### Bureau of Labor Statistics U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Logging Workers Summary
                        
            
                                                        
                                                                
                        
            
            
            
                            
                                                
                                                
                                                
                                                
            									
							
				                                                
                                            




            			logging workers imageLogging workers harvest thousands of acres of forests each year.							
						Quick Facts:     Logging Workers2023     Median Pay
            						$48,910     per year
										$23.52     per hourTypical Entry-Level Education
                                    High school diploma or equivalentWork Experience in a Related Occupation
                                    NoneOn-the-job Training
                                    Moderate-term on-the-job trainingNumber of Jobs, 2022
                                    52,300Job Outlook, 2022-32
                                    -5% (Decline)Employment Change, 2022-32
                                    -2,400What Logging Workers Do
                                                
                        
                        
Logging workers harvest forests to provide the raw material for many consumer goods and industrial products.
            
                        Work Environment
                        
Logging is physically demanding and can be dangerous. Workers spend all their time outdoors, sometimes in poor weather and often in isolated areas.
            
                                                How to Become a Logging Worker
                                                
                        
Most logging workers have a high school diploma. They get on-the-job training to become familiar with forest environments and to learn how to operate logging machinery.
            
                        Pay
                        												                            																				    														The median annual wage for logging workers was $48,910 in May 2023.									                                					
						
            
                        Job Outlook
                        						
												Overall employment							of logging workers is projected to decline							 5 percent from 2022 to 2032.
						Despite declining  employment, about 7,100 openings for logging workers are projected each year, on average, over the decade.
            			
            			 All of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to other occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.
						State & Area Data
                       Explore resources for employment and wages by state and area for logging workers.
            
            
						
                        Similar Occupations
                        
                                                    Compare the job duties, education, job growth, and pay of logging workers with similar occupations.
            
            
                        More Information, Including Links to O*NET
                        
                                               
                        Learn more about logging workers by visiting additional resources, including O*NET, a source on key characteristics of workers and occupations.
 What Logging Workers Do 
            

			Logging workersLoggers cut trees with hand-held power chain saws or mobile felling machines.			
Logging workers harvest thousands of acres of forests each year. The timber they harvest provides the raw material for countless consumer and industrial products.
Duties
Logging workers typically do the following:
Cut down trees
Fasten cables around logs to be dragged by tractors
Operate machinery that drag logs to the landing or deck area
Separate logs by species and type of wood and load them onto trucks
Drive and maneuver feller–buncher tree harvesters to shear trees and cut logs into desired lengths
Grade logs according to characteristics such as knot size and straightness
Inspect equipment for safety, and perform necessary basic maintenance tasks, before using the equipmentThe cutting and logging of timber is done by a logging crew. The following are examples of types of logging workers:
***Fallers*** cut down trees with hand-held power chain saws.
***Buckers*** work alongside fallers, trimming the tops and branches of felled trees and bucking (cutting) the logs into specific lengths.
***Tree climbers*** use special equipment to scale tall trees and remove their limbs. They carry heavy tools and safety gear as they climb the trees, and are kept safe by a harness attached to a rope.
***Choke setters*** fasten steel cables or chains, known as chokers, around logs to be skidded (dragged) by tractors or forwarded by the cable-yarding system to the landing or deck area, where the logs are separated by species and type of product.
***Rigging slingers*** ***and* *chasers*** set up and dismantle the cables and guy wires of the yarding system.
***Log sorters*, *markers*, *movers*, *and* *chippers*** sort, mark, and move logs on the basis of their species, size, and ownership. They also tend machines that chip up logs.
***Logging equipment operators*** use tree harvesters to fell trees, shear off tree limbs, and cut trees into desired lengths. They drive tractors and operate self-propelled machines called skidders or forwarders, which drag or otherwise transport logs to a loading area.
***Log graders and scalers*** inspect logs for defects and measure the logs to determine their volume. They estimate the value of logs or pulpwood. These workers often use hand-held data collection devices into which they enter data about trees.
A logging crew might consist of the following members:
one or two tree fallers or one or two logging equipment operators with a tree harvester to cut down trees
one bucker to cut logs
two choke setters with tractors to drag felled trees to the loading deck
one logging equipment operator to delimb, cut logs to length, and load the logs onto trucks
 Work Environment
			Logging workersWorkers spend their time outdoors, sometimes in poor weather and often in isolated areas.			

