Manages the trees of a city or town, from street trees and parks to canopy planning, planting programs and tree risk. BLS does not publish separate figures for foresters; it counts them within forester (SOC 19-1032), whose median pay is $76,400 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Typical entry-level education: Bachelor's degree.
- SOC 19-1032
- Life, Physical, and Social Science
- Last updated October 9, 2026
At a glance
Urban Forester in four numbers
- Median pay
- $76,400a year, or $36.73/hrBLS OEWS, May 2025Lowest 10% $51KTop 10% $110K
US median, all jobs: $50,980
- Projected growth
- +2.2%Slower than averageBLS EP, 2025–2035This career+2.2%All jobs+3.5%
Projected employment change, 2025–2035 Item Value This career +2.2% All jobs +3.5% - Openings a year
- 90013,200 jobs todayBLS EP, 2025–2035
- Jobs in 202513.2K
- Projected 203513.5K
Employment, 2025–2035 Item Value Jobs in 2025 13.2K Projected 2035 13.5K - Typical education
- Bachelor'sneeded to enterBLS EP, 2025–2035; mix: O*NET
Also advertised as: City Forester, Municipal Forester, Community Forester, Urban Forestry Manager, Street Tree Manager.
Pay
How much do Foresters make?
Every urban forester in the US, by percentile of annual wage
Median
$76,400
Middle half earn $62,710 to $91,640
- 10th
- $50,790
- 25th
- $62,710
- 75th
- $91,640
- 90th
- $109,700
All US occupations: $50,980
| Percentile | Value |
|---|---|
| 10th | $50,790 |
| 25th | $62,710 |
| Median | $76,400 |
| 75th | $91,640 |
| 90th | $109,700 |
| All US occupations | $50,980 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Median annual wage
- $76,400
- Median hourly wage
- $36.73/hr
- Mean annual wage
- $79,170
- People employed
- 10,430
Versus all US occupations
At $76,400, Foresters earn 50% above the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $25,420 a year.
Versus life, physical, and social science occupations
Inside the Life, Physical, and Social Science group, where the middle occupation pays $82,220, this is 7% below the group median.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $109,700 or more while the bottom 10% earn $50,790, a gap of 2.2×. That is a typical spread for a US occupation.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 52% of the 1,741 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Highest-paying state
California pays the most at $107,120, and still leads at $96,749 once local prices are taken into account.
Pay by state
Which states pay Foresters the most?
State medians come from the same OEWS release as the national figures. The cost-of-living column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity, restating pay in national-average dollars so a high-cost state and a low-cost one can be compared directly.
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1California | $107,120 | $96,749 | 820 |
| 2Massachusetts | $89,650 | $84,770 | 130 |
| 3Alaska | $87,210 | $85,200 | 80 |
| 4South Carolina | $86,780 | $92,566 | 250 |
| 5Maryland | $86,100 | $82,032 | 120 |
| 6Connecticut | $84,820 | $81,865 | 60 |
| 7Iowa | $83,000 | $94,574 | 50 |
| 8Illinois | $82,160 | $82,195 | 220 |
| 9Oregon | $81,450 | $78,801 | 670 |
| 10Vermont | $80,750 | $82,433 | 80 |
Job outlook
Is Urban Forester a growing career?
Employment change over 2025–2035, against every US occupation
Slower than average. +2.2% projected growth vs 3.5% for all occupations.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Foresters | +2.2% |
| All US occupations | +3.5% |
Source: BLS EP, 2025–2035
Slower than average
BLS projects employment of Foresters to change 2.2% over 2025–2035, against 3.5% projected for all occupations. That is 300 more jobs.
Annual openings
About 900 openings are projected each year, 6.8% of the 13,200 jobs that existed in 2025. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Getting in
How to become an Urban Forester
A bachelor's degree in forestry, urban forestry, arboriculture, horticulture or natural resources is typical. Hands-on tree work experience is common among urban foresters.
The International Society of Arboriculture offers the Certified Arborist credential, which most employers expect, plus the Municipal Specialist and Tree Risk Assessment Qualification. The Society of Municipal Arborists is the main professional group, and the Society of American Foresters accredits forestry programs. The USDA Forest Service Urban and Community Forestry Program funds state programs and grants that support many city forestry jobs. GIS skills and public speaking ability help with advancement.
- 1
Typical entry-level education
Bachelor's degree
- 2
Work experience in a related occupation
None
- 3
Typical on-the-job training
None
- 4
Preparation needed (O*NET job zone)
Medium preparation
BLS Employment Projections, 2025–2035; job zone from O*NET 31.0 Database.
The work
What does an Urban Forester do?
Urban foresters manage trees as public infrastructure. They maintain tree inventories, plan which species to plant and where, oversee pruning and removal contracts, and review development plans to protect trees during construction. They also assess tree risk near streets and buildings and respond to storm damage.
Many urban foresters manage canopy goals for a city, using GIS and aerial data to measure tree cover and target planting in neighborhoods that need shade most. They write and enforce tree ordinances, manage pest outbreaks such as emerald ash borer, apply for grants, and run community planting and volunteer programs.
Day-to-day tasks
- Maintain the city tree inventory in GIS
- Inspect trees and assess risk to people and property
- Plan and oversee tree planting programs
- Manage pruning and removal contracts
- Review development plans for tree protection
- Respond to pest outbreaks and storm damage
- Run community outreach and volunteer planting events
Typical tasks, researched by NueCareer from the sources below.
Working conditions and hours
Urban foresters split time between the field and the office. Field time means inspecting trees on streets and in parks in all weather, and storm response can mean emergency hours. Office work includes plan review, contracts, GIS and public meetings. Most urban foresters work for city or county governments, often within parks or public works departments, with regular weekday hours outside of storm events.
