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Forester education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a forester. Foresters usually study forestry, environmental science, or biology. 71% of foresters hold a bachelor's degree, and 18% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 979 real forester resumes to see exactly what forester education sections show.
The most common colleges for foresters are the Humboldt State University and the Humboldt State University.
There are also many online forester courses to help get the education required to be a forester.
What education do you need to become a forester?
What degree do you need to be a forester?
- Bachelor's, 71%
- Associate, 18%
- Master's, 5%
- High School Diploma, 3%
- Other Degrees, 3%
What should I major in to become a forester?
Most common colleges for foresters
| Forester common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Humboldt State University | 7.69% |
| Louisiana Tech University | 6.73% |
| Auburn University Main Campus | 6.73% |
| Oregon State University | 6.73% |
| Southern Illinois University Carbondale | 5.77% |
Best majors for foresters
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Forestry | 53.7% |
| 2 | Environmental Science | 13.0% |
| 3 | Biology | 6.0% |
| 4 | Natural Resources Management | 5.3% |
| 5 | Business | 3.2% |
Best colleges for foresters
The best colleges for foresters are Duke University, Yale University, and Harvard University.
A forester with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for foresters. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become foresters.
1. Duke University
Durham, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$55,695
Enrollment
6,596
2. University of California, Berkeley
Berkeley, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$14,184
Enrollment
30,845
3. University of Washington
Seattle, WA • Private
In-state tuition
$11,207
Enrollment
30,905
4. North Carolina State University
Raleigh, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$9,101
Enrollment
23,708
5. Yale University
New Haven, CT • Private
In-state tuition
$53,430
Enrollment
5,963
6. University of Minnesota - Twin Cities
Minneapolis, MN • Private
In-state tuition
$14,760
Enrollment
31,451
7. Pennsylvania State University
University Park, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$18,454
Enrollment
40,108
8. California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo
San Luis Obispo, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$9,816
Enrollment
21,047
9. SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry
Syracuse, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$8,874
Enrollment
1,819
10. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$50,420
Enrollment
7,582
20 best online courses for foresters
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Top 10 most affordable universities for foresters
The most affordable schools for foresters are University of Florida, florida international university, and purdue university.
If the best universities for foresters are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for foresters.
1. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,381
Cost of attendance
21,034
2. Florida International University
Miami, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,556
Cost of attendance
19,434
3. Purdue University
West Lafayette, IN • Private
In-state tuition
$9,992
Cost of attendance
22,430
4. University of Washington
Seattle, WA • Private
In-state tuition
$11,207
Cost of attendance
25,275
5. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York
Brooklyn, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,240
Cost of attendance
13,991
6. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
7. Hunter College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,182
Cost of attendance
13,998
8. University of Missouri - Kansas City
Kansas City, MO • Private
In-state tuition
$8,178
Cost of attendance
20,934
9. University of California, Berkeley
Berkeley, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$14,184
Cost of attendance
36,739
10. North Carolina State University
Raleigh, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$9,101
Cost of attendance
23,600
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for foresters
The hardest universities for foresters to get into are Duke University, Yale University, and Harvard University.
Some great schools for foresters are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for foresters based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.
1. Duke University
Durham, NC • Private
Admissions rate
9%
SAT average
1,516
2. Yale University
New Haven, CT • Private
Admissions rate
6%
SAT average
1,517
3. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
Admissions rate
5%
SAT average
1,520
4. University of California, Berkeley
Berkeley, CA • Private
Admissions rate
15%
SAT average
1,448
5. Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
Admissions rate
17%
SAT average
1,507
6. Washington University in St Louis
Saint Louis, MO • Private
Admissions rate
15%
SAT average
1,506
7. Cornell University
Ithaca, NY • Private
Admissions rate
11%
SAT average
1,471
8. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
Admissions rate
4%
SAT average
1,497
9. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,508
10. Colby College
Waterville, ME • Private
Admissions rate
13%
SAT average
1,437
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for foresters
The easiest schools for foresters to get into are Saint Joseph's College of Maine, thomas more university, and curry college.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a forester without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for foresters.
1. Saint Joseph's College of Maine
Standish, ME • Private
Admissions rate
84%
SAT average
1,069
2. Thomas More University
Crestview Hills, KY • Private
Admissions rate
90%
SAT average
1,099
3. Curry College
Milton, MA • Private
Admissions rate
93%
SAT average
1,026
4. University of Maine at Fort Kent
Fort Kent, ME • Private
Admissions rate
95%
SAT average
1,005
5. Wayland Baptist University
Plainview, TX • Private
Admissions rate
98%
SAT average
1,003
6. Hardin-Simmons University
Abilene, TX • Private
Admissions rate
84%
SAT average
1,085
7. Central Washington University
Ellensburg, WA • Private
Admissions rate
78%
SAT average
1,062
8. Oregon Institute of Technology
Klamath Falls, OR • Private
Admissions rate
96%
SAT average
1,139
9. Linfield College
McMinnville, OR • Private
Admissions rate
81%
SAT average
1,117
10. Clarke University
Dubuque, IA • Private
Admissions rate
82%
SAT average
1,058
Average forester salary by education level
| Forester education level | Forester salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $49,232 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $43,741 |
| Doctorate Degree | $59,408 |
Forester education FAQs
Have more questions? See all answers to common life, physical, and social science questions.
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025