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Job outlook for foresters in the United States
Forester job growth summary. After extensive research, interviews, and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
The projected forester job growth rate is 5% from 2018-2028.
About 1,800 new jobs for foresters are projected over the next decade.
Forester salaries have increased 9% for foresters in the last 5 years.
There are over 4,321 foresters currently employed in the United States.
There are 6,758 active forester job openings in the US.
The average forester salary is $50,590.
Are forester jobs in demand?
Forester job and salary trends over time
Forester jobs over time
Forester job growth rate over time
Year  | # Of Jobs | % Of Population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 4,321 | 0.00% |
| 2020 | 4,258 | 0.00% |
| 2019 | 4,326 | 0.00% |
| 2018 | 3,825 | 0.00% |
| 2017 | 3,775 | 0.00% |
Average forester salary over time
Forester salary by year
| Year | Avg. Salary | Hourly Rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $50,590 | $24.32 | +3.5% |
| 2024 | $48,858 | $23.49 | +0.6% |
| 2023 | $48,558 | $23.35 | +2.1% |
| 2022 | $47,538 | $22.85 | +2.4% |
| 2021 | $46,415 | $22.31 | +0.8% |
Forester jobs by state
Most common states for foresters
| Rank | State | Population | # of Jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | North Dakota | 755,393 | 47 | 6% |
| 2 | Maine | 1,335,907 | 61 | 5% |
| 3 | Alaska | 739,795 | 34 | 5% |
| 4 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 34 | 5% |
| 5 | Connecticut | 3,588,184 | 90 | 3% |
| 6 | Montana | 1,050,493 | 31 | 3% |
| 7 | Wyoming | 579,315 | 17 | 3% |
| 8 | Washington | 7,405,743 | 136 | 2% |
| 9 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 84 | 2% |
| 10 | Iowa | 3,145,711 | 54 | 2% |
| 11 | West Virginia | 1,815,857 | 40 | 2% |
| 12 | Nebraska | 1,920,076 | 35 | 2% |
| 13 | Rhode Island | 1,059,639 | 19 | 2% |
| 14 | Vermont | 623,657 | 14 | 2% |
| 15 | Pennsylvania | 12,805,537 | 141 | 1% |
| 16 | Ohio | 11,658,609 | 112 | 1% |
| 17 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 54 | 1% |
| 18 | Missouri | 6,113,532 | 53 | 1% |
| 19 | Mississippi | 2,984,100 | 17 | 1% |
| 20 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 15 | 1% |
Most common cities for foresters
| Rank | City | # of Jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Carrollton | 1 | 4% | $37,111 |
| 2 | Andover | 1 | 3% | $55,959 |
| 3 | Decatur | 1 | 2% | $36,926 |
| 4 | El Dorado Hills | 1 | 2% | $50,676 |
| 5 | Bloomington | 1 | 1% | $36,238 |
| 6 | Dothan | 1 | 1% | $37,482 |
| 7 | Fort Collins | 1 | 1% | $40,384 |
| 8 | Fort Myers | 1 | 1% | $47,567 |
| 9 | Baton Rouge | 1 | 0% | $45,199 |
| 10 | Birmingham | 1 | 0% | $36,977 |
| 11 | Boston | 1 | 0% | $56,753 |
Forester job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of forester experts
Louisiana State University and A&M College
Michigan State University
Florida International University
North Carolina State University
Ohio State University
Gonzaga University
Oregon State University
University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point
Kennesaw State University
Bard College
University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point
Washington State University
University of California, Riverside
New Mexico Highlands University
North Carolina State University
University of Minnesota
Clemson University
Clemson University
What Forester skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Dr. Chris Karmosky: Meteorology is a good profession to enter now for several reasons. We are starting to see some of the more severe impacts of climate change come to light, and meteorologists serve a vital role in the protection of life and property during severe weather events. These events include enhanced flooding from ever-stronger rainfall, more intense and frequent hurricanes, water management difficulties due to prolonged severe drought, and the risks posed by sustained heat waves. Meteorologists communicate these risks to both stakeholders and the broader public. At the same time the world is facing these risks, the meteorological community is making great strides with forecast modeling. Nearly all hurricane landfall forecasts have been correct within 50 miles over the last 5 years—this was not true 20 years ago! People entering the field today will be instrumental to incorporating further advances in incorporating artificial intelligence into forecasting. We are certainly not at the point yet where AI can entirely supplant humans at creating weather forecasts. Meteorologists add important local knowledge of the regions they serve, will still need to quality check AI model output, and will still be necessary to collect and synthesize the data that goes into AI and traditional computer models. So it is certainly an exciting time of technological transition.
