North Carolina · Forestry

Best colleges for Forestry in North Carolina

Ranked by graduate earnings

North Carolina State University at Raleigh, Wayne Community College and Haywood Community College award the most Forestry degrees and certificates in North Carolina: 89, 19 and 18 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25). 5 North Carolina colleges offer Forestry and award 147 degrees and certificates a year in all.

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
5
offering CIP 03.05
States offered
42
with a program page
Degrees / yr
147
IPEDS completions 2024–25
Median starting salary
$61,142
1 yr after graduation, College Scorecard
With earnings data
1
College Scorecard
Median net price
$16,260
IPEDS 2024–25
Avg graduation rate
70%
IPEDS 2024–25
State pay · Foresters
$70,850
BLS OEWS May 2025

Top institution, ranked by graduate earnings

Ranked by median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard. Programs with fewer than 20 graduates a year, a graduation rate under 30%, or online, degree-completion or graduate-only status rank after the rest.

Starting salary (1 yr): median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard.
#InstitutionStarting salary (1 yr)Graduates / yrGrad rateNet priceMedian debt
1North Carolina State University at Raleigh
Raleigh Public · Bachelor's degree
$61,1428985%—$24,749

Colleges awarding the most Forestry degrees in North Carolina

Top 5 by graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25 completions). Online, degree-completion and graduate-only schools, and schools with a graduation rate under 30% are listed in full below.

Graduates / yr: degrees and certificates awarded in a year, IPEDS completions. Starting salary (1 yr): median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard.
#InstitutionGraduates / yrStarting salary (1 yr)
1North Carolina State University at Raleigh
Raleigh Public
89$61,142
2Wayne Community College
Goldsboro Public
19Not reported
3Haywood Community College
Clyde Public
18Not reported
4Montgomery Community College
Troy Public
11Not reported
5Duke University
Durham Private not-for-profit
10Not reported

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 North Carolina

Jobs in North Carolina
—
BLS OEWS May 2025
State average pay
$70,850
median $77,870
Best-paying metro
$77,050
Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC

Related careers

Forest and Conservation Technicians
$51,660 avg · 650 jobs
First-Line Supervisors of Farming, Fishing, and Forestry Workers
$60,840 avg · 560 jobs
Conservation Scientists
$72,190 avg · 540 jobs
Forestry and Conservation Science Teachers, Postsecondary
$114,610 avg · 90 jobs
Forest and Conservation Workers
— avg · 50 jobs
Foresters
$70,850

Common questions

Answers for students comparing Forestry programs in North Carolina.

Which North Carolina colleges award the most Forestry degrees?+

North Carolina State University at Raleigh (89 graduates a year), Wayne Community College (19 graduates a year) and Haywood Community College (18 graduates a year) award the most Forestry degrees and certificates in North Carolina, per IPEDS 2024–25 completions. In all, 5 North Carolina colleges offer Forestry.

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

By median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard, North Carolina State University at Raleigh tops the list at $61,142. Compare it against graduates a year, graduation rate, cost, and debt in the ranked table above.

How much do Foresters earn in North Carolina?+

The average annual wage for Foresters in North Carolina is $70,850 (median $77,870). 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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