Forestry at University of Maine - Fort Kent
ME · Associate's Degree · CIP 03.05
Executive Summary
Graduates with a Forestry degree from University of Maine - Fort Kent earn a median salary of $57,147 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in ME, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $50,217. The degree typically pays for itself in 9.2 years.
Quick Insights
How this degree looks at a glance
A fast read on salary range, break-even speed, living-cost impact, and where graduates from this school usually land.
Salary Ranges
Starting Range
$43,835
Typical Career
$57,147
Top Performers
$68,301
Estimated break-even: 9.2 years.
Debt-to-Income Check
$381
Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment
Typical monthly pay is approximately $4,762. Most students can comfortably afford about a $381 monthly loan payment with this degree.
Comparison Bench
This degree earns 1.5x more than the average US high school graduate and 0.7x more than the average college graduate.
Purchasing Power Context
A dollar in Maine buys what costs $1.14 nationally.
Industry Breadcrumbs
Top industries for bachelor's graduates from this school: Health Care & Social Assistance, Manufacturing, Public Administration.
Where Associate's Graduates from This School Work
Institution-wide industry mix for graduates, 5 years after graduation. This is not major-specific. Source: Census PSEO Flows.
5-Year Median Salary — National Purchasing Power Equivalent
$50,217
Nominal: $57,147 in Maine (COL 113.8% of national avg) · 12.1% lower purchasing power
10-Year Earnings Curve
Break-Even Timeline
How long until cumulative earnings advantage exceeds total college investment (tuition + opportunity cost vs. entering workforce directly after high school).
Total Investment
$155,168
4yr tuition + 4yr opportunity cost
HS Graduate Baseline
$38,792/yr
BLS 2023 median, HS diploma
View Raw Data: Median Earnings by Year
| Timeframe | 25th Pct. | Median (50th) | 75th Pct. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Year After Graduation | $32,429 | $43,722 | $57,323 |
| 5 Years After Graduation | $43,835 | $57,147 | $68,301 |
| 10 Years After Graduation | $52,872 | $65,986 | $87,351 |
Source: US Census Bureau Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO), 2025 release. Earnings shown for Bachelor's degree graduates (all cohorts combined).
How We Calculate Purchasing Power
The median salary of $57,147 is reported by the US Census Bureau's Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) dataset for graduates working in ME, which has a cost-of-living index of 113.8% of the national average.
Formula: Adjusted Salary = Nominal × (1.0 ÷ COL Index)
= $57,147 × (1.0 ÷ 1.1380)
= $50,217 National Average equivalent.
COL index source: BLS Regional Consumer Price Index & MIT Living Wage Project, 2023. Full methodology →
Career Verdict
The top industries for graduates predominantly include Health Care & Social Assistance, which accounts for 46.1% of employment, followed by an additional 22.7% in the same sector, and 12.7% in Educational Services. The estimated break-even point for pursuing a degree versus a high-school-only path is approximately 9.2 years, suggesting that while the return on investment may take time to materialize, the diverse employment opportunities in stable industries could provide a solid foundation for career growth and financial stability in the long run.
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Other Degrees at University of Maine - Fort Kent
Data sources: US Census Bureau Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO). Cost-of-living index: BLS Regional CPI & MIT Living Wage Project. Cost of attendance: IPEDS. For informational use only; data may be suppressed for small cohort sizes.