Michigan Technological University Forestry: earnings, debt & careers

Forestry graduates of Michigan Technological University earn a median $55,912 four years after graduating ($45,571 after one year), with median federal loan debt of $27,000. That is $2,587 below the U.S. median for Forestry graduates ($58,499 across 31 colleges), and ranks 1st of 2 Michigan colleges.

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Earnings, 4 years after graduating
$55,912

U.S. median for this major: $58,499.

College Scorecard field of study; 32 graduates with earnings reported. A small group, so treat this figure with caution

Earnings, 1 year after
$45,571

Median for graduates who received federal aid.

College Scorecard field of study

Median debt at graduation
$27,000

About 48% of median earnings 4 years out. U.S. median $22,607.

College Scorecard field of study (federal loans)

What your family pays
$14,182 /yr

Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.

Sticker price $34,152. College Scorecard.

MTU Forestry: pay against the field, and payback

Same major, other colleges

MTU graduates$55,912

Fewer than 3 Michigan colleges report earnings for this major, so there is no state median.

U.S. median (31 colleges)$58,499 (−$2,587)

Median earnings 4 years after graduating; state and U.S. figures are the median of each covered college's graduates in this major. College Scorecard; calculated by EducationGuide.

Forestry nationally: jobs, pay at ages 25-34, every state →

Cost to finish and years to pay back, by income

Uses MTU's school-wide net price (no college reports it by major) and this major's graduate earnings.

Family incomeNet price / yrCost to finishYears to pay back
$0–30k$2,045$9,325under 1 year
$30–48k$3,373$15,381under 1 year
$48–75k$6,187$28,2131.3 years
$75–110k$12,813$58,4272.6 years
$110k+$23,107$105,3684.7 years

Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.6 years, the average time graduates took (34% finished in 4 years; students who entered fall 2017, IPEDS). Years to pay back = cost to finish ÷ the earnings gain: median earnings of Forestry graduates 4 years after graduating ($55,912) minus $33,411 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in MI (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $22,501 a year. Before taxes, loan interest and earnings given up while in school. Method

College Scorecard; IPEDS Graduation Rates; U.S. Census Bureau ACS. Calculated by EducationGuide.

Forestry at Michigan colleges

Every Michigan college we cover that reports Forestry graduate earnings, highest first. Net price is the school-wide average after grants.

RankCollegeEarnings, 4 yrsMedian debtAvg. net priceGraduation
1Michigan Technological University$55,912$27,000$14,18268%
2Michigan State University$55,724$31,000$19,68081%

Careers for Forestry graduates

Conservation Scientists

Michigan$63,500
U.S.$73,010

Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs +5.3% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.

BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35. Careers from the federal major-to-occupation crosswalk.

What families pay at MTU, by income

School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.

College Scorecard

About MTU

Related majors at MTU

  • Environmental Science / Conservation—
  • Ecology and Evolutionary Biology—
  • Environmental Engineering$76,857
  • Environmental / Natural Resources Management and Policy—
  • Wildlife and Wildlands Science and Management$38,775

MTU Forestry questions

How much do MTU Forestry graduates earn?

Forestry graduates of Michigan Technological University earn a median $55,912 four years after graduating and $45,571 one year after. The U.S. median for Forestry graduates across 31 colleges is $58,499.

How much debt do MTU Forestry graduates have?

The median federal loan debt for Forestry graduates of Michigan Technological University is $27,000, about 48% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $22,607.

Where does MTU rank for Forestry in Michigan?

Of 2 Michigan colleges reporting Forestry graduate earnings, Michigan Technological University ranks 1st, the highest.

What jobs do Forestry graduates get?

A common career is conservation scientists, with a median wage of $63,500 in Michigan and $73,010 nationally.

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Sources: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (field of study: median earnings and federal loan debt of graduates who received federal aid); BLS. How we score
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Cite this: “Michigan Technological University Forestry: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/michigan-technological-university/majors/forestry (College Scorecard and BLS data).