Forest Engineering at Oregon State University
Corvallis, OR · Public · Bachelor's Degree
DegreeWorth Score (Base Case)
63
Optimistic
60
Base Case
53
Pessimistic
Earnings
$51,279/yr (0% vs median)
AI Risk
High (46% exposed)
Job Market
Medium (27,900 openings/yr)
How AI Changes the Outlook
Three scenarios based on how aggressively AI disrupts the career paths available to Forest Engineering graduates.
| Optimistic No Disruption |
Base Case Gradual AI |
Pessimistic Aggressive AI |
|
|---|---|---|---|
| 10-Year Earnings | $863K | $593K | $389K |
| Earnings Multiple (In-State) | 16.0x | 11.0x | 7.2x |
| Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) | 6.0x | 4.2x | 2.7x |
| Viable Career Paths | 3 of 3 | 3 of 3 | 3 of 3 |
| DegreeWorth Score | 63 | 60 | 53 |
10-Year Earnings Projection
*Year 1 uses actual reported earnings. Scenarios diverge as AI impact compounds over time.
4-Year Tuition (In-State)
$53,976
Out-of-state: $142,656
Median Debt at Graduation
$19,196
4.5 months of Year 1 earnings
Reported Earnings (5 Year)
$78,198
52% growth from Year 1
Career Paths
Where Forest Engineering graduates typically work. Raw data — no blending. The scenarios above model how these factors interact. This field has roughly 27,900 combined openings per year.
| Career Path | Wage | Openings/yr | Growth | AI Risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Architectural and engineering managers | $167,740 | 14,500 | +3.8% | 41% |
| Engineers, all other | $117,750 | 9,300 | +2.1% | 46% |
| Engineering teachers, postsecondary | $106,120 | 4,100 | +8.1% | 50% |
Compare & Explore
Forest Engineering at Other Schools
Other Majors at Oregon State University
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the DegreeWorth Score for Forest Engineering at Oregon State University?
This program scores 60/100 in the Base Case scenario, factoring in earnings, AI disruption risk, job market size, and earnings multiple. The score ranges from 63 (optimistic) to 53 (pessimistic) depending on AI's impact.
How does AI affect Forest Engineering career prospects?
We model three scenarios: Optimistic (no disruption), Base Case (gradual AI adoption), and Pessimistic (aggressive AI displacement). In the base case, Forest Engineering graduates retain 3 of 3 viable career paths. 10-year earnings range from $388,730 (pessimistic) to $862,690 (optimistic).
How many job openings are there for Forest Engineering graduates?
The career paths mapped to Forest Engineering have roughly 27,900 combined job openings per year nationally, making this a medium job market.
Is Forest Engineering at Oregon State University worth it?
In the Base Case, this degree earns 11.0x its in-state tuition over 10 years. Even in the Pessimistic scenario, the multiple is 7.2x. The spread between scenarios tells you how sensitive this degree is to AI disruption.
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.
Scenarios use a continuous weighting function combining AI exposure and BLS job growth projections.
"Earnings Multiple" is total 10-year projected earnings divided by tuition — not a discounted financial ROI.
Last updated 2025.