What will help Foresters increase their earning potential?
Paul Miller: Pursue campus, community, and industry involvement beyond your coursework, especially seeking leadership roles when possible. The best predictor of future success is past performance, so it is important to demonstrate a proactive posture regarding your career. Because most meteorological data in the U.S. are collected and freely disseminated by the federal government, there is high potential to gain exposure and experience with important weather monitoring and forecast systems before entering the job market.
What general advice would you give to a Forester?
Justin Kunkle PhD: The day-to-day tasks of a forester include conducting fieldwork, managing forests, developing forest management plans, analyzing data, and ensuring sustainable practices. Someone entering the field may start by assisting senior foresters, learning about different tree species, and understanding forest management techniques.
What Forester skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Justin Kunkle PhD: Forestry is a good profession to enter now due to the increasing focus on environmental conservation, sustainable resource management, and the growing demand for professionals who can manage forests effectively. There are also opportunities for innovation and technological advancements in the field.
What will help Foresters increase their earning potential?
Justin Kunkle PhD: People in forestry enjoy working outdoors, connecting with nature, and contributing to conservation efforts. However, challenges may include long hours, physical labor, and dealing with unpredictable weather conditions.
What Forester skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Dr. Krishnaswamy Jayachandran: Natural Resources Management is a broader field. Natural Resource Conservation Service is one of the largest agencies in the USDA providing career job opportunities. US Forest Service Agency is another one to explore career opportunities. There are few things I would suggest - gain experiential and experimental skills through internships, network with professionals in the field, increase knowledge through advanced graduate education, keep open minded to learning, focus on sustainability and environmental stewardship in your work.
What will help Foresters increase their earning potential?
Dr. Krishnaswamy Jayachandran: Climate change adaptation, Sustainable Practices, and ecosystem management skills will be critical. GIS, Remote Sensing, data analysis and interpretation of datasets are important in the future as technology advances day by day, the data driven decision making and the policies will play a major role in Natural Resources Management. I would suggest continuing to develop strong communication skills both written and verbal will be important to tell the stories in the form of Science Communication to stakeholders and a diverse group of audience.
Frederick Cubbage
ProfessorNorth Carolina State University
Environmental/Natural Resources Management And Policy
What general advice would you give to a Forester?
Frederick Cubbage: We always have more people and more pressure on our scarce natural resources, and this creates threats of those resources losing their functions and values, or even being converted thoughtlessly to more developed uses, and innate benefits to humans and society.
What Forester skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Frederick Cubbage: People who either want to work outside and fulfill their passion for natural systems and environments and often are attracted to natural resources.
What will help Foresters increase their earning potential?
Frederick Cubbage: Natural resource graduates at the undergraduate or graduate level may perform jobs that range from intensive field work to a mix of management and field work to more human dimensions of natural resources.
What general advice would you give to a Forester?
Man-Yau Chan: The fact that we do a surprising amount of math, programming and data analysis. The weather's behavior can be modelled by mathematical equations. These equations often have a Physical basis (e.g., the conservation of energy). People who dislike any kind of math intensely will dislike being a meteorologist, and people who like math will be ecstatic. This is a matter of preference really. On a more entertaining perspective, not all meteorologists like to be asked about the weather forecast. 🤣 Forecast meteorologists are probably fine with that, but a research meteorologist who just spent 8 hours working on a non-forecasting topic may get slightly (and entertainingly) annoyed. We are kind of like dermatologists in that sense – they don't always to check for skin cancer at family gatherings!
What will help Foresters increase their earning potential?
Man-Yau Chan: There is an increasing demand for meteorologists because the field itself is growing bigger and more sophisticated. There are now forecasting systems for all sorts of things (e.g., urban pollution forecasting, cloud-cover forecasting for solar power). Every one of those areas needs meteorologists. There are also many places that need meteorologists, especially outside of the National Weather Service! Some exciting examples include the Navy, the Army, the Air Force, utility companies, and the US Department of Agriculture! I would like to highlight my own discipline: statistical meteorology. Statistical meteorologists are increasingly in demand because (1) they are essential for creating the computer systems used to correct weather forecasting, and (2) there are more and more weather forecasting systems. However, there is an undersupply of statistical meteorologists at the moment. In other words, there are many job opportunities!
