Foresters Salary
Foresters in West Virginia make a median of $62,550 a year, or about $30.07 an hour. The range runs from $41K at the entry level to $87K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 89.03), which stretches that salary to about $70,257 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,008/month, or 24.5% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. This is an aggregate across all of West Virginia. BLS does not publish metro-level data for this occupation in this state.
So what does $63K get you in West Virginia?
About foresters
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What this looks like in West Virginia
Pay for foresters in West Virginia runs about 18% below the U.S. median of $76K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,008/month, 24.2% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 89.03 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 11% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Lower pay, lower costs, West Virginia can be a reasonable trade-off for foresterss who value affordability over top-dollar markets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, West Virginia
Entry-level foresters (10th percentile) start around $41K. Mid-career wages sit at $63K. Top earners bring in $87K or more, a $46K spread from bottom to top.
Compare to other states
Track foresters salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when West Virginia numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a forester afford a 2BR apartment alone in West Virginia?
Yes — at the median salary of $63K, rent takes 24.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,008/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for foresters in West Virginia?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new foresters typically earn — is $41K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,455/month. At HUD’s $1,008/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 West Virginia?
Local pay runs 18% below the national median — $63K here vs. $76K nationally. Cost of living is 11% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does West Virginia compare to the national average for foresters?
West Virginia pays $63K median vs. the U.S. average of $76K — that’s -18%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 89.03), the purchasing-power equivalent is $70K — below the national median.
How much do foresters make in West Virginia?
The median is $62,550 a year, that works out to about $30 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $40,910, and experienced foresters can clear $86,820. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $63K enough to live in West Virginia?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,165/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,008/month, which eats 24.2% 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 West Virginia?
West Virginia has a Regional Price Parity of 89.03 (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 $70,257 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.