The minimum educational requirement for work in forestry is a high school education, but a two-year college degree is required by many states for foresters and forester technicians. Many seasonal employment opportunities in forestry are available to students interested in forestry careers who have not yet completed the educational requirements.
Professional forest rangers must have at least an associate degree, but a bachelor’s degree is preferred. Forest rangers must complete coursework related to forestry, forest management, ecology, botany, biology, wildlife and fisheries management, and environmental conservation or natural resources management. In addition, forest ranger candidates must have related field and work experience gained through volunteer, intern or temporary work with the U.S. Forest Service.
Some states require mandatory or volunteer licensing and registration of rangers, which involves verification of educational credentials and state examination. Some also require completion of additional training programs to obtain a forest ranger license.
Forest rangers who want to advance to managerial and research roles require advanced degrees and certification. The Society of American Foresters and the Society for Range Management both offer professional certification to experienced rangers holding bachelors’ degrees. Master’s degrees and doctorates in environmental science, natural resource management, conservation or other specialty areas of forestry are required to advance to higher levels of forestry management. Certification recognizes a ranger’s education, training, experience and commitment to professional forestry.