Best Schools for Forestry in 2026
29 schools ranked by DegreeWorth Score · Updated 2026
These are the top schools offering Forestry, ranked by DegreeWorth Score. The score combines graduate earnings, AI automation resilience, job market demand, and return on tuition investment. The average Forestry graduate earns $42,703/yr across 29 schools.
Programs Ranked
29
Avg Earnings
$42,703/yr
Avg DW Score
52/100
AI Risk
Moderate
36% task exposure
All Forestry Programs Ranked
Click any row for full AI scenario analysis, earnings projections, and career path breakdown.
| # | Program | DW Score | Earnings | AI Risk | ROI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Forestry
North Carolina State University at Raleigh · Raleigh, NC |
67
64–67 |
$61,142/yr | Moderate | 19.2x |
| 2 |
Forestry
California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt · Arcata, CA |
65
62–65 |
$52,810/yr | Moderate | 19.1x |
| 3 |
Forestry
California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo · San Luis Obispo, CA |
63
60–64 |
$55,092/yr | Moderate | 15.5x |
| 4 |
Forestry
Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College · Tifton, GA |
61
57–63 |
$40,065/yr | Moderate | 40.3x |
| 5 |
Forestry
University of Georgia · Athens, GA |
59
55–63 |
$47,214/yr | Moderate | 16.2x |
| 6 |
Forestry
University of Idaho · Moscow, ID |
61
58–61 |
$47,399/yr | Moderate | 16.1x |
| 7 |
Forestry
University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point · Stevens Point, WI |
56
53–58 |
$41,177/yr | Moderate | 15.8x |
| 8 |
Forestry
Auburn University · Auburn, AL |
58
56–57 |
$51,421/yr | Moderate | 11.0x |
| 9 |
Forestry
Mississippi State University · Mississippi State, MS |
55
51–58 |
$40,219/yr | Moderate | 15.8x |
| 10 |
Forestry
West Virginia University · Morgantown, WV |
56
54–56 |
$43,228/yr | Moderate | 12.8x |
| 11 |
Forestry
Louisiana Tech University · Ruston, LA |
55
54–54 |
$44,120/yr | Moderate | 9.9x |
| 12 |
Forestry
Clemson University · Clemson, SC |
55
55–55 |
$53,850/yr | Moderate | 7.4x |
| 13 |
Forestry
Northern Arizona University · Flagstaff, AZ |
50
47–53 |
$40,435/yr | Moderate | 11.2x |
| 14 |
Forestry
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University · Blacksburg, VA |
51
49–53 |
$45,817/yr | Moderate | 9.0x |
| 15 |
Forestry
Purdue University-Main Campus · West Lafayette, IN |
54
53–53 |
$43,029/yr | Moderate | 9.8x |
| 16 |
Forestry
University of Minnesota-Twin Cities · Minneapolis, MN |
50
47–52 |
$43,842/yr | Moderate | 8.6x |
| 17 |
Forestry
Iowa State University · Ames, IA |
50
49–49 |
$39,337/yr | Moderate | 9.8x |
| 18 |
Forestry
University of Maine · Orono, ME |
51
51–51 |
$43,901/yr | Moderate | 7.7x |
| 19 |
Forestry
Michigan Technological University · Houghton, MI |
49
47–51 |
$45,571/yr | Moderate | 7.4x |
| 20 |
Forestry
University of Florida · Gainesville, FL |
46
42–50 |
$26,838/yr | Moderate | 17.8x |
| 21 |
Forestry
Colorado State University-Fort Collins · Fort Collins, CO |
47
44–48 |
$37,539/yr | Moderate | 9.4x |
| 22 |
Forestry
The University of Montana · Missoula, MT |
46
43–49 |
$31,138/yr | Moderate | 13.8x |
| 23 |
Forestry
Stephen F Austin State University · Nacogdoches, TX |
50
50–50 |
$39,953/yr | Moderate | 8.4x |
| 24 |
Forestry
Texas A & M University-College Station · College Station, TX |
48
47–48 |
$40,314/yr | Moderate | 6.7x |
| 25 |
Forestry
Southern Illinois University-Carbondale · Carbondale, IL |
44
41–47 |
$35,398/yr | Moderate | 9.2x |
| 26 |
Forestry
Paul Smiths College of Arts and Science · Paul Smiths, NY |
45
42–46 |
$44,342/yr | Moderate | 3.2x |
| 27 |
Forestry
University of Kentucky · Lexington, KY |
42
38–45 |
$32,573/yr | Moderate | 9.4x |
| 28 |
Forestry
Michigan State University · East Lansing, MI |
45
43–46 |
$39,178/yr | Moderate | 5.1x |
| 29 |
Forestry
The University of Tennessee-Knoxville · Knoxville, TN |
38
36–39 |
$31,441/yr | Moderate | 4.8x |
Methodology
Programs are ranked by DegreeWorth Score, which combines four equally weighted factors: graduate earnings (Year 1 after graduation), AI automation resilience (based on OpenAI and academic research), job market size (BLS annual openings), and earnings-to-tuition multiple (10-year projected earnings vs. 4-year tuition).
Earnings data comes from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, which reports actual median earnings of graduates — not self-reported surveys.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best school for Forestry?
Based on our DegreeWorth Score, North Carolina State University at Raleigh ranks #1 for Forestry with a score of 67/100 and graduate earnings of $61,142/yr.
How much do Forestry graduates earn?
Across 29 schools, Forestry graduates earn an average of $42,703/yr in their first year. The highest-earning program reports $61,142/yr.
Is Forestry a good major for AI resistance?
Forestry has an average AI task exposure of 36%, rated "Moderate". This field has moderate AI exposure — some career paths are more resilient than others.
Data: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (earnings, debt), Bureau of Labor Statistics 2024–2034
(employment projections), OpenAI GPTs-are-GPTs research (AI task exposure), Felten et al. AIOE.
Last updated 2025.