Foresters Salary
Foresters in Birmingham, AL make a median of $87,050 a year, or about $41.85 an hour. The range runs from $51K at the entry level to $122K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.64), which stretches that salary to about $94,991 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,266/month, or 23% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $87K get you in Birmingham?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Birmingham’s Regional Price Parity (91.64). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About foresters
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What this looks like in Birmingham
Birmingham sits well above the national pay line for foresters, local pay runs about 14% higher than the U.S. median of $76K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,266/month, 23.2% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 91.64 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 8% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Combined with manageable housing costs, Birmingham offers a genuinely strong financial position for foresterss at the median.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for foresters in metros near Birmingham, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach | $59K | $52K |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell | $64K | $64K |
| Jacksonville | $71K | $71K |
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin | $70K | $72K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Birmingham, AL
Entry-level foresters (10th percentile) start around $51K. Mid-career wages sit at $87K. Top earners bring in $122K or more, a $70K spread from bottom to top.
Foresters pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Foresters salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | $107K | +40% | 820 |
| Massachusetts | $90K | +17% | 130 |
| Alaska | $87K | +14% | 80 |
| South Carolina | $87K | +14% | 250 |
| Maryland | $86K | +13% | 120 |
| Connecticut | $85K | +11% | 60 |
| Iowa | $83K | +9% | 50 |
| Illinois | $82K | +8% | 220 |
| Oregon | $81K | +7% | 670 |
| Vermont | $81K | +6% | 80 |
| Texas | $80K | +5% | 210 |
| Alabama | $80K | +4% | 240 |
| Washington | $78K | +3% | 950 |
| Pennsylvania | $78K | +2% | 310 |
| North Carolina | $78K | +2% | N/A |
| Georgia | $77K | +1% | 370 |
| Minnesota | $76K | +0% | 390 |
| Colorado | $76K | +0% | 210 |
| Michigan | $76K | -1% | 340 |
| Utah | $75K | -2% | 40 |
| District of Columbia | $75K | -2% | N/A |
| New York | $74K | -4% | 280 |
| Ohio | $73K | -4% | 160 |
| Tennessee | $72K | -6% | 120 |
| Virginia | $72K | -6% | 340 |
| Mississippi | $71K | -7% | 110 |
| Arkansas | $69K | -9% | 130 |
| New Mexico | $69K | -9% | 50 |
| Wyoming | $68K | -11% | 60 |
| Kansas | $68K | -12% | 40 |
| Montana | $67K | -12% | 240 |
| Arizona | $67K | -12% | 70 |
| Maine | $66K | -13% | 70 |
| Wisconsin | $66K | -14% | 570 |
| New Hampshire | $65K | -15% | 110 |
| Idaho | $65K | -15% | 280 |
| South Dakota | $64K | -16% | 120 |
| Florida | $64K | -16% | 380 |
| Missouri | $63K | -17% | 120 |
| West Virginia | $63K | -18% | 100 |
| Indiana | $61K | -20% | 160 |
| Kentucky | $56K | -26% | 120 |
| Nevada | $51K | -33% | N/A |
| Oklahoma | $51K | -33% | 120 |
Showing 1–10 of 44 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track foresters salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Birmingham numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a forester afford a 2BR apartment alone in Birmingham?
Yes — at the median salary of $87K, rent takes 23.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,266/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for foresters in Birmingham?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new foresters typically earn — is $51K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,089/month. At HUD’s $1,266/month FMR, rent would take 41% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is forester a high-paying job in Birmingham?
Local pay is 14% above the national median — $87K here vs. $76K nationally.
How does Birmingham compare to the national average for foresters?
Birmingham pays $87K median vs. the U.S. average of $76K — that’s +14%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 91.64), the purchasing-power equivalent is $95K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do foresters make in Birmingham, AL?
The median is $87,050 a year, that works out to about $42 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $51,490, and experienced foresters can clear $121,500. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $87K enough to live in Birmingham?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,453/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,266/month, which eats 23.2% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a foresters salary go in Birmingham?
Birmingham has a Regional Price Parity of 91.64 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median foresters salary is worth about $94,991 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do foresters get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.