2026 Best Forestry Schools in the Great Lakes Region
Forestry is a field worth a close look when choosing where to study. A focused field like this rewards careful comparison of the schools that offer it.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 23 schools to find the best for forestry students.
What’s on this page:
Best Schools for Forestry in the Great Lakes Region
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest overall forestry education in the Great Lakes Region.
Top Schools in Forestry
No school ranked higher than Purdue University Main Campus this year for forestry. Purdue University Main Campus is a very large public school located in the city of West Lafayette. The six-year graduation rate is 83%. Purdue University Main Campus awarded about 34 forestry degrees in the most recent data year. Forestry graduates of Purdue University Main Campus earn a median of $45,022 early in their careers. Students borrow a median of $19,844 to complete this degree.
Read more about the forestry program at Purdue University Main Campus
Hocking College is a great choice for students pursuing a degree in forestry, landing the #2 spot this year. Located in the rural area of Nelsonville, Hocking College is a mid-sized public university. There were roughly 13 forestry students who graduated with this degree at Hocking College in the most recent data year. Graduates of the forestry program make about $37,713 in their early career. Typical student debt for the program is $16,535.
Read more about the forestry program at Hocking College
Students looking for a strong forestry program will find one at University Of Wisconsin Stevens Point, which ranked #3. University Of Wisconsin Stevens Point is a moderately-sized public school located in the town of Stevens Point. Roughly 56% of students complete a degree within six years here. University Of Wisconsin Stevens Point awarded about 72 forestry degrees in the most recent data year. Students who receive their forestry degree from University Of Wisconsin Stevens Point earn around $41,177 in the first couple years of their career. Students borrow a median of $24,893 to complete this degree.
Read more about the forestry program at University Of Wisconsin Stevens Point
A rank of #4 makes Michigan State University one of the top schools for forestry. This very large public university is located in the city of East Lansing. Roughly 81% of students complete a degree within six years here. There were roughly 27 forestry students who graduated with this degree at Michigan State University in the most recent data year. Graduates of the forestry program make about $39,178 in their early career. Michigan State University graduates carry a median of $31,000 in student loans.
See the full forestry program report for Michigan State University
Michigan Technological University is a great choice for students pursuing a degree in forestry, landing the #5 spot this year. Michigan Technological University is a moderately-sized public school located in the town of Houghton. The six-year graduation rate is 68%. About 30 forestry degrees were awarded at Michigan Technological University in the most recent year. Soon after graduation, forestry degree recipients from Michigan Technological University generally make around $45,771. Typical student debt for the program is $27,000.
More information about a degree in forestry from Michigan Technological University
Southern Illinois University Carbondale landed the #6 spot for forestry this year. Southern Illinois University Carbondale is a large public school located in the town of Carbondale. The six-year graduation rate is 60%. About 45 forestry degrees were awarded at Southern Illinois University Carbondale in the most recent year. Students who receive their forestry degree from Southern Illinois University Carbondale earn around $35,398 in the first couple years of their career. Typical student debt for the program is $21,512.
Get the full forestry details for Southern Illinois University Carbondale
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Notes and References
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on a blend of student outcomes (graduation rate, post-graduation earnings), affordability, and program focus, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Top Ranked · 23 schools evaluated.
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), serves as the core of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
More about our data sources and methodologies.
