California · Forestry

Best institutions to study Forestry in California

The Forestry program focuses on the sustainable management and conservation of forest resources. It equips students with the knowledge and skills necessary to address environmental challenges, promote biodiversity, and manage forest…

Institutions
13
offering CIP 03.05
States offered
42
with a program page
Degrees / yr
456
IPEDS completions 2024–25
Median grad earnings
$52,810
1 year after graduation
With earnings data
2
College Scorecard
Median net price
IPEDS 2024–25
Avg graduation rate
48%
IPEDS 2024–25
State pay · Foresters
$110,770
BLS OEWS May 2025

Top 2 institutions, ranked by graduate earnings

Earnings = median 1 year after graduation (College Scorecard).

#InstitutionGrad earnings (1 yr)CompletionsGrad rateNet priceMedian debt
1California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo
San Luis Obispo Public · Bachelor's degree
$55,0925186%$17,000
2California State Polytechnic University - Humboldt
Arcata Public · Bachelor's degree
$52,8106949%$22,173

Career outlook

What this program leads to: Foresters (SOC 19-1032).

Projected growth (2024–2034)
+1.2%
Little or no change
Openings / yr (US)
~1,100
BLS Employment Projections
US median wage
$70,660
typically Bachelor's degree

Top skills

Active ListeningReading ComprehensionCritical ThinkingSpeakingMonitoringWriting

What Foresters earn in California

Jobs in California
820
BLS OEWS May 2025
State average pay
$110,770
median $107,120
Best-paying metro
$119,110
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA

Related careers

First-Line Supervisors of Farming, Fishing, and Forestry Workers
$61,320 avg · 10,450 jobs
Forest and Conservation Technicians
$63,680 avg · 6,640 jobs
Forest and Conservation Workers
$42,980 avg · 2,270 jobs
Conservation Scientists
$88,030 avg · 2,110 jobs
Foresters
$110,770 avg · 820 jobs
Forestry and Conservation Science Teachers, Postsecondary
$85,140 avg · 110 jobs

Common questions

Answers for students comparing Forestry programs in California.

Which Forestry program in California has the highest-earning graduates?+

By median earnings one year after graduation (College Scorecard), California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo tops the list at $55,092. Compare it against completions, graduation rate, cost, and debt in the ranked table above.

How much do Foresters earn in California?+

The average annual wage for Foresters in California is $110,770 (median $107,120), across about 820 jobs. Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025.

What is the focus of the Forestry program?+

The Forestry program focuses on the sustainable management and conservation of forest resources. It equips students with the knowledge and skills necessary to address environmental challenges, promote biodiversity, and manage forest…

What skills will I develop in this program?+

You will develop active listening, reading comprehension, critical thinking, speaking, and related professional skills.

What is the job outlook for Foresters?+

The national job outlook is about +1.2% growth with around 1,100 annual openings (BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034).

What is the typical education requirement?+

A Bachelor's degree is the typical entry-level education for this field (BLS).

About the data on this page

Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.

IPEDSFall 2025–26 release, published July 28, 2026
Enrollment, completions, graduation rates, tuition, financial aid, staffing, and finance for every U.S. institution in federal student aid programs.
College ScorecardJune 10, 2026 release (merged 2025–26 files)
Institution and field-of-study costs, graduate earnings, debt, completion, and admissions outcomes compiled from federal aid records, tax data, and IPEDS.
PSEO graduate earnings2019–21 graduation cohorts (release V4.13.0)
Earnings and employment outcomes of graduates by institution, degree level, and field of study, measured from state wage records.
BLS wages & outlookOEWS May 2025 release
Occupational employment and wage estimates plus 10-year job outlook, used to connect programs to real-world earnings.
FVT/GE program performanceProvisional preview, May 18, 2026 release
Program-level debt-to-earnings and earnings-premium measures behind the FVT/GE and STATS accountability frameworks.

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