Forestry and logging: average pay and jobs in the UK
Full-time employees in forestry and logging earned a median £33,275 in the year to 5 April 2025 (ONS ASHE), £5,764 less than across all industries.
What the figures show
That is in the lowest third of 84 divisions.
89% of jobs are full-time.
Full-time medians: women £30,480, men £37,311.
The median rose 11.8% from £29,765 in 2021.
The Business Register and Employment Survey counts 20,000 people working in it in Great Britain in 2024, up 11% since 2019; 25% are in Scotland.
There were 5,305 business sites in March 2026, nearly all (93%) with fewer than 10 staff (UK Business Counts).
Pay distribution, 2025 provisional
| Gross pay | Full-time, annual | Full-time, weekly | Full-time, hourly | All, annual | All, weekly | All, hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20th percentile | £26,354 | £538.20 | £14.02 | – | £475.20* | £13.81 |
| 25th percentile | £28,464 | £566.10 | £14.14 | – | £507.30* | £14.00 |
| 30th percentile | £29,556 | £566.40 | £14.67 | £25,749* | £531.60 | £14.14 |
| 40th percentile | £30,192 | £608.80 | £15.47 | £29,366* | £566.40 | £14.96 |
| Median (50th percentile) | £33,275* | £660.00 | £15.99 | £30,225* | £603.20 | £15.83 |
| 60th percentile | £37,311* | £708.20 | £16.74 | £34,060* | £664.70 | £16.35 |
| 70th percentile | – | £742.90* | £18.58* | – | £714.20* | £18.43* |
| Mean | £35,576 | £700.50 | £17.45 | £32,135 | £619.90 | £17.19 |
Pay since 2021
| ASHE year | Full-time, annual median | Full-time, weekly median | Full-time, hourly median | All, annual median | All, weekly median | Jobs (thousands, indicative) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 revised | £29,765* | £595.80 | £14.39 | £27,142* | £503.40* | 10* |
| 2022 revised | £28,224* | £578.90 | £14.23 | £25,522* | £532.10* | 10* |
| 2023 revised | £29,775* | £583.70 | £14.56 | £27,329* | £541.90 | 12* |
| 2024 revised | £30,250* | £634.40 | £15.40 | £27,941* | £600.00 | 11* |
| 2025 provisional | £33,275* | £660.00 | £15.99 | £30,225* | £603.20 | 9* |
Where the 20,000 jobs are, 2024
| Region or nation | Employees | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Scotland | 4,000 | 5,000 |
| South East | 4,000 | 4,500 |
| South West | 1,500 | 2,000 |
| Wales | 1,500 | 2,000 |
| East of England | 1,750 | 1,750 |
| North West | 700 | 1,000 |
| East Midlands | 800 | 1,000 |
| West Midlands | 800 | 1,000 |
| Yorkshire and the Humber | 400 | 600 |
| North East | 350 | 500 |
| London | 500 | 500 |
| Great Britain | 16,000 | 20,000 |
5,305 business sites by size
| Staff | Sites, March 2026 |
|---|---|
| Micro (0 to 9) | 4,920 |
| Small (10 to 49) | 350 |
| Medium (50 to 249) | 30 |
| Large (250 or more) | 0 |
| Total | 5,305 |
2021: 4,660; 2022: 4,950; 2023: 5,000; 2024: 5,100; 2025: 5,220; 2026: 5,305.
Related
Agriculture, forestry and fishing · Crop and animal production, hunting and related service activities · Fishing and aquaculture · UK average weekly earnings growth
ASHE Table 16: 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 · notes · 15 October 2026