	    
				
	
	    	    		Logging workers held about 52,300 jobs in 2022. Employment in the detailed occupations that make up logging workers was distributed as follows:
    	    	
    	Logging equipment operators
                35,300Fallers
                6,500Log graders and scalers
                5,600Logging workers, all other
                4,900The largest employers of logging workers were as follows:
        Logging
                46%Self-employed workers
                28Sawmills and wood preservation
                11Landscaping services
                6Forestry
                3Logging is physically demanding and can be dangerous. Workers spend all their time outdoors, sometimes in poor weather and often in isolated areas. The increased use of enclosed machines has decreased some of the discomforts caused by bad weather and has generally made logging much safer.
Most logging work involves lifting, climbing, and other strenuous activities, although machinery has eliminated some heavy labor. Falling branches, vines, and rough terrain are constant hazards, as are dangers associated with felling trees and handling logs.
Chain saws and other power equipment can be dangerous; therefore, workers must be careful and must use proper safety measures and equipment, such as hardhats, safety clothing, hearing protection devices, and boots.
Injuries and Illnesses
Despite the industry’s strong emphasis on safety, logging workers sometimes get injured on the job. And although fatalities are uncommon, fallers experience one of the highest rates of occupational fatalities of all occupations. Most fatalities occur through contact with a machine or an object, such as a log.
Work Schedules
Workers sometimes commute long distances between their homes and logging sites. In more densely populated states, commuting distances are shorter. Logging work is often seasonal, and workers can find more employment opportunities during the warmer months because snow and cold weather adversely affect working conditions.
 How to Become a Logging Worker

			Logging workersMost logging workers have a high school diploma.			
Most logging workers have a high school diploma. They get on-the-job training to become familiar with forest environments and to learn how to operate logging machinery.
Education
A high school diploma is enough for most logging worker jobs. Some vocational or technical schools and community colleges offer associate’s degrees or certificates in forest technology. This additional education may help workers get a job. Programs may include field trips to observe or participate in logging activities.
A few community colleges offer education programs for logging equipment operators.
Training
Many states have training programs for loggers. Although specific coursework may vary by state, programs usually include technical instruction or field training in a number of areas, including best management practices, environmental compliance, and reforestation.
Safety training is a vital part of logging workers’ instruction. Many state forestry or logging associations provide training sessions for logging equipment operators, whose jobs require more technical skill than other logging positions. Sessions take place in the field, where trainees have the opportunity to practice various logging techniques and use particular equipment.
Logging companies and trade associations offer training programs for workers who operate large, expensive machinery and equipment. These programs often culminate in a state-recognized safety certification from the logging company.
Important Qualities
***Communication skills.*** Logging workers must communicate with other crew members so that they can cut and delimb trees efficiently and safely.
***Decision-making skills.*** Logging workers must make quick, intelligent decisions when hazards arise.
***Detail oriented.*** Logging workers must watch gauges, dials, and other indicators to determine whether their equipment and tools are working properly.
***Physical stamina.*** Logging workers need to be able to perform laborious tasks repeatedly.
***Physical strength.*** Logging workers must be able to handle heavy equipment.
 Pay

			



	
 
                                                     
            
    
                Logging WorkersMedian annual wages, May 2023Logging workers$48,910  Total, all occupations$48,060  Forest, conservation, and logging workers$46,910Note: All Occupations includes all occupations in the U.S. Economy.Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
 

	
	



		
	
	
	
The median annual wage for logging workers was $48,910 in May 2023. 


The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $31,130, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $70,890.

