Forestry graduates from West Virginia University earn $64,568 median salary — above the national average for this program. Median debt: $20,500.
Forestry at West Virginia University
Morgantown, West Virginia • Bachelor's
What the IPEDS & College Scorecard Data Shows for Forestry at West Virginia University
This page combines two federal data products: IPEDS institutional characteristics for West Virginia University and the College Scorecard field-of-study (FOS) file for Forestry at the bachelor's credential level. The FOS file is keyed by CIP (Classification of Instructional Programs) code, which means earnings and debt figures here reflect only graduates of this specific program — not the school as a whole. IPEDS reports 13 completers in the most recent cohort for this program at West Virginia University, the denominator behind the median earnings figure.
Median graduate earnings of $64,568 represent Treasury-verified wages approximately one year after program completion, drawn from Social Security Administration records linked to federal financial aid applicants. Compared to the national mean of $57,557 across all institutions offering Forestry, graduates here earn above the national average for this program. Across all programs at West Virginia University, the mean median-earnings figure is $69,824, providing internal context for whether this specific field out-earns other options at the same institution.
Debt signals complete the ROI picture. The median cumulative federal loan debt for Forestry graduates at West Virginia University is $20,500, which translates to roughly $171 per month on a standard 10-year repayment plan. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.32 is under the 1.0 threshold the College Scorecard uses to flag favorable gainful-employment outcomes — earnings in year one already exceed cumulative borrowing. Program-level debt and earnings come from the Department of Education’s College Scorecard FOS release, updated annually.
Earnings Comparison
Program Details
Debt & ROI
Forestry at Other Schools
| School | Median Earnings | Median Debt |
|---|---|---|
| North Carolina State University at Raleigh | $86,357 | $21,750 |
| California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt | $79,849 | $21,000 |
| California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo | $77,419 | $17,333 |
| University of Georgia | $68,965 | $14,500 |
| Louisiana Tech University | $65,941 | $22,083 |
| Alabama A & M University | $64,749 | — |
| Auburn University | $64,704 | $18,750 |
| West Virginia University (this school) | $64,568 | $20,500 |
| University of Idaho | $64,392 | $16,500 |
| Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University | $64,204 | $20,663 |
Other Programs at West Virginia University
| Program | Median Earnings | Median Debt |
|---|---|---|
| Dentistry | $202,520 | $189,776 |
| Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration | $131,752 | $74,824 |
| Medicine | $120,123 | $178,036 |
| Business/Commerce, General | $119,013 | $41,000 |
| Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods | $116,533 | — |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | $113,161 | $45,144 |
| Mining and Mineral Engineering | $109,619 | $24,903 |
| Human Resources Management and Services | $105,512 | $37,697 |
| Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services | $104,413 | $76,875 |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering | $99,542 | $22,221 |
Other Schools with Forestry
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About the Data
Data from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard Field of Study file. Earnings are median earnings for graduates after completion, drawn from U.S. Treasury tax records linked to federal financial aid applicants. Institutional characteristics come from IPEDS. Debt figures represent the median cumulative federal loan debt at graduation.
Debt-to-earnings ratio compares cumulative debt to annual earnings. A ratio below 1.0 indicates that annual earnings exceed total debt, generally considered favorable. Estimated monthly payments assume a standard 10-year repayment plan.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.