How To Become a Forester

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How Long Does It Take, What Degree Do You Need, and More

Foresters

Foresters manage public and private forested lands for economic, recreational, and conservation purposes. May inventory the type, amount, and location of standing timber, appraise the timber's worth, negotiate the purchase, and draw up contracts for procurement. May determine how to conserve wildlife habitats, creek beds, water quality, and soil stability, and how best to comply with environmental regulations. May devise plans for planting and growing new trees, monitor trees for healthy growth, and determine optimal harvesting schedules.

Salary
$66000
Becoming One
Hard
Education
Bachelor's degree
Job Satisfaction
Job Growth

Personality
Interest Match



What degree do you need

Recommended degree level

Bachelor’s Degree

We did a survey to ask other Foresters what degree they had when they became a Forester. Here are the results.
Bachelor’s Degree
78.8%


Associate’s Degree
6.51%


a Post-Secondary Certificate
6.39%


One of the most common questions that we always get is what major or degree do I need to become Foresters or what courses do I need to take.

We also asked Foresters what did they major in college or university and here are the top 5 most popular majors that came up.

Natural Resources or Conservation
Natural Resources Management and Policy
Forestry
Forest Sciences and Biology
Forest Resources Management

Foresters typically need a bachelor’s degree in forestry or a related field, such as agricultural science, rangeland management, or environmental science. Employers seek applicants who have degrees from programs that are accredited by the Society of American Foresters (SAF) and other organizations.



How hard is it

Difficulty
Hard

You will need a considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge or experience to be a Forester. For example, an accountant must complete 4 years of college and work for several years in accounting to be considered qualified.

Careers in this difficulty category will usually need several years of work-related experience, on-the-job training, and/or vocational training. These careers usually involve coordinating, supervising, managing, or training others. Similar careers include sales managers, database administrators, chemists, and art directors.


Related work experience required
2 to 4 years

2 to 4 years
31.2%


1 to 2 years
17.73%


4 to 6 years
16.31%


Job training
1 to 2 years

1 to 2 years
24.43%


6 months to 1 year
23.54%


Up to 1 month
17.01%



License and certifications

Do you need any license or certification
Recommended but not required

16 states sponsor some type of credentialing process for foresters. Alabama, California, Connecticut, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire have licensing laws. Arkansas, Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina, and South Carolina have laws requiring registration. Michigan, New Jersey, Oklahoma, and West Virginia have laws about voluntary registration. Licensing and registration requirements both usually require a 4-year degree in forestry and several years of forestry work experience. Candidates who want a license also may be required to pass an exam.


Skills required

We asked other Foresters if they could only have 5 skills, what would they be. Here is what they said.

1. Monitoring what does this mean
2. Speaking what does this mean
3. Critical Thinking what does this mean
4. Coordination what does this mean
5. Complex Problem Solving what does this mean

= Hot in-demand that most employers are looking for


Knowledge required

Just like any other job, you will need certain know-hows to excel at your job. Foresters are generally very knowledgeable in these 5 key areas.

1. Biology what does this mean
2. English Language what does this mean
3. Mathematics what does this mean
4. Administration and Management what does this mean
5. Computers and Electronics what does this mean


Learn more about Foresters

Summary
Job Description
Salary
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Quiz

Related to Foresters Requirements

Foresters requirements, how to become Foresters, degree required to be a Forester, Foresters license and certifications, majors to be a Forester, is it hard to become a Forester and how long does it take


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