			
                    	Median annual wages for logging workers in May 2023 were as follows:
        Fallers
		$53,170Logging workers, all other
		52,480Logging equipment operators
		48,240Log graders and scalers
		45,600In May 2023, the median annual wages for logging workers in the top industries in which they worked were as follows:	
        Logging
                $50,580Landscaping services
                48,750Sawmills and wood preservation
                40,400Workers sometimes commute long distances between their homes and logging sites. In more densely populated states, commuting distances are shorter. Logging work is often seasonal, and workers can find more employment opportunities during the warmer months because snow and cold weather adversely affect working conditions.
 Job Outlook

   
        
    
          
        
    
               Logging WorkersPercent change in employment, projected 2022-32Total, all occupations3%  Forest, conservation, and logging workers-5%  Logging workers-5%Note: All Occupations includes all occupations in the U.S. Economy.Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program
            
            
			 
	
	
	

			Overall employment				of logging workers is projected to decline				 5 percent from 2022 to 2032.
			
			Despite declining  employment, about 7,100 openings for logging workers are projected each year, on average, over the decade.
			
			 All of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to other occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.
			Employment
	
			
The mechanization of logging operations and improvements in logging equipment have increased productivity, which is expected to reduce demand for logging workers. However, the need to prevent destructive wildfires by thinning susceptible forests is expected to support some employment.
			

                        Employment projections data for     logging workers, 2022-32
                Occupational Title
                        SOC Code
                        Employment, 2022
                        Projected Employment, 2032
                        Change, 2022-32
                        Employment by IndustryPercent
                        NumericSOURCE: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program**Logging workers**
			45-4020
			52,300
			49,900
			-5
			-2,400
			Get data**Fallers**
			45-4021
			6,500
			5,900
			-9
			-600
			Get data**Logging equipment operators**
			45-4022
			35,300
			34,000
			-4
			-1,300
			Get data**Log graders and scalers**
			45-4023
			5,600
			5,500
			-2
			-100
			Get data**Logging workers, all other**
			45-4029
			4,900
			4,600
			-7
			-300
			Get data
 State & Area Data **Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)** The Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program produces employment and wage estimates annually for over 800 occupations. These estimates are available for the nation as a whole, for individual states, and for metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas. The link(s) below go to OES data maps for employment and wages by state and area. Fallers
					Log graders and scalers
					Logging equipment operators
					Logging workers, all other **Projections Central** Occupational employment projections are developed for all states by Labor Market Information (LMI) or individual state Employment Projections offices. All state projections data are available at www.projectionscentral.com. Information on this site allows projected employment growth for an occupation to be compared among states or to be compared within one state. In addition, states may produce projections for areas; there are links to each state’s websites where these data may be retrieved. **CareerOneStop** CareerOneStop includes hundreds of occupational profiles with data available by state and metro area. There are links in the left-hand side menu to compare occupational employment by state and occupational wages by local area or metro area. There is also a salary info tool to search for wages by zip code.
 Similar Occupations This table shows a list of occupations with job duties that are similar to those of logging workers. Occupation
                Job Duties
                ENTRY-LEVEL EDUCATION
                2023     MEDIAN PAY**Conservation Scientists and Foresters**
            Conservation scientists and foresters manage the land quality of forests, parks, rangelands, and other natural resources.
            Bachelor's degree
            $68,300**Construction Equipment Operators**
            Construction equipment operators drive, maneuver, or control the heavy machinery used to construct roads, buildings, and other structures.
            High school diploma or equivalent
            $55,270**Forest and Conservation Workers**
            Forest and conservation workers perform physical labor to improve the quality of natural areas such as forests, rangelands, and wetlands.
            High school diploma or equivalent
            $33,940
 Contacts for More Information
								
For information about timber-cutting and logging careers, visit
Forest Resources Association

                                                
                                                        
                                                                                                    O*NET
                                        FallersLog Graders and ScalersLogging Equipment OperatorsLogging Workers, All Other
 Suggested citation: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S.  Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Logging Workers, 
        	 at https://www.bls.gov/ooh/farming-fishing-and-forestry/logging-workers.htm (visited *May 21, 2024*).
 **Last Modified Date:**
                        Wednesday, April 17, 2024


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