Forester Salary
Foresters earn a median $76,400 a year nationally. Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations
U.S. median
$76,400
$36.73 per hour
Range
$50,790 – $109,700
10th to 90th percentile
Employed
10,430
across the U.S.
Forester take-home pay calculator
Starts at the national median. Pick your state to see your real paycheck.
Your take-home pay
$62,577
per year · effective tax rate 18.1%
$5,215Monthly
$2,607Twice a month
$2,407Every 2 weeks
$30.09Hourly
- Federal income tax$7,978
- Social Security (6.2%)$4,737
- Medicare (1.45%)$1,108
- Texas income tax$0
- Take-home pay$62,577
Marginal rate: 22% federal + 0.00% state
Pay by experience
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home (no state tax) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $50,790 | $24.42 | $42,990 |
| 25th percentile | $62,710 | $30.15 | $52,567 |
| Median (50th) | $76,400 | $36.73 | $62,577 |
| 75th percentile | $91,640 | $44.06 | $73,299 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $109,700 | $52.74 | $86,004 |
Forester salary by state
| State | Median | Take-home | Range | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| California | $107,120 | $77,064 | $71,110 – $156,750 | 820 |
| Massachusetts | $89,650 | $67,636 | $63,110 – $105,350 | 130 |
| Alaska | $87,210 | $70,182 | $61,840 – $104,680 | 80 |
| South Carolina | $86,780 | $65,830 | $59,310 – $102,670 | 250 |
| Maryland | $86,100 | $65,675 | $35,970 – $109,500 | 120 |
| Connecticut | $84,820 | $65,411 | $71,400 – $98,730 | 60 |
| Iowa | $83,000 | $64,718 | $68,470 – $104,720 | 50 |
| Illinois | $82,160 | $62,707 | $60,230 – $120,150 | 220 |
| Oregon | $81,450 | $59,833 | $60,600 – $107,170 | 670 |
| Vermont | $80,750 | $62,768 | $61,400 – $100,930 | 80 |
| Texas | $80,370 | $65,370 | $60,590 – $101,980 | 210 |
| Alabama | $79,530 | $61,068 | $50,240 – $95,400 | 240 |
| Washington | $78,460 | $64,027 | $59,830 – $119,320 | 950 |
| Pennsylvania | $78,280 | $61,497 | $47,590 – $111,970 | 310 |
| North Carolina | $77,870 | $61,013 | $46,800 – $96,900 | — |
| Georgia | $76,970 | $59,606 | $31,460 – $109,700 | 370 |
| Minnesota | $76,490 | $58,963 | $57,910 – $105,080 | 390 |
| Colorado | $76,400 | $59,924 | $52,090 – $97,410 | 210 |
| Michigan | $75,920 | $59,264 | $57,620 – $98,570 | 340 |
| Utah | $75,210 | $59,322 | $61,590 – $94,560 | 40 |
| District of Columbia | $74,710 | $57,979 | $74,700 – $103,330 | — |
| New York | $73,710 | $57,302 | $58,240 – $108,580 | 280 |
| Ohio | $73,320 | $59,177 | $53,270 – $96,260 | 160 |
| Tennessee | $71,990 | $59,475 | $56,950 – $91,870 | 120 |
| Virginia | $71,990 | $56,150 | $47,200 – $100,610 | 340 |
| Mississippi | $71,280 | $56,856 | $44,520 – $134,980 | 110 |
| Arkansas | $69,240 | $55,053 | $47,750 – $91,170 | 130 |
| New Mexico | $69,240 | $55,452 | $57,910 – $87,190 | 50 |
| Wyoming | $68,180 | $56,795 | $61,110 – $88,880 | 60 |
| Kansas | $67,540 | $53,375 | $57,240 – $87,230 | 40 |
| Arizona | $67,200 | $54,634 | $49,940 – $88,710 | 70 |
| Montana | $67,200 | $53,669 | $50,900 – $86,260 | 240 |
| Maine | $66,480 | $52,291 | $54,070 – $87,810 | 70 |
| Wisconsin | $66,010 | $53,096 | $48,780 – $88,090 | 570 |
| Idaho | $65,170 | $52,198 | $48,110 – $80,770 | 280 |
| New Hampshire | $65,170 | $54,544 | $46,800 – $97,670 | 110 |
| South Dakota | $64,460 | $53,974 | $50,110 – $80,700 | 120 |
| Florida | $64,130 | $53,708 | $49,920 – $112,660 | 380 |
| Missouri | $63,220 | $50,943 | $48,240 – $86,630 | 120 |
| West Virginia | $62,550 | $50,359 | $40,910 – $86,820 | 100 |
| Indiana | $61,110 | $49,509 | $48,150 – $97,020 | 160 |
| Kentucky | $56,460 | $45,687 | $49,940 – $88,710 | 120 |
| Nevada | $51,070 | $43,215 | $47,340 – $93,360 | — |
| Oklahoma | $50,990 | $41,401 | $48,280 – $102,300 | 120 |
Frequently asked questions
How much does a forester make?
The national median salary for foresters is $76,400 a year ($36.73 an hour). The lowest-paid 10% earn under $50,790 and the top 10% earn over $109,700. Source: BLS, May 2025.
Which state pays foresters the most?
California has the highest median pay at $107,120.
How many foresters are there in the U.S.?
About 10,430 people work as foresters nationwide.