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Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics

Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2020

19-1032 Foresters

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.


National estimates for Foresters
Industry profile for Foresters
Geographic profile for Foresters

National estimates for Foresters:

Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for Foresters:

Employment (1) Employment
RSE (3)
Mean hourly
wage
Mean annual
wage (2)
Wage RSE (3)
9,360 3.9 % $ 31.73 $ 66,000 1.3 %

Percentile wage estimates for Foresters:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median)
75% 90%
Hourly Wage $ 20.43 $ 24.95 $ 30.76 $ 37.03 $ 44.74
Annual Wage (2) $ 42,500 $ 51,890 $ 63,980 $ 77,010 $ 93,060


Industry profile for Foresters:

Industries with the highest published employment and wages for Foresters are provided. For a list of all industries with employment in Foresters, see the Create Customized Tables function.

Industries with the highest levels of employment in Foresters:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
State Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OEWS Designation) 3,050 0.14 $ 29.63 $ 61,640
Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) 1,300 0.06 $ 32.57 $ 67,750
Local Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OEWS Designation) 1,140 0.02 $ 30.92 $ 64,320
Logging 1,120 2.33 $ 33.66 $ 70,000
Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services 760 0.05 $ 32.05 $ 66,660

Industries with the highest concentration of employment in Foresters:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Logging 1,120 2.33 $ 33.66 $ 70,000
Sawmills and Wood Preservation 550 0.62 $ 34.82 $ 72,430
Pulp, Paper, and Paperboard Mills 150 0.16 $ 30.64 $ 63,720
State Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OEWS Designation) 3,050 0.14 $ 29.63 $ 61,640
Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution 450 0.12 $ 38.40 $ 79,870

Top paying industries for Foresters:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Real Estate (8) (8) $ 40.60 $ 84,450
Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution 450 0.12 $ 38.40 $ 79,870
Sawmills and Wood Preservation 550 0.62 $ 34.82 $ 72,430
Logging 1,120 2.33 $ 33.66 $ 70,000
Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) 1,300 0.06 $ 32.57 $ 67,750


Geographic profile for Foresters:

States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for Foresters are provided. For a list of all areas with employment in Foresters, see the Create Customized Tables function.





States with the highest employment level in Foresters:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
California 720 0.04 0.65 $ 38.54 $ 80,160
Oregon 680 0.38 5.58 $ 34.54 $ 71,830
Wisconsin 540 0.20 2.94 $ 28.26 $ 58,780
Washington 430 0.14 2.01 $ 33.52 $ 69,710
Georgia 410 0.10 1.42 $ 29.97 $ 62,340




States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Foresters:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Montana 210 0.46 6.82 $ 28.43 $ 59,130
Idaho 290 0.40 6.02 $ 28.55 $ 59,380
Oregon 680 0.38 5.58 $ 34.54 $ 71,830
Maine 170 0.30 4.48 (8) (8)
Vermont 80 0.30 4.40 $ 30.50 $ 63,430




Top paying states for Foresters:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
District of Columbia 40 0.05 0.77 $ 45.92 $ 95,500
New Jersey 30 0.01 0.12 $ 39.04 $ 81,200
California 720 0.04 0.65 $ 38.54 $ 80,160
Alaska 80 0.26 3.88 $ 36.60 $ 76,120
Florida 230 0.03 0.40 $ 36.48 $ 75,880





Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in Foresters:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA 160 0.08 1.19 $ 33.23 $ 69,110
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI 110 0.06 0.92 $ 30.07 $ 62,550
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 110 0.03 0.52 $ 38.45 $ 79,970
Albany, OR 90 2.11 31.34 $ 37.10 $ 77,180
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA 80 0.01 0.14 $ 32.40 $ 67,390
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA 80 0.07 1.00 $ 36.31 $ 75,520
Fort Collins, CO 80 0.49 7.31 $ 26.30 $ 54,710
Salem, OR 70 0.43 6.45 $ 37.01 $ 76,970
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI 70 0.01 0.22 $ 36.86 $ 76,670
Eugene, OR 60 0.42 6.26 $ 33.24 $ 69,140




Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Foresters:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Albany, OR 90 2.11 31.34 $ 37.10 $ 77,180
Missoula, MT 50 0.80 11.81 $ 28.44 $ 59,150
Redding, CA 50 0.72 10.74 $ 42.78 $ 88,980
Bangor, ME 40 0.72 10.70 $ 42.98 $ 89,400
Fort Collins, CO 80 0.49 7.31 $ 26.30 $ 54,710
Salem, OR 70 0.43 6.45 $ 37.01 $ 76,970
Eugene, OR 60 0.42 6.26 $ 33.24 $ 69,140
Tallahassee, FL 30 0.18 2.63 $ 28.62 $ 59,530
Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA 50 0.17 2.54 $ 35.50 $ 73,840
Lansing-East Lansing, MI 30 0.16 2.44 $ 35.70 $ 74,250




Top paying metropolitan areas for Foresters:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA (8) (8) (8) $ 46.07 $ 95,820
Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA 50 0.05 0.78 $ 44.72 $ 93,020
Bangor, ME 40 0.72 10.70 $ 42.98 $ 89,400
Redding, CA 50 0.72 10.74 $ 42.78 $ 88,980
Manchester, NH (8) (8) (8) $ 42.14 $ 87,650
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 50 0.01 0.14 $ 41.17 $ 85,640
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 110 0.03 0.52 $ 38.45 $ 79,970
Birmingham-Hoover, AL (8) (8) (8) $ 37.57 $ 78,150
Albany, OR 90 2.11 31.34 $ 37.10 $ 77,180
Salem, OR 70 0.43 6.45 $ 37.01 $ 76,970

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest employment in Foresters:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Northwestern Idaho nonmetropolitan area 200 2.94 43.63 $ 28.24 $ 58,730
Coast Oregon nonmetropolitan area 150 1.38 20.50 $ 31.94 $ 66,440
Northeastern Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area 140 0.75 11.20 $ 28.54 $ 59,350
Northwestern Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area 100 2.09 31.10 $ 27.97 $ 58,180
Southwest Maine nonmetropolitan area 90 0.49 7.26 (8) (8)

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Foresters:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Northwestern Idaho nonmetropolitan area 200 2.94 43.63 $ 28.24 $ 58,730
Northwestern Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area 100 2.09 31.10 $ 27.97 $ 58,180
Northeast Minnesota nonmetropolitan area 80 1.93 28.60 $ 29.69 $ 61,750
Coast Oregon nonmetropolitan area 150 1.38 20.50 $ 31.94 $ 66,440
Central Oregon nonmetropolitan area 70 1.27 18.80 $ 33.16 $ 68,970

Top paying nonmetropolitan areas for Foresters:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
North Coast Region of California nonmetropolitan area 40 0.42 6.25 $ 42.99 $ 89,420
Northeast Lower Peninsula of Michigan nonmetropolitan area 50 0.80 11.89 $ 38.18 $ 79,410
Central East New York nonmetropolitan area 40 0.24 3.64 $ 37.98 $ 79,000
Alaska nonmetropolitan area 40 0.41 6.13 $ 36.26 $ 75,420
Western Washington nonmetropolitan area 70 0.56 8.26 $ 35.51 $ 73,860


About May 2020 National, State, Metropolitan, and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

These estimates are calculated with data collected from employers in all industry sectors, all metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas, and all states and the District of Columbia. The top employment and wage figures are provided above. The complete list is available in the downloadable XLS files.

The percentile wage estimate is the value of a wage below which a certain percent of workers fall. The median wage is the 50th percentile wage estimate—50 percent of workers earn less than the median and 50 percent of workers earn more than the median. More about percentile wages.


(1) Estimates for detailed occupations do not sum to the totals because the totals include occupations not shown separately. Estimates do not include self-employed workers.

(2) Annual wages have been calculated by multiplying the hourly mean wage by a "year-round, full-time" hours figure of 2,080 hours; for those occupations where there is not an hourly wage published, the annual wage has been directly calculated from the reported survey data.

(3) The relative standard error (RSE) is a measure of the reliability of a survey statistic. The smaller the relative standard error, the more precise the estimate.

(8) Estimate not released.

(9) The location quotient is the ratio of the area concentration of occupational employment to the national average concentration. A location quotient greater than one indicates the occupation has a higher share of employment than average, and a location quotient less than one indicates the occupation is less prevalent in the area than average.


Other OEWS estimates and related information:

May 2020 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2020 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2020 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2020 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2020 Occupation Profiles

Technical Notes

 

Last Modified Date: March 31, 2021