Job title · California

Forester in California

California Department of Human Resources (CalHR) lists 2 job classes for this work in the California state pay plan: Forester I (Nonsupervisory), Forester III.

$83,184 – $154,116
state pay plan range, a year
2
classes in the state plan
$107,120
median pay in CA, all employers
820
workers in CA (SOC 19-1032)

Sources: California Department of Human Resources (CalHR), California State Civil Service Pay Scales — Section 17 Schematic Listing (with Section 16 Schematic Arrangement of Classes); U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 — state estimates. Data captured September 30, 2026.

California state pay plan Sourced

Published rates for each class, lowest first, effective September 14, 2026. These are the ranges California sets for its own state employees; cities, counties and school districts have their own pay plans.

Class and gradePublished rate
Forester I (Nonsupervisory)
Class 1054
Grade 1054
$6,932.00 – $8,997.00 a month
$83,184 – $107,964 a year
Forester III
Class 1041
Grade 1041
$9,897.00 – $12,843.00 a month
$118,764 – $154,116 a year

Schedule: Civil Service Pay Scale (Section 17, by schematic code). Rates are as the plan publishes them; "a year" figures are conversions. Classes are matched to this job by title (GovJobsWiki editorial rule).

Source: California Department of Human Resources (CalHR), California State Civil Service Pay Scales — Section 17 Schematic Listing (with Section 16 Schematic Arrangement of Classes). Data captured September 30, 2026.

Pay in California, all employers Sourced

Foresters (SOC 19-1032) in California, all employers combined: BLS state estimates do not separate government from private.

MeasureCA
Workers820
10th percentile$71,110
Median$107,120
90th percentile$156,750
National median, government employers$72,030

Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 — state estimates; U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 — national estimates by ownership. Data captured September 30, 2026.

More about this job

Requirements, hiring process, training, schedule and day-to-day work are on the national Forester page.

Forester in other states