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Natural Resources · Forestry Rank #13 of 29

Forestryat Michigan Technological University

Graduates earn $45,571/yr in their first year — about 7.0% above the national Forestry average. Base-case 10-year earnings $566K; scenarios range from $526K to $571K depending on AI disruption.

Houghton, MI Public Bachelor's Degree
DegreeOutlook Score
44 AVERAGE
44
Optimistic
42
Pessimistic
Earnings
$45,571
1-year post-graduation
ROI
7.4x
Earnings : in-state tuition
10-yr Base
$566K
Cumulative base-case earnings
AI Risk
Moderate
36% task exposure
Program Analysis

What this degree looks like at Michigan Technological University

Michigan Technological University's Forestry graduates start at $45,571/yr — above the $42,702 national average, though not by a wide margin.

A 7.7x earnings multiple over ten years puts this program in solid financial territory. Tuition is well-justified by projected earnings.

The 8% difference between AI scenarios reflects partial automation exposure. Some Forestry career paths face displacement, but others in the field are more insulated.

At $25,500 against $45,571/yr in earnings, the debt burden is moderate. Most graduates should manage repayment without extended financial strain.

A #13 ranking among 29 Forestry programs places Michigan Technological University in the middle-to-upper range. Solid, not exceptional.

A 35% earnings increase from $45,571 to $61,635 over five years is solid — not a moonshot, but evidence of normal career advancement.

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
$526K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score42/100
Earnings Multiple7.2x
Base Case
Moderate Integration
$566K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score44/100
Earnings Multiple7.7x
Optimistic
AI Augmentation
$571K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score44/100
Earnings Multiple7.8x
Earnings Trajectory

10 year projection

Year-by-year earnings under each scenario. Base case reflects BLS growth patterns applied to Michigan Technological 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 Michigan Technological 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
Auburn University
AL · Public
50
DW Score
$51K
1-yr earn
11.0x
ROI
University of Idaho
ID · Public
52
DW Score
$47K
1-yr earn
16.1x
ROI
Also at Michigan Technological University

Other top programs at Michigan Technological University

Other highest-scoring programs offered at Michigan Technological 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 Michigan Technological University

What does a 44/100 DegreeOutlook Score mean for Forestry at Michigan Technological University?

At 44/100, the financial outlook is modest. Higher-scoring Forestry programs exist, though non-financial factors may justify this choice.