45 Series · SOC 45-4021
Fallers Salary
National pay, percentile range, growth outlook, and state-by-state detail from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey (May 2025).
- $52,100
- Median / year
- -3.3%
- 2024→2025
- $82,360
- Top 10% earn
- -7.3%
- Growth '24–'34
- 3,130
- Estimated US jobs
Fallers earn a median of $52,100 per year.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, the median annual wage is $52,100, based on the most recent survey of employers. Reported pay ranges from $35,180 (10th percentile) to $82,360 (90th percentile) nationally, across roughly 3,130 estimated jobs in covered establishments. The highest published state median in this ranking is Oregon ($84,490).
The pay verdict
Fallers earn a median of $52,100, putting them below the typical US occupation and higher than 37% of the 825 occupations with a published BLS median. Within Farming, Fishing, and Forestry, it ranks #2 of 13 by median pay. Employment is projected to fall 7.3% by 2034.
- $52,100
- Median annual wage
- Top 63%
- of 825 US occupations with published wages
- #2 of 13
- in Farming, Fishing, and Forestry
- 2.3×
- 90th-to-10th pay spread
Highest-paying state: Oregon at $84,490. Typical entry-level education: High school diploma or equivalent.
Observed pay change
What changed, BLS OEWS 2019–2025
- The published national median for Fallers moved from $44,650 in May 2019 to $52,100 in May 2025 (+16.7%).
- Across the 749 occupations priced in both releases under SOC-2018, the median occupation changed +24.5%.
- Fallers sits -7.8 pp behind that median, nominal dollars, no price deflator applied.
Fallers (SOC 45-4021) has a national median of $52,100 per year in the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025 release. The published 10th-to-90th-percentile boundaries run from $35,180 to $82,360, and the published mean is $57,110. Those summary statistics describe the estimated distribution; their difference alone does not identify its cause. OEWS estimates 3,130 jobs in covered establishments nationally. WageDex has published rows for 18 state or territory areas and 9 metropolitan or nonmetropolitan wage areas. The published national median moved from $53,900 in the May 2024 OEWS release to $52,100 in May 2025, a fall of $1,800 (-3.3%). This is a change between two BLS survey estimates, not an inflation-adjusted same-worker pay raise.
BLS Employment Projections forecast a -7.3% change in employment from 2024 to 2034, which we classify as declining relative to the all-occupations baseline of 3.1%. About 700 openings are projected per year from growth, occupational transfers, and labor-force exits. BLS assigns High school diploma or equivalent as typical education needed for entry, and BLS classifies its typical on-the-job preparation as moderate-term on-the-job training. The BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) and Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII) publish an occupation-specific rate that produces a WageDex safety grade of D, with a fatality rate of 111.7 per 100,000 and injury rate of 4 per 100.
Geographic variation matters as much as the headline median. Oregon pays the highest state median at $84,490, which is +62% above the national figure. The highest published metropolitan-area median in this ranking is Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA at $76,940. The observed difference does not identify its cause. Pair the national median with the state and metropolitan-area rows below while keeping the geography and statistic consistent. OEWS includes tips, commissions, incentive pay, and production bonuses, but not employer benefits, overtime premiums, stock compensation, or nonproduction bonuses. See our methodology for the sourcing and calculation details.
Median Salary
$52,100
per year
Median Hourly
$25.05/hr
per hour
Mean Salary
$57,110
average
Employment
3,130
jobs nationwide
How does this pay compare nationally?
Where Fallers pay sits nationally
Median annual wage vs. 825 detailed BLS occupations with a published median
$52,100 Bottom 37% higher than 37% of 825 US occupations
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US occupations. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Read the chart as text · as of May 2025
| Band | Count | Share |
|---|---|---|
| $0–$20,000 | 0 US occupations | 0% |
| $20,000–$40,000 | 98 US occupations | 12% |
| $40,000–$60,000 (this entry) | 298 US occupations | 36% |
| $60,000–$80,000 | 209 US occupations | 25% |
| $80,000–$100,000 | 82 US occupations | 10% |
| $100,000–$120,000 | 58 US occupations | 7% |
| $120,000–$140,000 | 32 US occupations | 4% |
| $140,000–$160,000 | 14 US occupations | 2% |
| $160,000–$180,000 | 9 US occupations | 1% |
| $180,000 and above | 25 US occupations | 3% |
$52,100 · 37th percentile of 825 US occupations
Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS · May 2025
Does this job pay well and grow?