Where the work happens
Indoors, climate-controlled
NeverEvery dayOutdoors in all weather
NeverEvery dayOutdoors in all weather at least weekly.
Physical demands
Sitting
NeverAlmost all the timeStanding
NeverAlmost all the timeBending or twisting
NeverAlmost all the time
Working with people
Contact with other people
NoneConstantFace-to-face discussions
NeverEvery dayDealing with the public
Not importantExtremely important
Pressure and stakes
Strict deadlines
NeverEvery dayConflict situations
NeverEvery dayCost of a mistake
Not seriousExtremely serious
Autonomy
Freedom to decide
NoneA lotA lot of freedom to make decisions without checking first.
Conditions: O*NET Work Context survey. Each item has its own scale, so each dot is read against the two answers that end its own line.
Core skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Reading Comprehension4.0
- Speaking4.0
- Critical Thinking4.0
- Monitoring4.0
- Active Listening3.9
- Writing3.8
- Active Learning3.3
- Mathematics3.0
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Reading Comprehension | 4.0 |
| Speaking | 4.0 |
| Critical Thinking | 4.0 |
| Monitoring | 4.0 |
| Active Listening | 3.9 |
| Writing | 3.8 |
| Active Learning | 3.3 |
| Mathematics | 3.0 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Transferable skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Complex Problem Solving3.9
- Judgment and Decision Making3.9
- Coordination3.6
- Systems Analysis3.6
- Systems Evaluation3.6
- Time Management3.5
- Negotiation3.4
- Social Perceptiveness3.3
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Complex Problem Solving | 3.9 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 3.9 |
| Coordination | 3.6 |
| Systems Analysis | 3.6 |
| Systems Evaluation | 3.6 |
| Time Management | 3.5 |
| Negotiation | 3.4 |
| Social Perceptiveness | 3.3 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Tools and software
- Data base user interface and query software · in demand
- Electronic mail software · in demand
- Geographic information system · in demand
- Office suite software · in demand
- Presentation software · in demand
- Spreadsheet software · in demand
- Web platform development software · in demand
- Word processing software · in demand
- Analytical or scientific software
- Calendar and scheduling software
- Enterprise resource planning ERP software
- Internet browser software
“In demand” marks an O*NET Employer-Based Hot Technology, software named in real job postings for this occupation.
Personality fit
What personality type suits an Urban Forester?
NueCareer estimate (Holland code RIE) built on O*NET's Forester profile, scored 1 to 7
| Axis | Urban Forester |
|---|---|
| Realistic | 6 |
| Investigative | 5 |
| Artistic | 1 |
| Social | 2 |
| Enterprising | 4 |
| Conventional | 4 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
What the work is built around
Day to day this is work built around hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors, combined with investigating, analysing and solving problems with ideas and data.
- Realistic5.5
- Investigative4.8
- Conventional4.4
- Enterprising4.1
- Social2.3
- Artistic1.3
Closest MBTI types
NueCareer fit scores: cosine similarity between each MBTI type's interest vector and this occupation's O*NET interest profile. Not a BLS or O*NET figure; the method is documented on our methodology page.
Explore further
Careers related to Urban Forester
O*NET related occupations
- Life, Physical, and Social Science
- Life, Physical, and Social Science
- Life, Physical, and Social Science
- Life, Physical, and Social Science
- Farming, Fishing, and Forestry
- Life, Physical, and Social Science
More life, physical, and social science careers
Median annual pay, with foresters highlighted
- Industrial-Organizational Psychologist$193,950
- Physicist$172,250
- Medical Scientist, Except Epidemiologists$103,410
- Chemist$91,240
- Environmental Scientist and Specialist, Including Health$82,220
- Urban Forester$76,400
- Conservation Scientist$73,010
- Chemical Technician$60,390
- Biological Technician$57,510
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Industrial-Organizational Psychologist | $193,950 |
| Physicist | $172,250 |
| Medical Scientist, Except Epidemiologists | $103,410 |
| Chemist | $91,240 |
| Environmental Scientist and Specialist, Including Health | $82,220 |
| Urban Forester | $76,400 |
| Conservation Scientist | $73,010 |
| Chemical Technician | $60,390 |
| Biological Technician | $57,510 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Lists Urban Forester appears on
Questions
Urban Forester: frequently asked questions
How much do Foresters make?
BLS does not publish a separate wage for foresters. It counts them within forester, whose median pay is $76,400 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The middle half of that occupation earn between $62,710 and $91,640, and the top 10% earn $109,700 or more.
Do you need a degree to become an Urban Forester?
Yes. BLS reports a bachelor's degree as the typical entry-level education for Foresters, and O*NET rates the preparation needed as medium preparation.
Is Urban Forester a growing career?
It is growing, but slowly: 2.2% over 2025–2035 against 3.5% for all occupations (BLS EP, 2025–2035). BLS still projects about 900 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does an Urban Forester do?
Urban foresters manage trees as public infrastructure. A typical task: maintain the city tree inventory in GIS. Employers most often ask for Data base user interface and query software, Electronic mail software, Geographic information system.
Which states pay Foresters the most?
The highest state medians for Foresters are California ($107,120), Massachusetts ($89,650), Alaska ($87,210) (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
What personality type suits an Urban Forester?
O*NET scores Foresters highest on the Realistic, Investigative and Conventional interest areas, so the work mixes hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors with investigating, analysing and solving problems with ideas and data. On NueCareer's MBTI-to-interest mapping that lines up most closely with ISTJ personalities. Personality is a fit signal, not a gate. The free NueCareer quiz scores your own profile against all 1,731 careers in the bank.