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Natural Resources · Forestry Rank #6 of 29

Forestryat Auburn University

Graduates earn $51,421/yr in their first year — about 20.0% above the national Forestry average. Base-case 10-year earnings $549K; scenarios range from $512K to $553K depending on AI disruption.

Auburn, AL Public Bachelor's Degree
DegreeOutlook Score
50 AVERAGE
50
Optimistic
47
Pessimistic
Earnings
$51,421
1-year post-graduation
ROI
11.0x
Earnings : in-state tuition
10-yr Base
$549K
Cumulative base-case earnings
AI Risk
Moderate
36% task exposure
Program Analysis

What this degree looks like at Auburn University

Auburn’s strength in forestry is deeply rooted in its location. You’re not just studying in a classroom; you're in the heart of the Southeast’s massive timber and forest products industry. This proximity creates a powerful recruiting pipeline directly to major employers like Weyerhaeuser and International Paper, as well as to state and federal agencies managing the region’s vast woodlands. The curriculum is intensely practical, built around hands-on fieldwork in the university's own 5,500-acre forest system, ensuring you graduate with applicable skills, not just theory. This reputation for producing field-ready foresters gives you a distinct advantage in a job market that values practical experience. To maximize this, focus on securing an internship with a private timber company or a public land agency before your senior year; that real-world connection is often the final step to a strong job offer upon graduation.

AI Outlook Integration

Three scenarios, ten years out

Each scenario is a different assumption about how AI reshapes the career paths this major feeds into. Earnings projections stack the full 10-year cumulative trajectory; scores use the same 0–100 metric as the hero, recomputed under that scenario's assumptions.

Pessimistic
Mass Automation
$512K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score47/100
Earnings Multiple10.2x
Base Case
Moderate Integration
$549K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score50/100
Earnings Multiple10.9x
Optimistic
AI Augmentation
$553K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score50/100
Earnings Multiple11.0x
Earnings Trajectory

10 year projection

Year-by-year earnings under each scenario. Base case reflects BLS growth patterns applied to Auburn University's starting earnings; optimistic and pessimistic adjust for AI's effect on each career path this major feeds into.

Career Paths

Where Forestry graduates typically work

Common career destinations for this program's graduates, weighted by the school's specific occupation mix. Salary is BLS national median; AI risk is per-role task-exposure research.

1
Forestry and conservation science teachers, postsecondary
+4.0% 10-yr growth · 100 openings/yr
$100,830/yr
Moderate
2
Foresters
+1.2% 10-yr growth · 1,100 openings/yr
$70,660/yr
Moderate
3
Conservation scientists
+3.4% 10-yr growth · 2,500 openings/yr
$67,950/yr
High
4
First-line supervisors of farming, fishing, and forestry workers
+2.5% 10-yr growth · 8,500 openings/yr
$59,330/yr
Low
5
Forest and conservation technicians
-3.2% 10-yr growth · 3,900 openings/yr
$54,310/yr
Moderate
6
Forest and conservation workers
-4.7% 10-yr growth · 2,000 openings/yr
$43,680/yr
Low
Source: BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics, May 2024. AI exposure from OpenAI GPTs-are-GPTs and Felten AIOE research.
Compare & Explore

Peer schools offering Forestry

How Auburn University stacks up against other schools offering this major.

Highest earnings
North Carolina State University at Raleigh
NC · Public
60
DW Score
$61K
1-yr earn
19.2x
ROI
California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo
CA · Public
58
DW Score
$55K
1-yr earn
15.5x
ROI
California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt
CA · Public
57
DW Score
$53K
1-yr earn
19.1x
ROI
University of Idaho
ID · Public
52
DW Score
$47K
1-yr earn
16.1x
ROI
University of Georgia
GA · Public
56
DW Score
$47K
1-yr earn
16.2x
ROI
Also at Auburn University

Other top programs at Auburn University

Other highest-scoring programs offered at Auburn University, ranked by DegreeOutlook Score.

Consider the trade route

Not sure a 4-year degree is the right path? Trade programs in Forestry offer shorter timelines, lower debt, and strong AI resilience for hands-on careers.

Compare Forestry trade programs on TradeSchoolOutlook →
FAQ

Frequently asked about Forestry at Auburn University

What is the DegreeOutlook Score for Forestry at Auburn University?

A score of 50/100 puts this program in competitive territory — solid outcomes, though not at the top of the Forestry field.

What makes Auburn University's Forestry program stand out?

Ranked #6 of 29 programs nationally, Auburn University lands in the top 25%. The ranking reflects a combination of graduate earnings, return on investment, and job market alignment.