Wood Science and Wood Products/Pulp and Paper Technology

Types of Degrees Wood Science and Wood Products/Pulp and Paper Technology Majors Are Getting

The following table lists how many wood science & wood products/pulp & paper technology graduations there were for each degree level during the last year for which data was available.

Education Level	Number of Grads
Bachelor’s Degree	63
Master’s Degree	12
Doctor’s Degree	12

What Wood Science and Wood Products/Pulp and Paper Technology Majors Need to Know

O*NET surveyed people in occupations related to wood science and wood products/pulp and paper technology and asked them what knowledge areas, skills, and abilities were important for their jobs. The responses were rated on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being most important.

Knowledge Areas for Wood Science and Wood Products/Pulp and Paper Technology Majors

This major prepares you for careers in which these knowledge areas are important:

• English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
• Biology - Knowledge of plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, interdependencies, and interactions with each other and the environment.
• Mathematics - Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
• Education and Training - Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
• Computers and Electronics - Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.

Skills for Wood Science and Wood Products/Pulp and Paper Technology Majors

When studying wood science and wood products/pulp and paper technology, you’ll learn many skills that will help you be successful in a wide range of jobs - even those that do not require a degree in the field. The following is a list of some of the most common skills needed for careers associated with this major:

• Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
• Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
• Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
• Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
• Writing - Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.

Abilities for Wood Science and Wood Products/Pulp and Paper Technology Majors

As you progress with your wood science and wood products/pulp and paper technology degree, there are several abilities you should pick up that will help you in whatever related career you choose. These abilities include:

• Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
• Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
• Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
• Written Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
• Deductive Reasoning - The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.

What Can You Do With a Wood Science and Wood Products/Pulp and Paper Technology Major?

People with a wood science and wood products/pulp and paper technology degree often go into the following careers:

Job Title	Job Growth Rate	Median Salary
Foresters	4.9%	$61,410
Forestry & Conservation Science Professors	4.5%	$86,900

Who Is Getting a Bachelor’s Degree in Wood Science and Wood Products/Pulp and Paper Technology?

This major attracts more men than women. About 59% of the graduates in this field are male.

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the countrywide level, the racial-ethnic distribution of wood science and wood products/pulp and paper technology majors is as follows:

Race/Ethnicity	Number of Grads
Asian	6
Black or African American	4
Hispanic or Latino	4
White	44
International Students	1
Other Races/Ethnicities	4

Geographic Diversity

Americans aren’t the only ones with an interest in Wood Science and Wood Products/Pulp and Paper Technology. About 1.6% of those with this major are international students.

Amount of Education Required for Careers Related to Wood Science and Wood Products/Pulp and Paper Technology

Some degrees associated with wood science and wood products/pulp and paper technology may require an advanced degree, while others may not even require a bachelor’s in the field. In general, the more advanced your degree the more career options will open up to you. However, there is significant time and money that needs to be invested into your education so weigh the pros and cons.

Find out what the typical degree level is for wood science and wood products/pulp and paper technology careers below.

Education Level	Percentage of Workers
Post-Secondary Certificate - awarded for training completed after high school (for example, in agriculture or natural resources, computer services, personal or culinary services, engineering technologies, healthcare, construction trades, mechanic and repair technologies, or precision production)	2.8%
Some College Courses	2.5%
Associate’s Degree (or other 2-year degree)	2.9%
Bachelor’s Degree	34.9%
Post-Baccalaureate Certificate - awarded for completion of an organized program of study; designed for people who have completed a Baccalaureate degree but do not meet the requirements of academic degrees carrying the title of Master.	1.1%
Master’s Degree	0.6%
Doctoral Degree	38.6%
Post-Doctoral Training	18.0%

Online Wood Science and Wood Products/Pulp and Paper Technology Programs

The following table lists the number of programs by degree level, along with how many schools offered online courses in the field.

Degree Level	Colleges Offering Programs	Colleges Offering Online Classes
Certificate (Less Than 1 Year)	0	0
Certificate (1-2 years)	1	0
Certificate (2-4 Years)	0	0
Associate’s Degree	1	0
Bachelor’s Degree	0	0
Post-Baccalaureate	0	0
Master’s Degree	5	0
Post-Master’s	0	0
Doctor’s Degree (Research)	3	0
Doctor’s Degree (Professional Practice)	0	0
Doctor’s Degree (Other)	0	0

Majors Related to Wood Science and Wood Products/Pulp and Paper Technology

You may also be interested in one of the following majors related to wood science and wood products/pulp and paper technology.

Major	Number of Grads
Forestry, General	943
Forest Sciences & Biology	353
Forest Technology/Technician	304
Forest Management/Forest Resources Management	299
Urban Forestry	111
Forestry, Other	103
Forest Resources Production & Management	43

References

*The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students, international students, and students whose race/ethnicity was unknown. This number is then divided by the total number of students at the school to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• College Scorecard
• National Center for Education Statistics
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• Usual Weekly Earnings of Wage and Salary Workers First Quarter 2020
• Image Credit: By Bureau of Land Management under License

More about our data sources and methodologies.