Dr. Greg Gordon Professor/Chair
Professor/ChairGonzaga University
Natural Resources Conservation And Research
What will help Foresters increase their earning potential?
Dr. Greg Gordon Professor/Chair: We find that graphical information systems (GIS) skills are in high demand. Soft skills such as ability to work as a team, develop work plans, collaborate and communicate with diverse stakeholders, communicate technical and scientific information, are, and will be very important in the near and long term future.
What Forester skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Aaron Haines Ph.D., Certified Wildlife Biologist ®: The current most prevalent skill sets and qualifications for students interested in the ecology and environmental fields include good communication through speaking and writing. It is important to be able to communicate as an effective team member, communicate with private landowners, volunteers, and to the public for education purposes. Writing skills will be important for correctly recording data, completing certifications, helping to write grants (and other fundraising efforts) and completing reports.
Be in good physical condition to complete fieldwork and gather data. Sometimes you will be deep in the field and off-trail. The better shape you are in, the better your ability to deal with hot, cold, or humid weather conditions and bothersome insects. Physical exhaustion leads to increased errors in the field.
When in the field, certain professions prefer combinations of the following skills: Use of GPS units, ability to drive 4-wheel drive vehicles and/or ATVs, boating experience, chainsaw, herbicide and pesticide application, identification of flora and fauna, ability access soil and water quality, and prescribed fire experience.
Have standard IT skills to gather data via phone or tablet and be familiar with standard programs such as WORD, EXCEL, and ACCESS.
Future skills will include the ability to gather data remotely from the field (e.g., Lidar spatial data, acoustic recordings, remote cameras, drone data, eDNA) and onto the Could. It will also be beneficial to speak more than one language and be able to develop a strong web presence for your project and organization.
What skills stand out on Forester resumes?
John Bailey: Prior work experience is important on the resume, including how it complements the education (e.g., summer fire fighting and prescribed burning experience together with the Forestry – Restoration and Fire option); good grades are important in the upper-division forestry classes to demonstrate their content knowledge, work ethic and ability to critically think and communicate.
What soft skills should all Foresters possess?
John Bailey: We stress with our students that new information is always available, and much of their work will depend on local and regional knowledge that depends on where they ultimately go in their careers. So, they have to be critical thinkers, good team members, and good communicators.
What hard/technical skills are most important for Foresters?
John Bailey: Much of it depends on the job into which a student goes (e.g., how much GIS is used or how important wildfire risk is). But, everyone needs a broad base in dendrology, field measurements, ecology, silviculture, biometrics, economics, and policy… biophysical and social sciences that aid in sustainable land management.
What skills will help Foresters earn the most?
John Bailey: Probably their soft skills more than anything, together with their maturity and work ethic: showing up on time, ready to work at what the job, interested in doing it right and efficiently, understanding its importance to the company or agency, learning new things and better ways to do the work, and looking for ways to advance the cause. Professional involvement after the degree, and continuing education and certification, is important in many fields (e.g., fire, silviculture, GIS, and forest engineering).
Paul Doruska
Professor of Forest Measurements & Forestry Discipline CoordinatorUniversity of Wisconsin-Stevens Point
College of Natural Resources
What skills stand out on Forester resumes?
Paul Doruska: -Demonstrated field skills and in-field experiences - certificates/certifications (i.e., chainsaw, pesticide applicator, wildland fire, ...) certificates have become more important than minors, in my opinion - require fewer university credits (10-12) than minors (18-22), and focus on applied skills and practical knowledge. They often require some university courses and some outside of the university training). Those wanting to expand on what can be offered through the 120 credits in a bachelor's of science degree in forestry will find some of the certificate knowledge embedded with the degree.
-Knowledge of forest management certification systems and carbon accounting.
What soft skills should all Foresters possess?
Paul Doruska: Awareness/Adherence to equity, diversity, inclusion, communicating (written, oral, electronic, social media), listening, teamwork, ethics, adaptability (especially to changing technology), conflict resolution, lifelong dedication to continuing education (As the world of forestry is forever changing) and dedication to continued certifications - (all of those above and then post-graduate certifications such as Society of American Foresters Certified Forester, Certified Park and Recreation Professional, Real Estate/Appraisals (unfortunately don't know the correct titling here off the top of my head) and the list goes on... Willingness to network through professional organizations (Society of American foresters, Parks and Recreation Association, Society for ecological restoration, International Society of Arboriculture, the list goes on...); multitasking to make most efficient use of one's time.
What hard/technical skills are most important for Foresters?