Each dot is a 45-series occupation, placed by projected 2024–2034 growth and median pay. The highlighted dot is Fallers; the upper-right quadrant is the sweet spot (high pay + fast growth).
Read the chart as text
- Farmworkers and Labo…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -3.3%, Median annual wage $35660
- Farmworkers, Farm, R…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -5%, Median annual wage $36670
- Agricultural Equipme…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 7.7%, Median annual wage $41730
- First-Line Superviso…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 2.5%, Median annual wage $59320
- Graders and Sorters,…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -5.4%, Median annual wage $35730
- Logging Equipment Op…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -1.4%, Median annual wage $49740
- Agricultural Inspect…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 1.5%, Median annual wage $49940
- Forest and Conservat…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -4.7%, Median annual wage $43680
- Agricultural Workers…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 2.3%, Median annual wage $39850
- Fallers: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -7.3%, Median annual wage $52100
- Log Graders and Scal…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -0.7%, Median annual wage $46330
- Logging Workers, All…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -4.7%, Median annual wage $50840
- Animal Breeders: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 2.4%, Median annual wage $51130
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS (wages, May 2025) and Employment Projections (2024–2034).
Job Outlook (2024–2034)
Projected Growth
-7.3%
Declining
Annual Openings
700
per year (projected)
Employment Change
-400
5,600 (2024) → 5,200 (2034)
Typical Education
High school diploma or equivalent
On-the-Job Training
Moderate-term on-the-job training
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034
Workplace Safety
All safety ratings →Dangerous
WageDex derived grade from BLS CFOI/SOII 2023, not an official BLS rating
Fatality Rate
111.7/100K
Injury Rate
4/100
Danger Index
71.9/100
Source: BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) & Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII), 2023
Career Intelligence
Skills, knowledge, and tasks most important for Fallers roles, ranked by importance. Source: O*NET.
Top Skills
Knowledge Areas
Key Tasks
- ▸ Stop saw engines, pull cutting bars from cuts, and run to safety as tree falls.
- ▸ Appraise trees for certain characteristics, such as twist, rot, and heavy limb growth, and gauge amount and direction of lean, to determine how to control the direction of a tree's fall with the least damage.
- ▸ Saw back-cuts, leaving sufficient sound wood to control direction of fall.
- ▸ Clear brush from work areas and escape routes, and cut saplings and other trees from direction of falls, using axes, chainsaws, or bulldozers.
- ▸ Measure felled trees and cut them into specified log lengths, using chain saws and axes.
- ▸ Assess logs after cutting to ensure that the quality and length are correct.
- ▸ Determine position, direction, and depth of cuts to be made, and placement of wedges or jacks.
- ▸ Control the direction of a tree's fall by scoring cutting lines with axes, sawing undercuts along scored lines with chainsaws, knocking slabs from cuts with single-bit axes, and driving wedges.
- ▸ Trim off the tops and limbs of trees, using chainsaws, delimbers, or axes.
- ▸ Select trees to be cut down, assessing factors such as site, terrain, and weather conditions before beginning work.
Source: O*NET Online, National Center for O*NET Development. Data represents typical importance ratings for this occupation.
Salary Range
Annual Salary Distribution
Hourly Rate Distribution
Fallers pay history, 2015–2025
Published national median across 11 BLS OEWS releases. Nominal dollars, not inflation-adjusted.
Read the chart as text
| Period | National median |
|---|---|
| 2015 | $36,400 |
| 2016 | $37,370 |
| 2017 | $40,690 |
| 2018 | $44,080 |
| 2019 | $44,650 |
| 2020 | $43,190 |
| 2021 | $47,700 |
| 2022 | $49,160 |
| 2023 | $53,170 |
| 2024 | $53,900 |
| 2025 | $52,100 |
2015 median
$36,400
2025 median
$52,100
2019–2025 change (same SOC)
+$7,450 (+16.7%)
Avg/year (same SOC)
+2.6%
| Release | Median | Change | Estimated jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2015 | $36,400 | First banked release | 5,840 |
| May 2016 | $37,370 | +2.7% | 5,370 |
| May 2017 | $40,690 | +8.9% | 5,420 |
| May 2018 | $44,080 | +8.3% | 4,680 |
| May 2019 | $44,650 | Classification break | 4,890 |
| May 2020 | $43,190 | -3.3% | 4,820 |
| May 2021 | $47,700 | +10.4% | 4,170 |
| May 2022 | $49,160 | +3.1% | 4,530 |
| May 2023 | $53,170 | +8.2% | 4,800 |
| May 2024 | $53,900 | +1.4% | 4,110 |
| May 2025 | $52,100 | -3.3% | 3,130 |
Across the 11 releases WageDex holds for this occupation, the published national median went from $36,400 in May 2015 to $52,100 in May 2025. Within the SOC-2018 classification (2019–2025), the like-for-like change averages +2.6% per year in nominal terms. Within the same SOC classification, estimated employment went from 4,890 in May 2019 to 3,130 in May 2025.
