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Forest Management

Types of Degrees Forest Management Majors Are Earning

People majoring in Forest Management have the option of earning degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Associate’s Degree	30
Bachelor’s Degree	140
Master’s Degree	79
Doctor’s Degree	3

What Forest Management Majors Need to Know

Studies in Forest Management emphasize a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that Forest Management graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

Coursework in Forest Management emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• English Language — Importance 4.4 / 5; level 5.0 / 7.
• Education and Training — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 5.1 / 7.
• Biology — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.7 / 7.
• Mathematics — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.
• Computers and Electronics — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.

^{Importance is rated 1–5; level is 1–7. Source: ONET Online — weighted across related occupations.*}

Skills

The skill set developed in a Forest Management program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Reading Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.
• Active Listening — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.
• Speaking — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.
• Writing — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.
• Critical Thinking — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.

Abilities

Abilities most relevant to Forest Management careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Oral Expression — Importance 4.3 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.
• Written Comprehension — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.
• Oral Comprehension — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.
• Written Expression — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.
• Deductive Reasoning — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.0 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Forest Management graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Getting Information	4.5 / 7
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	4.4 / 7
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	4.4 / 7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	4.4 / 7
Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others	4.3 / 7
Analyzing Data or Information	4.3 / 7
Working with Computers	4.2 / 7
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events	4.2 / 7
Thinking Creatively	4.1 / 7
Documenting/Recording Information	4.1 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Forest Management professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Microsoft Word	Word processing software	—
Microsoft PowerPoint	Presentation software	✓
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	✓
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	✓
ESRI ArcGIS software	Geographic information system	✓
Word processing software	Word processing software	—
Web browser software	Internet browser software	—
Microsoft Outlook	Electronic mail software	—
Geographic information system GIS software	Geographic information system	—
Email software	Electronic mail software	—
Oracle Java	Object or component oriented development software	—
SAS	Analytical or scientific software	—

^{Source: ONET Online technology skills, weighted across related occupations.*}

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Forest Management graduates include:

• Environmental Conservation Professor
• Timber Management Professor
• University Faculty Member
• Ecology Professor
• Biometrics Instructor
• Forest Explorers Instructor
• Research Professor
• Natural Resources Faculty Member
• Forest Resources Professor
• Forest Ecology Professor
• Forest Biometrics Professor
• Assistant Teaching Professor
• Natural Resources Professor
• Forestry Instructor
• Forest Pathology Teacher

Education Typically Required

Across the occupations open to Forest Management graduates, the typical level of education actually held by current workers is distributed as:

Education Level	Share of Workers
Bachelor’s degree	37.6%
Doctoral degree	31.8%
Master’s degree	12.1%
Post-doctoral training	10.9%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	4.1%
Post-baccalaureate certificate	1.8%
Postsecondary certificate	1.0%
High school diploma or equivalent	0.5%
Some college courses	0.2%

^{Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*}

Who Is Earning a Degree in Forest Management?

Gender Distribution

This field skews predominantly male, with men earning 72.6% of Forest Management degrees.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	69	27.4%
Men	183	72.6%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of Forest Management graduates is as follows:

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	218	86.5%
Hispanic or Latino	15	6.0%
Black or African American	1	0.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native	4	1.6%
Two or More Races	5	2.0%
Race Unknown	6	2.4%
International Students	3	1.2%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Forest Management Graduates Earn?

The U.S. Department of Education tracks median earnings of Forest Management graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Wages typically rise steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.

Years Out	Median Earnings
1 year	$44,042
4 years	$52,066
5 years	$60,484

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $60,484 — roughly 37% above the 1-year mark.

^{Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.}

Online Forest Management Programs

Fully online options is tracked by IPEDS for Forest Management. The table below shows how many graduates earned at least some of their coursework online (Distance-Ed Available) versus completing the entire program online (Distance-Ed Only).

Award Level	Distance-Ed Available	Distance-Ed Only
Bachelor’s	1	0
Master’s	1	0

^{Distance-Ed Only = degrees completed entirely online; Distance-Ed Available = degrees including at least some online coursework. Source: IPEDS Completions by Distance Education status.}

Is a Degree in Forest Management Worth It?

Looking purely at the federal earnings tracker, Forest Management graduates earn a median of $52,066 four years after completion — roughly 37% above the national median for workers with only a high school diploma (~$38,000).

^{ROI estimate compares the program’s 4-yr median earnings against the 2023 BLS CPS median earnings for high-school-only workers. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard + BLS Current Population Survey.}

Related Programs

You may also be interested in these closely related fields of study:

Program	CIP Code
Forestry	03.05
Forest Resources Production and Management	03.0510
Forest Sciences and Biology	03.0502
Forest Technology/Technician	03.0511
Forestry, General	03.0501
Forestry, Other	03.0599
Urban Forestry	03.0508
Wood Science and Wood Products/Pulp and Paper Technology/Technician	03.0509
Environmental/Natural Resources Management and Policy, General	03.0201
Natural Resources/Conservation, General	03.0101
Land Use Planning and Management/Development	03.0206
Water, Wetlands, and Marine Resources Management	03.0205

References

The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students and international students. This number is then divided by the total number of students to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard

More about our data sources and methodologies.