Paul Doruska: Geographic Information Systems, forest inventory, finance, silviculture, developing and defending sound management plans in one's chosen area of forestry (forest management, recreation, urban and community forestry, or Ecosystem Restoration and Management are the areas here at the University of Wisconsin Stevens Point)
What skills will help Foresters earn the most?
Paul Doruska: Stated simply – “want to,” desire and drive! In my view, a Bachelor’s degree shows folks you are committed to learning and committed to Forestry – where one takes it from there depends on the individual person first and foremost.
Dr. Dan Ferreira Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Environmental ScienceKennesaw State University
Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology
What Forester skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Dr. Dan Ferreira Ph.D.: I think the best advice I can offer recent graduates is to be as flexible as possible. Being willing to relocate, for example, vastly expands the number of potential jobs they can apply to. Applying for positions that might not be exactly where they want to go, but might give them the experience or skills they need to get to their desired career after a year or two also will help open more doors. So if you can't find your ideal job right away, consider that internship or volunteer opportunity that will make you more marketable in the future.
What hard/technical skills are most important for Foresters?
Dr. Eban Goodstein: Solid natural science background, esp ecology, and biogeochemical cycles.
What technical skills for a Forester stand out to employers?
Joshua Raabe Ph.D.: Many graduates' first position is a field technician, so being able to handle and identify fish, trailer and operate boats, and use a variety of sampling equipment are essential skills. Management and research requires data analysis, so statistics, computer programming, and GIS are valuable skills. Finally, writing and communication skills are absolutely necessary to communicate science to the public and each other.
Richard Zack Ph.D.
Associate Dean for Academic ProgramsWashington State University
Department of Entomology
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Forester job market given the pandemic?
Richard Zack Ph.D.: While the pandemic has certainly had a significant effect on agricultural communities, agriculture was and will remain one of the most essential of our industries. As we come out of the pandemic, I think that we are going to see a continuation of the growth in available positions and hiring. It is estimated that we are only producing 30% of the individuals that are needed to fill all available positions. This is especially true for students that are looking for well-paying, entry level positions with small to large sized firms. We, at the university, continue to receive requests from our industry partners for interviews with students. We believe that this fall, when we can hopefully get back to face to face meetings, we will have a pent-up demand for our career services and some of our largest, in terms of industry attendance, career fairs.
What soft skills should all Foresters possess?
Richard Zack Ph.D.: Our industry partners and our advisory groups have been telling us for a while that soft-skills are very important to them. While they are seeking students with good technical backgrounds, they can and usually do fill in the details of individual types of positions through their own training programs. However, they want employees that are interested in what their companies do and how they operate, individuals that are eager to learn and progress through a system, individuals that have experienced and have an appreciation for working in teams, individuals that are creative but understand the chain of command, and as one large regional employer put it to me, individuals that show up for work on time and don't ask, as a first question, about vacation times and day's off. They are also very interested in employees that have cultural competencies and can work with individuals from a wide variety of backgrounds. In many of our fields, it is important that students look for internships with companies in which they have an interest. Many of our students our hired out of internships. So, it is very important for an individual to present themselves in the best possible manner when they are interacting with possible employers.
How have salaries changed over time for Foresters?
Richard Zack Ph.D.: Salaries at all levels of employment continue to rise. Starting salaries in most of our disciplines are very competitive with other non-agricultural disciplines. It is a very competitive market for our best students and many of them will receive 4-5 position offers before graduation.
Louis Santiago Ph.D.
Professor and Physiological EcologistUniversity of California, Riverside
Botany and Plant Sciences
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Foresters?
Louis Santiago Ph.D.: This is hard to predict. Some academic interactions that they would have had with faculty were curtailed due to online learning, but I think that faculty should be willing to write letters of recommendation considering the situation. There is also a loss of interactions with their cohort, which is difficult to gauge. Beyond these university-based changes, there will likely be a shifing job market, since everything shifted towards remote activity for a year.
What's a day at work look like for a Forester?
Louis Santiago Ph.D.: I am not sure. The concentration that we have had all year on a pandemic spread and vaccine development has put a huge spotlight on certain fields like virus evolution and epidemiology in general, but the long-term effects and how they relate to graduates remains to be seen. However, students graduating this spring will face a US that is half returning to normal, perhaps with co-workers beginning in person work for the first time in a long time.
Dr. Joshua Sloan Ph.D.
Director of Forestry, InterimNew Mexico Highlands University
Department of Forestry
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Forester job market given the pandemic?
