Sources: North Carolina Office of State Human Resources (OSHR), North Carolina Class Specifications and Graded Salary Schedules (DT, HP, LG, MH, NC, SW); U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 — state estimates. Data captured September 30, 2026.
North Carolina state pay plan Sourced
Published rates for each class, lowest first, effective February 1, 2026. These are the ranges North Carolina sets for its own state employees; cities, counties and school districts have their own pay plans.
| Class and grade | Published rate |
|---|---|
| Forester I Class 32000086 · class description Grade NC11 | $45,431 – $79,504 a year |
| Forester II Class 32000087 · class description Grade NC12 | $47,703 – $83,479 a year |
| Forester III Class 32000088 · class description Grade NC13 | $50,088 – $87,654 a year |
Schedule: Salary Schedule NC. Rates are as the plan publishes them; "a year" figures are conversions. Classes are matched to this job by title (GovJobsWiki editorial rule).
Source: North Carolina Office of State Human Resources (OSHR), North Carolina Class Specifications and Graded Salary Schedules (DT, HP, LG, MH, NC, SW). Data captured September 30, 2026.
Pay in North Carolina, all employers Sourced
Foresters (SOC 19-1032) in North Carolina, all employers combined: BLS state estimates do not separate government from private.
| Measure | NC |
|---|---|
| Workers | Not published |
| 10th percentile | $46,800 |
| Median | $77,870 |
| 90th percentile | $96,900 |
| 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.