Foresters Salary
Foresters in Columbia, SC make a median of $89,990 a year, or about $43.26 an hour. The range runs from $59K at the entry level to $121K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 93.66), which stretches that salary to about $96,082 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,276/month, or 22.4% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $90K get you in Columbia?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Columbia’s Regional Price Parity (93.66). 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 Columbia
Columbia sits well above the national pay line for foresters, local pay runs about 18% higher than the U.S. median of $76K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,276/month, 22.7% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 93.66 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 6% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Combined with manageable housing costs, Columbia offers a genuinely strong financial position for foresterss at the median.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for foresters in metros near Columbia, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Raleigh-Cary | $50K | $51K |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell | $64K | $64K |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia | $79K | $81K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Columbia, SC
Entry-level foresters (10th percentile) start around $59K. Mid-career wages sit at $90K. Top earners bring in $121K or more, a $62K 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 |
| New Mexico | $69K | -9% | 50 |
| Arkansas | $69K | -9% | 130 |
| Wyoming | $68K | -11% | 60 |
| Kansas | $68K | -12% | 40 |
| Arizona | $67K | -12% | 70 |
| Montana | $67K | -12% | 240 |
| 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
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 Columbia numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a forester afford a 2BR apartment alone in Columbia?
Yes — at the median salary of $90K, rent takes 22.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,276/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for foresters in Columbia?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new foresters typically earn — is $59K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,559/month. At HUD’s $1,276/month FMR, rent would take 36% 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 Columbia?
Local pay is 18% above the national median — $90K here vs. $76K nationally.
How does Columbia compare to the national average for foresters?
Columbia pays $90K median vs. the U.S. average of $76K — that’s +18%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 93.66), the purchasing-power equivalent is $96K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do foresters make in Columbia, SC?
The median is $89,990 a year, that works out to about $43 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $59,310, and experienced foresters can clear $121,270. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $90K enough to live in Columbia?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,630/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,276/month, which eats 22.7% 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 Columbia?
Columbia has a Regional Price Parity of 93.66 (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 $96,082 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.