Best institutions to study Wood Science and Wood Products/Pulp and Paper Technology/Technician
A program that focuses on the application of chemical, physical, and engineering principles to the analysis of the properties and behavior of wood and wood products and the development of processes for converting wood into paper and other products.
6 U.S. institutions graduated 80 Wood Science and Wood Products/Pulp and Paper Technology/Technician students in 2024–25 (IPEDS). It is CIP 03.0509, a specialization of Forestry (CIP 03.05), and leads most directly to the Foresters occupation (BLS SOC 19-1032).
About Wood Science and Wood Products/Pulp and Paper Technology/Technician programs
A program that focuses on the application of chemical, physical, and engineering principles to the analysis of the properties and behavior of wood and wood products and the development of processes for converting wood into paper and other products. Includes instruction in wood classification and testing, product development, manufacturing and processing technologies, and the design and development of related equipment and systems.
See also: 14.4001 - Paper Science and Engineering.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics, Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP 2020).
The Wood Science and Wood Products/Pulp and Paper Technology/Technician program focuses on the application of chemical, physical, and engineering principles to understand the properties and behavior of wood and wood products. This program is designed for students interested in the forestry field, specifically those looking to develop processes for converting wood into paper and other products.
Students will gain knowledge in wood classification and testing, product development, and manufacturing technologies. Core skills include active listening, critical thinking, and understanding customer service, biology, and mathematics, which are essential for success in this field.
Credentials awarded
What Wood Science and Wood Products/Pulp and Paper Technology/Technician graduates earned in 2024–25, by award level (IPEDS completions).
- Bachelor's degree65 graduates / yr · 4 institutions81%
- Doctor's degree - research/scholarship6 graduates / yr · 2 institutions7.5%
- Master's degree5 graduates / yr · 3 institutions6.2%
- Associate's degree4 graduates / yr · 1 institution5.0%
Graduates over time
Wood Science and Wood Products/Pulp and Paper Technology/Technician completions reported to IPEDS each year, all award levels combined.
| Year | Graduates |
|---|---|
| 2012 | 126 |
| 2013 | 94 |
| 2014 | 86 |
| 2015 | 97 |
| 2016 | 98 |
| 2017 | 112 |
| 2018 | 100 |
| 2019 | 122 |
| 2020 | 115 |
| 2021 | 94 |
| 2022 | 96 |
| 2023 | 87 |
| 2024 | 93 |
| 2025 | 80 |
Top 6 institutions for Wood Science and Wood Products/Pulp and Paper Technology/Technician, ranked by graduates
Graduates (IPEDS completions), 2024–25. Award levels show which credentials each institution confers in this specialization.
| # | Institution | Graduates / yr | Grad rate | Net price | Field earnings* (1 yr) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | North Carolina State University at Raleigh Raleigh, NCPublicBachelor'sDoctoralMaster's | 52 | 85% | — | $61,142 |
| 2 | Oregon State University Corvallis, ORPublicBachelor'sDoctoralMaster's | 13 | 70% | — | — |
| 3 | West Virginia University Morgantown, WVPublicBachelor's | 6 | 65% | — | $43,228 |
| 4 | SUNY Morrisville Morrisville, NYPublicAssociate's | 4 | 28% | — | — |
| 5 | Mississippi State University Mississippi State, MSPublicMaster's | 3 | 67% | — | $40,219 |
| 6 | University of Idaho Moscow, IDPublicBachelor's | 2 | 57% | — | $47,399 |
* Median earnings 1 year after graduation for the broader Forestry field (CIP 03.05) at these institutions; College Scorecard does not publish earnings at the 6-digit level.
Offered in 6 states
Where Wood Science and Wood Products/Pulp and Paper Technology/Technician graduates come from. Each state links to all Forestry programs offered there.
| State | Institutions | Graduates / yr | Top institution by graduates |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Carolina | 1 | 52 | North Carolina State University at Raleigh52 / yr |
| Oregon | 1 | 13 | Oregon State University13 / yr |
| West Virginia | 1 | 6 | West Virginia University6 / yr |
| New York | 1 | 4 | SUNY Morrisville4 / yr |
| Mississippi | 1 | 3 | Mississippi State University3 / yr |
| Idaho | 1 | 2 | University of Idaho2 / yr |
Careers & outlook
The payoff after graduation: occupation 19-1032, Foresters, and its national outlook.
