Foresters
Also called: Area Forester, Consulting Utility Forester, District Forester, Environmental Protection Forester, Extension Forester, Fire Prevention Forester, Forest Ecologist, Forest Examiner
Manage public and private forested lands for economic, recreational, and conservation purposes.
What foresters do
Typical tasks
- Establish short- and long-term plans for management of forest lands and forest resources.
- Plan cutting programs and manage timber sales from harvested areas, assisting companies to achieve production goals.
- Determine methods of cutting and removing timber with minimum waste and environmental damage.
- Negotiate terms and conditions of agreements and contracts for forest harvesting, forest management and leasing of forest lands.
- Perform inspections of forests or forest nurseries.
- Monitor contract compliance and results of forestry activities to assure adherence to government regulations.
- Supervise activities of other forestry workers.
- Provide advice and recommendations, as a consultant on forestry issues, to private woodlot owners, firefighters, government agencies or to companies.
- Develop techniques for measuring and identifying trees.
- Map forest area soils and vegetation to estimate the amount of standing timber and future value and growth.
- Plan and supervise forestry projects, such as determining the type, number and placement of trees to be planted, managing tree nurseries, thinning forest and monitoring growth of new seedlings.
- Plan and direct forest surveys and related studies and prepare reports and recommendations.
Typical path into the job (BLS)
Foresters salary
The median annual wage for foresters is $76,400 (BLS OEWS May 2025; BLS Employment Projections 2025–35, national). The lowest 10 percent earn less than $50,790 and the highest 10 percent earn more than $109,700. The mean annual wage is $79,170.
The mean hourly wage of $38.00 is 5.2× the federal minimum wage of $7.25. State minimums are higher in most large states. Minimum wage by state →
How does your pay compare with people your age?
Your numbers are not sent or stored. The comparison uses this occupation's BLS wage percentiles, adjusted for age with BLS median weekly earnings by age group (Q3 2026).
Pay by percentile
Annual wage percentiles from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS). Percentiles are a good proxy for pay by experience.
Projected pay for Foresters (3, 5 and 10 years)est.
Today $76,400 → in 3 years $82,800 → in 5 years $87,400 → in 10 years $100,000 (10-year range $86,000–$116,100). The model assumes pay growth of +2.7% per year.
What drives the annual growth rate
Projected pay = current pay × (1 + annual growth)^years. The annual growth rate starts from a base wage-growth rate and adds or subtracts labor demand (BLS projected employment growth), wage momentum and AI replacement risk for each occupation. Projections are not guarantees. How it is calculated →
Outlook score for Foresters
Each component is a percentile rank among all occupations in the same country (0–100). Weights: labor demand 25, wage momentum / openings 15, pay level 15, AI resistance 25, aging workforce 10 (Japan only), entry barrier 10.
Will AI replace Foresters? AI replacement risk
How AI is changing this job
A written analysis for this occupation is being prepared.
AI replacement risk compares the parts of a job that are easy to hand to AI or software (processing information, documentation, repetitive computer work) with the parts that are hard to automate (physical work, working closely with people, judgment in unpredictable settings), using O*NET work activities, work context, skills and knowledge. The result is a relative position among all occupations in the country, scaled to 0–100%. Methodology →
Labor demand for Foresters
Employment projections are from the BLS Employment Projections program (2025–35). Annual openings include both new jobs and replacement of workers who leave the occupation.
The same job in Japan
| Foresters United States | 林業技術者 Japan | |
|---|---|---|
| Median / average pay | $76,400 | ¥6.12M ≈ $38,915 |
| Pay in 10 years (est.) | $100,000 | ¥7.88M |
| Outlook score | 50 | 64 |
| AI replacement risk | 56% Moderate | 34% Low |
| Workers | 10K | — |
Matched by occupation (SOC code). Yen converted at 157.25 JPY/USD for reference; Japanese figures are averages, U.S. figures are medians, and the surveys define occupations differently.
Skills, education and requirements for Foresters
Key skills
O*NET skill level ratings (0–7).
Key knowledge areas
What the work involves
Important abilities
Training before entry
Related work experience
Job Zone 4 — considerable preparation needed (O*NET)
Difficulty of entry: ★★★☆☆ Moderate (from education, training, experience and Job Zone)
How to become foresters
A step-by-step guide for this occupation is being prepared. The education, training and experience data above show the typical path.
Career path and how to earn more as foresters
Career-path guidance is being prepared. Pay by percentile is shown in the Pay section.