by our College Data Analytics Team
[Forestry](/majors/natural-resources-conservation/forestry/) graduates earn very different salaries depending on where they study. A top-earning program sends graduates into careers with strong starting pay.
For its 2026 highest-paid-graduates ranking, College Factual looked at 13 schools to find where forestry graduates earn the most.
What’s on this page:
Below are the schools whose forestry graduates go on to earn the most.
Our analysis ranked North Carolina State University At Raleigh the top school for forestry graduate earnings in the Southeast Region. North Carolina State University At Raleigh is a public school located in the city of Raleigh. Students who complete the forestry program here go on to a median salary of roughly $71,695.
Strong graduate earnings at University Of Georgia earned it the #2 place for forestry. Set in the city of Athens, University Of Georgia is a public institution. After graduating, forestry degree recipients from University Of Georgia typically earn about $77,045 annually.
Strong graduate earnings at Auburn University earned it the #3 place for forestry. Located in the city of Auburn, Auburn University is a public institution. Forestry graduates of Auburn University earn a median of about $60,170 a year early in their careers.
A rank of #4 makes Clemson University one of the highest-paying schools for forestry. Set in the suburb of Clemson, Clemson University is a public institution. Students who complete the forestry program here go on to a median salary of roughly $52,490.
Virginia Polytechnic Institute And State University came in at #5 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying forestry schools. Located in the city of Blacksburg, Virginia Polytechnic Institute And State University is a public institution. After graduating, forestry degree recipients from Virginia Polytechnic Institute And State University typically earn about $61,907 annually.
Mississippi State University earned the #6 position for forestry graduate earnings this year. Located in the town of Mississippi State, Mississippi State University is a public institution. Forestry graduates of Mississippi State University earn a median of about $65,848 a year early in their careers.
West Virginia University landed the #7 spot for forestry salaries this year. West Virginia University is a public school located in the city of Morgantown. Forestry graduates of West Virginia University earn a median of about $53,335 a year early in their careers.
Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College landed the #8 spot for forestry salaries this year. Located in the town of Tifton, Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College is a public institution. Early-career forestry graduates from Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College make a median of around $52,758 per year.
Louisiana Tech University placed #9 among the highest-paying schools for forestry. Louisiana Tech University is a public school located in the town of Ruston. Students who complete the forestry program here go on to a median salary of roughly $44,120.
Horry Georgetown Technical College earned the #10 position for forestry graduate earnings this year. Set in the city of Conway, Horry Georgetown Technical College is a public institution. After graduating, forestry degree recipients from Horry Georgetown Technical College typically earn about $49,650 annually.
University Of Kentucky placed #11 among the highest-paying schools for forestry. Set in the city of Lexington, University Of Kentucky is a public institution. Forestry graduates of University Of Kentucky earn a median of about $54,734 a year early in their careers.
University Of Florida placed #12 among the highest-paying schools for forestry. Set in the city of Gainesville, University Of Florida is a public institution. After graduating, forestry degree recipients from University Of Florida typically earn about $48,054 annually.
The University Of Tennessee came in at #13 for forestry graduate earnings this year. The University Of Tennessee is a public school located in the city of Knoxville. Students who complete the forestry program here go on to a median salary of roughly $31,441.
This list is compiled by College Factual, 2026 edition. Schools are ranked on the median early-career earnings of their forestry graduates, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard field-of-study earnings and IPEDS).
Ranking method: College Major Earnings · 13 schools evaluated.
*Salary figures reflect median early-career earnings (about 5 years after graduation) and may vary by how long a person takes to complete their degree.
More about our data sources and methodologies.