by our College Data Analytics Team
[Forestry](/majors/natural-resources-conservation/forestry/) is a field where your choice of school can shape what you earn after graduation. A top-earning program sends graduates into careers with strong starting pay.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 3 schools on the early-career earnings of their forestry graduates.
What’s on this page:
If you want to know which schools send forestry graduates into the highest-paying careers, see the list below.
Northern Arizona University earned the #1 spot for highest-paid forestry graduates in the Southwest Region. Set in the city of Flagstaff, Northern Arizona University is a public institution. Forestry graduates of Northern Arizona University earn a median of about $61,641 a year early in their careers.
Texas A And M University College Station came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying forestry schools. Texas A And M University College Station is a public school located in the city of College Station. Forestry graduates of Texas A And M University College Station earn a median of about $40,314 a year early in their careers.
Stephen F Austin State University produces some of the highest-paid graduates in forestry, landing the #3 spot this year. Set in the town of Nacogdoches, Stephen F Austin State University is a public institution. After graduating, forestry degree recipients from Stephen F Austin State University typically earn about $39,953 annually.
This ranking is produced by College Factual, 2026 edition. The methodology measures the salaries forestry graduates go on to earn early in their careers, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard field-of-study earnings and IPEDS).
Ranking method: College Major Earnings · 3 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.