Each figure is a separate BLS survey estimate, so a change between releases reflects the estimated occupation-wide median in each year. It is not the raise any individual worker received, and it is not adjusted for inflation. Years where BLS did not publish an annual median for this occupation are omitted rather than filled in. This span also crosses a classification change: releases before May 2019 use the 2010 Standard Occupational Classification and later releases use the 2018 SOC, so figures either side of that boundary are not strictly like-for-like. Headline change rates on this page use only the same-classification subset.
Salary by State
Highest Paying States
View all 18 states →
| # | State | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oregon | $84,490 | +62% above national |
| 2 | Idaho | $78,330 | +50% above national |
| 3 | Washington | $77,340 | +48% above national |
| 4 | South Carolina | $76,350 | +47% above national |
| 5 | Arkansas | $67,060 | +29% above national |
| 6 | Louisiana | $62,040 | +19% above national |
| 7 | California | $59,590 | +14% above national |
| 8 | Maryland | $58,300 | +12% above national |
| 9 | Mississippi | $54,110 | +4% above national |
| 10 | Michigan | $51,700 | 1% below national |
| 11 | Wisconsin | $50,010 | 4% below national |
| 12 | Virginia | $48,340 | 7% below national |
| 13 | Ohio | $47,700 | 8% below national |
| 14 | Tennessee | $47,560 | 9% below national |
| 15 | North Carolina | $46,080 | 12% below national |
| 16 | Georgia | $39,380 | 24% below national |
| 17 | New York | $36,190 | 31% below national |
| 18 | Indiana | $26,210 | 50% below national |
Salary by Metro Area
Highest Paying Metros
Lowest Paying Metros
View all 2 metro areas →
| # | Metro Area | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $76,940 | +48% above national |
| 2 | Richmond, VA | $40,560 | 22% below national |
Same SOC major group
Other detailed occupations in SOC major group 45 (Farming, Fishing, and Forestry Occupations) - category peers, not a pay match.
Agricultural Equipment Operators
SOC 45-2091
Agricultural Inspectors
SOC 45-2011
Agricultural Workers, All Other
SOC 45-2099
Animal Breeders
SOC 45-2021
Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse
SOC 45-2092
Showing 5 of 12 detailed occupations BLS assigns to this SOC major group.
Nationwide occupations with similar pay or employment scale
Two OEWS peer sets outside this SOC major group (Farming, Fishing, and Forestry Occupations). Same-category cards above stay inside the group; these neighborhoods are cross-group nearest neighbors on national median pay ($52,100 here) and reported employment (3,130 jobs here).
Similar median pay
Nearest other detailed occupations by BLS OEWS national median annual wage.
Similar employment scale
Nearest headcount peers (floor 1,000 national jobs), distinct from the pay column.
Peers are nearest-neighbor matches on BLS OEWS national median annual wage and reported employment. Employment peers exclude occupations already listed in the pay column so the two link sets stay distinct.
Frequently Asked Questions
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What state pays Fallers the most? ▼
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Is Fallers a good career? ▼
How does Fallers pay vary by state? ▼
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What to do with this data
How to use Fallers pay figures in a real decision
- The 75th-percentile wage is about $63,390/year. Treat it as the upper-quartile market boundary, not an automatic target for experience alone; role scope, location, industry, credentials, performance, and employer context still need separate evidence. Salary calculator
- Location moves pay significantly: Oregon leads at $84,490/year for this role. Weigh state pay against local cost of living before relocating or negotiating remote. Pay by state
- Compare this occupation against similar roles before you decide, so you are reading the pay band in context rather than in isolation. Compare jobs
These are BLS survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. Your pay depends on experience, employer, exact role, and location.
Source data and WageDex calculations are identified in context on this page. Occupation wages use BLS OEWS May 2025; outlook uses BLS Employment Projections for 2024–2034; safety, skills, knowledge, and task panels identify their BLS or O*NET sources in context. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.
This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or career advice. Actual pay for a specific role, employer, or offer may differ from these national/state figures, consult a qualified career counselor, recruiter, or financial advisor before making decisions based on this data.