by our College Data Analytics TeamStudying Forestry, General involves the study of Forestry, General. A Program That Generally Prepares Individuals To Manage And Develop Forest Areas For Economic, Recreational, And Ecological Purposes. Includes Instruction In Forest-Related Sciences, Mapping, Statistics, Harvesting And Production Technology, Natural Resources Management And Economics, Wildlife Sciences, Administration, And Public Relations. Read on to learn the essential details every forestry, general student should know — including career paths, salary data, the skills you will develop, and the best colleges offering forestry, general programs.
Across the country, forestry, general draws strong interest, with 1,181 degrees awarded annually.
Our 2026 Best Forestry, General Schools ranking analyzes these 44 schools to determine the best overall colleges for forestry, general students. Continue reading to check out one of our many unbiased rankings of forestry, general programs later in this article.
Studies in Forestry, General build a specific mix of skills, knowledge, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in the occupations forestry, general graduates commonly enter.
Skills emphasized by a forestry, general program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:
According to O*NET, a forestry, general major emphasizes the following knowledge areas:
There are several forestry, general degree levels. The table below shows the typical length of the most common levels, and how many graduates earn each one.
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate | Varies | 19 |
| Associate Degree | 2 years | 100 |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 668 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 372 |
| Doctorate | At least 4 years | 20 |
People currently working in careers related to forestry, general tend to have obtained the following education levels.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Bachelor’s degree | 32.5% |
| Doctoral degree | 21.4% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 13.8% |
| Master’s degree | 13.3% |
| Post-doctoral training | 7.4% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 5.1% |
| Some college courses | 2.4% |
| Postsecondary certificate | 1.7% |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 1.3% |
| Less than a high school diploma | 1.1% |
View the chart below to get an idea of what level of education most of those in forestry, general careers hold.
Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*
Majoring in forestry, general opens doors to many career paths. Below are some of the most common occupations related to forestry, general.
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to forestry, general.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Forestry and Conservation Science Teachers, Postsecondary | 497,622 | 4.3% |
| Forest and Conservation Workers | 400,323 | 11.1% |
| Conservation Scientists | 208,826 | 13.4% |
| Range Managers | 175,572 | 1.3% |
| Foresters | 93,289 | 5.1% |
| Forest and Conservation Technicians | 73,073 | 0.5% |
| Park Naturalists | 46,677 | 9.4% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Farming, Fishing, and Forestry Workers | 33,611 | -0.6% |
The U.S. Department of Education tracks median earnings of forestry, general graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Earnings tend to climb as graduates gain experience.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $44,042 |
| 4 years | $52,066 |
| 5 years | $60,484 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.
Salaries for forestry, general graduates vary widely by occupation. The following table shows the top highest-paying careers forestry, general grads often go into.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Foresters | $93,406 |
| Conservation Scientists | $81,436 |
| Forestry and Conservation Science Teachers, Postsecondary | $79,966 |
| Park Naturalists | $76,516 |
| Range Managers | $59,935 |
| Forest and Conservation Technicians | $50,097 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Farming, Fishing, and Forestry Workers | $36,803 |
| Forest and Conservation Workers | $22,542 |
With 44 different forestry, general programs to choose from, finding the best fit can be a challenge. We have analyzed these schools to produce unbiased forestry, general school rankings to help you.
Students interested in forestry, general, you may also want to explore other closely related fields of study within the same broad area.
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Forest Sciences and Biology | 393 |
| Forest Technology/Technician | 327 |
| Forest Management/Forest Resources Management | 252 |
| Wood Science and Wood Products/Pulp and Paper Technology/Technician | 95 |
| Urban Forestry | 89 |
| Forestry, Other | 75 |
| Forest Resources Production and Management | 48 |
More about our data sources and methodologies.