Dr. Joshua Sloan Ph.D.: Based on my experience, I don't expect the pandemic to have much long-term impact on job market trends for foresters. Although the safety precautions and social distancing requirements enacted during the pandemic have greatly complicated the delivery of forestry education, this has generally been less of a challenge for foresters that are already in the workforce or who are just entering the workforce. Employers in the forestry sector have continued to hire and train new employees throughout the pandemic, and the pandemic has not impacted placement rates so far for students graduating from my department with a forestry degree over the past twelve months.
The biggest short-term impact I've seen is that students graduating from a forestry program during the pandemic have had a slightly steeper and more difficult learning curve upon entering the workforce because the onboarding and new employee training processes are mostly being conducted remotely now, which I've heard has been difficult for many newly-hired forestry graduates. Most forestry programs consistently high placement rates and have for many years. This isn't likely to change any time soon, and we expect the demand for foresters to continue to increase as efforts to mitigate climate change and related severe disturbances (e.g., catastrophic wildfires) through reforestation and better forest management ramp up.
What technical skills for a Forester stand out to employers?
Dr. Joshua Sloan Ph.D.: With regard to technical skills, most employers in the forestry sector look for applicants with a B.S. in Forestry from a program accredited by the Society of American Foresters (SAF). Graduating from an SAF-accredited program ensures that students receive training in the baseline technical skills that will be expected of them in any forestry position. It's also increasingly common for employers to look for applicants with skills related to geographic information systems (GIS), which is essentially high-end mapping and spatial analysis software. Any SAF-accredited forestry program would require students to learn the basics of GIS, but taking additional coursework or pursuing credentials in GIS would often make an applicant more competitive.
There is also a tremendous lack of foresters with forest restoration and regeneration expertise in North America, and relatively few forestry schools currently focus much on these areas. I expect individuals with this set of skills and expertise to be in increasing demand in the coming years as we attempt to help our forests adapt to climate change and major ecological disturbances. Aside from these forestry-specific skills, two of the skill-sets most sought after by employers include good communication skills and good critical thinking skills. I would encourage any student or recent graduate to work on developing their writing, speaking, and problem-solving skills because these are the skills that employers constantly tell us they're looking for and not finding often enough.
How have salaries changed over time for Foresters?
Dr. Joshua Sloan Ph.D.: It's difficult to talk about salary trends in the forestry sector in a general way because the sector is so broad and diverse, covering everything from sawyers and equipment operators on one end of the spectrum to researchers and administrators on the other. As with many sectors, the overall trend in the forestry sector has been toward wage growth over time, but the rate and magnitude of this growth have varied tremendously by region and job type, so I would encourage individuals interested in a career in forestry to do their own investigation of salary and employment trends for the region and job types they're interested in. Having said that, probably the most lucrative group of jobs for entry-level foresters today lies in the field of wildland firefighting. We've seen increasing numbers of large, catastrophic forest fires in recent years as a result of climate change and other causes, and this trend is likely to continue into the foreseeable future and continue to require large numbers of wildland firefighters, many of which get their start in SAF-accredited forestry programs.
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Forester job market given the pandemic?
Sam Cook: The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted labor markets globally during 2020. The short-term consequences were sudden and often severe: Some people in our profession were furloughed but a majority of people adjusted to working from home, satellite facilities as offices closed. Many foresters and natural resource professions were deemed essential and continued to work in the field and from other external field facilities outside. I see a strong demand for timber to produce lumber and paper products. The increase in lumber prices did not pass down to the landowner for stumpage. I really think our profession was very visual during this pandemic, especially for those who needed more space to get outdoors. I saw increased building/remodeling projects, use of forest lands, parks, and other recreational areas.
What soft skills should all Foresters possess?
Sam Cook: Soft skills required by our graduates: reading comprehension/writing/speaking/active listening, monitoring, critical thinking, time management, complex problem solving, and social perceptiveness
How have salaries changed over time for Foresters?
Sam Cook: Salaries have increased significantly since my entry point into the business in 1985.
Marcella Windmuller-Campione Ph.D.
Assistant ProfessorUniversity of Minnesota
Department of Forest Resources
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Forester job market given the pandemic?
Marcella Windmuller-Campione Ph.D.: During the pandemic, some folks have really connected back to their local environments - parks, natural areas, and multiple forms of recreation. It has put a spotlight on how important nature is and I think there is interest in ensuring forests are and will continue to be forests. We may see more individuals entering school for degrees in forestry and environmental science. In terms of the job market, that may be variable. Some forest products have been critical during the pandemic (and will continue after) and that requires sound management. However, governmental budgets may be tighter.
