Forester - Pay and progression
Kaimahi Ngahere
Pay
Pay varies according to experience and the forester's specific role.
Industry sources indicate the following pay ranges, based on what the bottom and top 25% of people employed were earning in 2008:
- Graduate forester, with up to a year's experience – $41,000 to $42,000 a year.
- Graduate forester, with one to two years' experience – $42,000 to $52,000 a year.
- Inventory forester – $48,000 to $69,000 a year.
- Forester – $60,000 to $71,000 a year.
Foresters that progress to management positions can earn up to $130,000 a year.
According to the 2006 Census, foresters earned an average of $48,000 a year and worked an average of 46 hours per week. This includes full and part-time workers.
This information is provided as a guide only
Career Progression
There are opportunities for foresters to move into the role of forest manager or become consultants in the industry.
Updated
September 2009
