Logging Industry Workers

Logging wages vary with the logger's skills, the company's payment system, and the weather.

In most parts of the country, workers who cut trees into logs or bolts are paid by the piece or the volume of work they do. Others are paid hourly wages that logging companies and independent contractors set for their employees. Union workers often earn more than non-unionized workers.

The U.S. Department of Labor reports that mean annual salaries for logging workers were $52,950 in May 2023, and ranged from less than $34,520 to $70,890 or more. Fallers earned the highest median annual wage at $61,190, followed by logging equipment operators ($49,790), and log graders and scalers ($47,120).

Earnings of more skilled workers, such as yard operators, are higher than those of less skilled workers such as choke setters. Yearly salaries for workers in areas other than the South are difficult to compute because the amount of work a logger can perform depends on the season.

Many loggers are self-employed contractors. As such, they receive no benefits package and must obtain their own insurance. Logging workers who are employed by larger logging companies, however, may be offered certain benefits, such as health insurance.