The average salary for a forester in Illinois is around $82,160 per year.
Avg Salary
Foresters earn an average yearly salary of $82,160.
Wages typically start from $60,230 and go up to $120,150.
19% above national average Updated in 2025
Forester earnings by seniority
90th percentile
Top-level forester earnings begin at:
$57.77 per hour
$120,150 per year
75th percentile
Senior-level forester earnings begin at:
$50.76 per hour
$105,580 per year
50th percentile
Mid-level forester earnings begin at:
$39.50 per hour
$82,160 per year
25th percentile
Junior-level forester earnings begin at:
$35.33 per hour
$73,490 per year
10th percentile
Starting level forester earnings begin at:
$28.96 per hour
$60,230 per year
Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.
Forester salary by state
| State Name | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| New Jersey | $98,750 |
| Massachusetts | $89,650 |
| Alaska | $87,210 |
| South Carolina | $86,780 |
| Maryland | $86,100 |
| Connecticut | $84,820 |
| Iowa | $83,000 |
| Illinois | $82,160 |
| Oregon | $81,450 |
| Vermont | $80,750 |
| Texas | $80,370 |
| Alabama | $79,530 |
| Washington | $78,460 |
| Pennsylvania | $78,280 |
| North Carolina | $77,870 |
| Georgia | $76,970 |
| Nebraska | $76,730 |
| Minnesota | $76,490 |
| Colorado | $76,400 |
| Louisiana | $76,390 |
| Michigan | $75,920 |
| Utah | $75,210 |
| District of Columbia | $74,710 |
| New York | $73,710 |
| Ohio | $73,320 |
| Tennessee | $71,990 |
| Virginia | $71,990 |
| Mississippi | $71,280 |
| Arkansas | $69,240 |
| New Mexico | $69,240 |
| Wyoming | $68,180 |
| Kansas | $67,540 |
| Arizona | $67,200 |
| Montana | $67,200 |
| Maine | $66,480 |
| Wisconsin | $66,010 |
| Idaho | $65,170 |
| New Hampshire | $65,170 |
| South Dakota | $64,460 |
| Florida | $64,130 |
| Missouri | $63,220 |
| West Virginia | $62,550 |
| Indiana | $61,110 |
| Kentucky | $56,460 |
| North Dakota | $51,750 |
| Nevada | $51,070 |
| Oklahoma | $50,990 |
| California | $107,120 |
How do forester salaries compare to similar careers?
Foresters earn about the same as related careers in Illinois. On average, they make less than climate change analysts but more than environmental technicians.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Climate change analyst salary | $82K |
| Environmental consultant salary | $82K |
| Environmental restoration planner salary | $82K |
| Industrial ecologist salary | $82K |
| Energy auditor salary | $82K |
| Forester salary | $82K |
| Biomass plant technician salary | $78K |
| Soil and water conservationist salary | $70K |
| Conservation scientist salary | $70K |
| Environmental technician salary | $60K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)