Graduates of this program can pursue careers as foresters or forestry and conservation science teachers. The job outlook shows little to no change, with an annual opening of approximately 1,100 positions and a median wage of $70,660, typically requiring a Bachelor's degree.
Top-paying metros
Career pathways for CIP 03.0509
The occupations the NCES crosswalk maps this 6-digit code to, with BLS pay and 10-year outlook.
| Occupation | US median pay | Growth | Openings / yr | Typical entry education |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Forestersprimary SOC 19-1032 | $76,400 | +1.2% Little or no change | ~1,100 | Bachelor's degree |
Forestry and Conservation Science Teachers, Postsecondary SOC 25-1043 | $101,420 | +4.0% About as fast as average | ~100 | Doctoral or professional degree |
Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed
- Education
- Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
- Experience
- A considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations. For example, an accountant must complete four years of college and work for several years in accounting to be considered qualified.
- Training
- Employees in these occupations usually need several years of work-related experience, on-the-job training, and/or vocational training.
Related careers
Skills & knowledge in Wood Science and Wood Products/Pulp and Paper Technology/Technician programs
From the U.S. Dept. of Labor for the occupation this specialization most leads to.
Skills you'll build
Knowledge areas
Abilities that matter most
Day-to-day work activities
What graduates do on the job
- Monitor contract compliance and results of forestry activities to assure adherence to government regulations.
- Negotiate terms and conditions of agreements and contracts for forest harvesting, forest management and leasing of forest lands.
- Plan and implement projects for conservation of wildlife habitats and soil and water quality.
- Establish short- and long-term plans for management of forest lands and forest resources.
- Plan cutting programs and manage timber sales from harvested areas, assisting companies to achieve production goals.
- Determine methods of cutting and removing timber with minimum waste and environmental damage.
Tools and technology used
Other Forestry specializations
The 7 other 6-digit CIP codes under Forestry (CIP 03.05).
- ForestryCIP 03.05011,235 graduates / yr43 institutions
- Forest Sciences and BiologyCIP 03.0502367 graduates / yr20 institutions
- Forest Management/CIP 03.0506
Forest Resources Management 287 graduates / yr17 institutions - Forest Technology/CIP 03.0511
Technician 283 graduates / yr35 institutions - Urban ForestryCIP 03.050892 graduates / yr12 institutions
- ForestryCIP 03.0599partial data89 graduates / yr9 institutions
- Forest Resources Production and ManagementCIP 03.0510partial data51 graduates / yr7 institutions
Common questions
What degrees can I earn in this program?+
You can earn a Bachelor's degree, Master's degree, Doctor's degree, or an Associate's degree.
What skills will I develop?+
You will develop skills in critical thinking, active listening, and effective communication.
What is the job outlook for graduates?+
The job outlook shows little or no change, with about 1,100 annual openings.
What careers can I pursue with this degree?+
You can work as a forester or a forestry and conservation science teacher.
What is the CIP code for Wood Science and Wood Products/Pulp and Paper Technology/Technician?+
Wood Science and Wood Products/Pulp and Paper Technology/Technician is CIP 03.0509 in the NCES Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP 2020), a 6-digit specialization within Forestry (CIP 03.05). NCES defines it as: A program that focuses on the application of chemical, physical, and engineering principles to the analysis of the properties and behavior of wood and wood products and the development of processes for converting wood into paper and other products. Includes instruction in wood classification and testing, product development, manufacturing and processing technologies, and the design and development of related equipment and systems.
How many institutions offer Wood Science and Wood Products/Pulp and Paper Technology/Technician programs?+
6 U.S. institutions reported Wood Science and Wood Products/Pulp and Paper Technology/Technician graduates in IPEDS 2024–25, across 6 states, awarding 80 credentials in the year. That is 3.2% of all Forestry graduates.
How much do Wood Science and Wood Products/Pulp and Paper Technology/Technician graduates earn?+
Earnings are not published at the 6-digit CIP level by any federal source. The Foresters occupation, which Wood Science and Wood Products/Pulp and Paper Technology/Technician most directly leads to, pays a median of $76,400 a year nationally (BLS OEWS May 2025), and graduates of the broader Forestry field report median earnings of $47,399 one year after graduation (College Scorecard).
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.
Program definitions are from the NCES Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP 2020). Skills, knowledge, abilities, work activities, tools, and job zones are from the O*NET database by the U.S. Department of Labor, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
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