The average salary for a forester in South Dakota is around $64,460 per year.
Avg Salary
Foresters earn an average yearly salary of $64,460.
Wages typically start from $50,110 and go up to $80,700.
3% above national average Updated in 2025
Forester earnings by seniority
90th percentile
Top-level forester earnings begin at:
$38.80 per hour
$80,700 per year
75th percentile
Senior-level forester earnings begin at:
$35.67 per hour
$74,200 per year
50th percentile
Mid-level forester earnings begin at:
$30.99 per hour
$64,460 per year
25th percentile
Junior-level forester earnings begin at:
$26.28 per hour
$54,660 per year
10th percentile
Starting level forester earnings begin at:
$24.09 per hour
$50,110 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 South Dakota. On average, they make less than urban planners but more than forest and conservation workers.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Urban planner salary | $71K |
| Environmental consultant salary | $68K |
| Environmental restoration planner salary | $68K |
| Climate change analyst salary | $68K |
| Industrial ecologist salary | $68K |
| Forester salary | $64K |
| Biomass plant technician salary | $57K |
| Geothermal technician salary | $48K |
| Environmental technician salary | $44K |
| Forest and conservation worker salary | $38K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)