DegreeVerdict
ROI Calculator
← Program directory
COLLEGE + DEGREE OUTCOMES

Forestry bachelor's degree at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

Blacksburg, VA · Public

What this page covers

Federal data group related majors at the same college and degree level. One record can include several named programs or concentrations.

The short version

Reported earnings are close to similar programs.

$5,420 above the national median for the same field and degree level.

Debt as a share of earnings
32.6% of annual earnings
Highest price with a positive payoff
$3,010 / year
Modeled 10-year payoff
−31% · Negative payoff
Available price data
College-wide context only
PRICE SENSITIVITY

The price can change the verdict.

Hold observed earnings constant and see how the modeled ten-year payoff changes as annual price rises.

What stays fixed$64,204 observed annual earnings · 4 years of study · $45,000 alternative annual earnings · ten-year horizonThe marked price is this college’s institution-wide average net price, not the exact price of this program category. This is a sensitivity test, not a tuition quote or earnings forecast.
OUTCOME SIGNALS

Graduate outcomes from several angles.

Follow earnings over time and inspect the cohort behind each federal measure.

+35%Earnings growth, year 1 → 5$45,817 → $61,907
Not availableEarn above high-school thresholdGraduate count in the year-4 cohort
42Working in the college’s stateGraduate count in the year-4 cohort
81Year-5 earnings observationsCohort behind the year-5 median
104Borrowers representedCohort behind the debt median
$44,052Awarding-school debtDebt attributed to the college granting the credential
0Recent awardsIPEDS 2024–25 first-major completions in this field and credential
NEW FEDERAL PROGRAM CONTEXT

Size, aid and an earnings floor.

The Department of Education’s 2026 informational preview adds current program participation and a preliminary earnings comparison. It does not make a final eligibility determination.

220Students receiving federal aid2024–25 Title IV enrollment
41Federal-aid completers2024–25 program completers
78Pell Grant recipients2024–25 program count
132Federal loan borrowers2024–25 unduplicated count
83Graduates not recorded as employedHistorical federal cohort, three years after completion
Preliminary federal earnings benchmark$35,969Informational preview, not a final accountability result
Observed year-4 earnings$64,204$28,235 above the preliminary benchmark

Additional borrowing reported for this category: 31 Parent PLUS borrowers.

Source: U.S. Department of Education PPD:2026 informational preview. Program categories use OPEID, four-digit field and credential level; federal-aid counts do not represent every enrolled student. Completion and employment measures use older cohorts shown above and are not combined into the payoff estimate.

01 · PRICE CONTEXT$24,953

Institution-wide annual average net price, not this program’s price.

02 · BORROWING$20,919

Median federal debt across schools attended at this academic level.

03 · EARNINGS$64,204

Observed median earnings four full years after completion.

04 · REPAYMENT$222/mo

Estimated standard 10-year federal payment.

WHAT WILL IT COST?

Published college costs provide the starting point.

Your exact offering, aid, residency and time to finish determine the price you actually pay.

Enter my price →
AVERAGE NET PRICE$24,953Institution-wide annual figure
COST OF ATTENDANCE$36,951Institution-wide annual budget
ADMISSION RATE54.8%Institution context
COMPLETION RATE86.2%Institution-wide completion rate
WHAT DO GRADUATES EARN?

Reported earnings after completion.

Each point may represent a different federal cohort. A missing bar means the figure was unavailable or suppressed.

$45,817Year 1
$64,204Year 4
$61,907Year 5
CAN THE EARNINGS SUPPORT THE DEBT?

4.1% of gross monthly earnings

Estimated monthly payment divided by observed gross monthly earnings. This excludes taxes, other debts and income-driven repayment.

Gross monthly earnings$5,350
Estimated loan payment$222
104borrowers represented where reported
HOW DOES IT COMPARE?

$64,204 vs. $58,784

$5,420 above the national median for the same field and credential.

Same-field national median
WHAT WORK CAN IT LEAD TO?

Related occupations, wages and outlook.

Official CIP–SOC links show careers the curriculum may prepare students for, not observed jobs held by this school’s graduates. BLS wages describe everyone working in an occupation.

BLS May 2025 wage estimates and 2025–35 employment projections.
Forestry and Conservation Science Teachers, Postsecondary$132,820 median wageVA estimate · 60 jobs · 25-1043$105,760–$158,470 middle 50% of VA wages+2.8% projected U.S. growth · 100 openings/yrTypical entry: Doctoral or professional degreeForesters$71,990 median wageVA estimate · 340 jobs · 19-1032$59,680–$85,330 middle 50% of VA wages+2.2% projected U.S. growth · 900 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeForest and Conservation Technicians$49,960 median wageVA estimate · 380 jobs · 19-4071$41,660–$60,320 middle 50% of VA wages-2.1% projected U.S. growth · 3,800 openings/yrTypical entry: Associate's degreeConservation Scientists$77,380 median wageVA estimate · 480 jobs · 19-1031$60,190–$108,890 middle 50% of VA wages+5.3% projected U.S. growth · 2,100 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeForest and Conservation Workers$54,560 median wageVA estimate · 6,050 jobs · 45-4011$43,400–$62,400 middle 50% of VA wages-1.5% projected U.S. growth · 2,200 openings/yrTypical entry: High school diploma or equivalentFirst-Line Supervisors of Farming, Fishing, and Forestry Workers$56,990 median wageVA estimate · 670 jobs · 45-1011$48,550–$70,920 middle 50% of VA wages+3.8% projected U.S. growth · 7,200 openings/yrTypical entry: High school diploma or equivalent
CENSUS EMPLOYMENT DESTINATIONS

Where graduates work five years later

The leading industries employing graduates in this college, broad field and credential group.

01

Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services

about 19.3%
02

Public Administration

about 17.7%
03

Educational Services

about 9.7%
04

Manufacturing

about 8.5%
05

Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services

about 6.9%

How to read this: This is an observed industry mix, not a list of job titles or proof that every graduate worked in the field studied. Counts and shares are approximate because Census privacy protections add statistical noise.

Coverage is limited to institutions and states participating in the Census Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes program. These figures do not affect DegreeVerdict ROI calculations.

Download the official Census source file →
Possible alternatives

Same degree, stronger on at least one reported measure.

Every option below reports higher earnings, lower federal debt or a lower college-wide net price. Same-state options appear first.

San Luis Obispo, CA

California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo

$13,215 higher earnings · $3,919 less debt · $8,288 lower annual net price

Earnings
$77,419
Debt
$17,000
Annual net price
$16,665
View outcomes →
Auburn, AL

Auburn University

$500 higher earnings · $419 less debt · $630 lower annual net price

Earnings
$64,704
Debt
$20,500
Annual net price
$24,323
View outcomes →
Moscow, ID

University of Idaho

$188 higher earnings · $2,919 less debt · $10,122 lower annual net price

Earnings
$64,392
Debt
$18,000
Annual net price
$14,831
View outcomes →
Raleigh, NC

North Carolina State University at Raleigh

$22,153 higher earnings · $7,650 lower annual net price

Earnings
$86,357
Debt
$24,749
Annual net price
$17,303
View outcomes →
Compare these programs →
DATA QUALITY

Check the evidence behind the estimate.

81 observations in the earnings cohort

June 10, 2026 College Scorecard release

Observed, estimated and contextual figures are labeled separately throughout this page

IS IT WORTH IT AT YOUR PRICE?

Your price and current earnings determine the result.

Add your grants, borrowing and current salary to estimate payment pressure, break-even time and ten-year payoff.

Calculate my payoff →