropolitan areas and states — not city limits — and are not designed for year-over-year comparisons. See BLS methodology, our plain-English methodology, and sources. CitySalaryData is independent and not affiliated with BLS.