What soft skills should all Foresters possess?
Marcella Windmuller-Campione Ph.D.: Communication - communication about how and why forests are managed. This is critical to be able to tell the story of forestry (which is not just logging) but forestry as a science that incorporates multiple disciplines (soils, hydrology, tree growth, wildlife) when developing and making management decisions. There are a lot of moving pieces that a forester needs to consider and also needs to be able to share with multiple audiences.
How have salaries changed over time for Foresters?
Marcella Windmuller-Campione Ph.D.: Many foresters (but not all of them) live in more rural areas with lower costs of living compared to other regions. Salaries have always been competitive with other disciplines. I have heard of some forestry companies recently offering signing bonuses to new forestry professionals - this is a direct reflection of the need for well trained foresters in our society.
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Forester job market given the pandemic?
Patrick Hiesl Ph.D.: Foresters often work alone or with another forester in secluded or remote areas. The pandemic thus had a smaller impact on that part of the forestry profession and while the job market offered fewer jobs than usual for a while, in the past few months I have seen an increase in forester job postings across the US. While foresters may have an office space with a given company, I believe that we will see more flexibility in the future with home offices. During the pandemic we all have shifted to virtual meetings and working remotely as much as we can. Field foresters and consulting foresters probably see the least change of all after the pandemic. Less field intensive foresters such as industrial procurement foresters or GIS foresters will probably see the greatest changes after the pandemic. Many job functions have been moved to the cloud or online to allow for remote access. Foresters will still have to live close to the resources they manage, so I don’t think we will see foresters living too far away from their respective companies. To summarize this, I believe there will be no significant trends or changes in the job market, besides a greater flexibility for working remotely.
What technical skills for a Forester stand out to employers?
Patrick Hiesl Ph.D.: The one skill that repeatedly is asked for by employers is a working knowledge of spreadsheets, and in many cases the use of pivot tables. Forestry includes a lot of number crunching and spreadsheets really help to organize and streamline that process. Other technical skills include a solid foundation in timber cruising techniques, both on paper, and with digital data recorders. While nobody expects new employees to be familiar with all technology, employers are looking for people that can easily adapt to new tools and build on their existing skills.
What's a good job out of college for Foresters?
Patrick Hiesl Ph.D.: This is a challenging question, as it depends on the goals and interests of the college graduate. Forestry consists of many specialized fields and employers can be federal or state governments, non-profit organizations, private industry, and others. Some of my students are interested in working for the federal government, so a job with the US Forest Service would be good for them. The US Forest Service offers a wide range of employment opportunities across the US and if someone is interested in working in many different parts of the US, working for the US Forest Service may be the right thing for them. I also have many students that wish to work for the state forest service or forestry commission. Similar to the US Forest Service, the state forest service or forestry commission can offer a wide range of employment opportunities, all within one state. If a college graduate is interested in working with private forest owners to manage their timberland, then a job with a consulting forestry firm is the right choice for them. Wood procurement is a large field within forestry and college graduates can find employment with wood dealers or with large industrial companies. Working for a wood dealer typically includes a lot of time traveling and searching for wood to buy. It also includes a lot of different forms of communication and interacting with potential customers. Industrial procurement on the other side is done by large industrial companies at their local mill level. Many of the industrial procurement foresters spend most of their time on the phone and in front of a computer. More numbers are crunched to provide their suppliers with accurate prices that the company can afford to pay. If a college graduate is more inclined to work in an office then outside, an industrial procurement job is the right fit. There are also many more employment options out there and it all depends on the goals and objectives of the college graduate. This is also why it is important for students to work internships during the summers, to help them figure out what they are really interested in.
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Foresters?
Patricia Layton: I hope that we will not see an impact. We did have slightly fewer internships available last summer and we delayed our summer required forestry courses (other schools did not delay). I think though that the “aging out” of foresters continue and we are still in a shortage situation for this major. This was considered essential work under the covid rules and most that I know of were relatively healthy during the past year.
What certifications/licenses/courses can have the biggest impact for Foresters?
Patricia Layton: Being able to be a registered forester in SC (and we have a concentration area for surveyors also) as they require specific course work.
What soft skills should all Foresters possess?
Patricia Layton: Good communication skills, oral and written. The ability to work well with others and to interact well with people who own forests. Common sense is also really needed.