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Career Opportunities

Careers & Alumni

Near-endless career opportunities

Do you love the outdoors? Do you want to convert that passion into a rewarding career that lets you make a difference by conserving the natural world? Are you looking for a career in a rewarding, high-growth field? If so, forestry might be right for you.

Where can you work with a forestry degree? The possibilities are nearly endless:

  • Be a forest manager restoring and conserving woodlands and watersheds.
  • Work as an urban forester or arborist in a major U.S. city.
  • Become a park ranger for state or federal parks and recreation areas.
  • Work as a wildlife manager in a federal or state wildlife refuge.
  • Be a game warden.
  • Work to prevent or manage wildfires and rehabilitate damaged watersheds.
  • Manage conservation projects with a nonprofit organization.
  • Work as a restoration ecologist creating forest, habitat, and watershed management plans.
  • Help private landowners manage their forests sustainably.

Why study forestry?

Forestry jobs are everywhere, from vast national parks to tree-lined urban centers to nonprofit organizations and private corporations. Foresters protect the environment by managing all aspects of natural resources including forests, wildlife, soils and water. They also educate the public, respond to natural disasters and conduct valuable research.

Need another reason to consider a career in forestry? Jobs. SFA’s forestry program has 100% job placement, which means that all of our graduates find jobs in their chosen fields. Check out our job board to learn about employment and internship opportunities in forestry.

What kind of jobs can I get with a forestry degree?

What kind of job do you want? Students majoring in forestry can pursue various forestry concentrations that align with their interests and career goals, including:

Agroforestry

The agroforestry concentration provides students with the skills and knowledge they need for careers in agroforestry and range management. Typical jobs for agroforestry include agroforester, forest and range conservationist, forester and extension specialist.

To learn more about career paths and research areas associated with agroforestry, visit the United States Department of Agriculture National Agroforestry Center or the Society for Range Management.

Fire management

Students who choose this concentration typically find rewarding careers in a variety of public and private settings. Typical careers for graduates of this program include:

  • Fire management specialist
  • Forester
  • Prescribed burn manager
  • Wildland fire fighter
  • Wildland/urban interface specialist

Forest management

The forest management concentration blends several disciplines and provide a deep understanding of the scientific, economic and social aspects of forestry. This concentration is ideal for students interested in careers such as forester, conservationist, consultant forester or silviculturalist.

Forest wildlife management

  • Conservation scientist
  • Ecologist
  • Endangered species biologist
  • Forester
  • Game warden
  • Natural resource specialist
  • Wildlife biologist
  • Wildlife refuge manager

This program also provides you with the academic credentials you’ll need to apply for career-specific certifications, such as the Certified Wildlife Biologist designation from The Wildlife Society or the Certified Forester designation from the Society of American Foresters.  

Human dimensions in natural resources

Typical careers for graduates of this program include:

  • Forester
  • Interpretive Guide
  • Park Ranger
  • Recreation Area Manager

Urban forestry

Career opportunities include:

  • City forester or arborist
  • Environmental consulting
  • Environmental planning
  • Landscape and park planning and design
  • Private industry tree care
  • Sales arborist
  • Soil and water conservation
  • Urban forestry coordinator
  • Utilities industry

Contact

Forestry
936.468.3301
forestry@sfasu.edu

Forestry Building
Room 103

Mailing Address:
PO Box 6109, SFA Station
Nacogdoches, Texas 75962