Career
Forest and conservation workers
Plant trees and care for forests.
$43,680
Median pay
-1.5%
Job growth, 2025–35
2,200
Openings a year
High school diploma or equivalent
Typical education
None required
Typical time after high school
Here's what you actually need to know.
The work
What people in this job do
- Check equipment to ensure that it is operating properly.
- Fight forest fires or perform prescribed burning tasks under the direction of fire suppression officers or forestry technicians.
- Perform fire protection or suppression duties, such as constructing fire breaks or disposing of brush.
- Confer with other workers to discuss issues, such as safety, cutting heights, or work needs.
The outlook
How the forecast changed this year
The deeper question
What kind of person does this path ask you to become?
What this work centers on
O*NET interest profile, scored 1–7.
The work
Do you want most of your days spent on objects & tools, then information & systems?
Responsibility
Are you willing to be the one responsible for this?
“Check equipment to ensure that it is operating properly.”
Development
What would you need to build over the next 5–10 years?
Critical Thinking, Monitoring, Reading Comprehension, Coordination.
Trade-offs
What does it ask of you in exchange?
No degree beyond high school, though moderate-term on-the-job training is typical, for a median of $43,680 a year and 2,200 openings nationally each year.
Paths in
Degrees that lead here
- Plant Nursery Operations and ManagementCIP 01.0606
- Forestry, GeneralCIP 03.0501
- Forest Technology/TechnicianCIP 03.0511
- Forestry, OtherCIP 03.0599
Paths across
Careers that use similar skills
- Forest and Conservation Technicians$54,560 · -2.1%
- Foresters$76,400 · +2.2%
- Range Managers
- Forest Fire Inspectors and Prevention Specialists$56,870 · +13.1%
- Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse$35,660 · -2.4%
Ask anything about this career.
“Would this make sense if I don't want to sit at a desk all day?” Answers will come from the sources on this page, with citations. Coming soon.
Not sure this fits who you are? Start with Vocational Finder →
Sources
- BLS Employment Projections, 2025–35, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved 2026-10-01.
- BLS Employment Projections, 2024–34 (archived), U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved 2026-10-01.
- O*NET 31.0 Database (August 2026), National Center for O*NET Development / U.S. Department of Labor. Retrieved 2026-10-01.
- CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 Crosswalk, NCES and BLS. Retrieved 2026-10-01.