Life, Physical & Social Science
Foresters
Also called: Area Forester, District Forester, Environmental Protection Forester, Fire Prevention Forester
US median pay
$76,400
per year, 2025
Job growth 2025–35
+2.2%
about average or slower
Openings a year (US)
900
13,200 employed
Typical entry education
Bachelor's degree
Preparation 4/5 · Considerable preparation
What this job is
Manage public and private forested lands for economic, recreational, and conservation purposes. May inventory the type, amount, and location of standing timber, appraise the timber's worth, negotiate the purchase, and draw up contracts for procurement. May determine how to conserve wildlife habitats, creek beds, water quality, and soil stability, and how best to comply with environmental regulations. May devise plans for planting and growing new trees, monitor trees for healthy growth, and determine optimal harvesting schedules.
What they do day to day
- 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.
Skills and knowledge that matter most
Skills
- Judgment and Decision Making3.9/5
- Complex Problem Solving3.9/5
- Systems Evaluation3.6/5
- Systems Analysis3.6/5
- Coordination3.6/5
- Time Management3.5/5
- Negotiation3.4/5
- Social Perceptiveness3.2/5
Knowledge
- Biology4.1/5
- Mathematics3.7/5
- English Language3.7/5
- Geography3.6/5
- Administration and Management3.5/5
- Customer and Personal Service3.4/5
Importance rated by people working in the job (1 = not important, 5 = extremely important).
Education and preparation
Preparation level 4 of 5 — Considerable preparation. Usually a bachelor's degree and several years of related experience.
Typical entry education (BLS): Bachelor's degree.
Who this job suits
Mostly Realistic
Hands-on work with tools, machines, plants or animals
Investigative
Ideas, research and solving problems
Conventional
Organising data, details and procedures
Based on the Holland (RIASEC) interest profile for this occupation.