The job market for fallers in the United States

There are currently an estimated 7,500 fallers in the United States. The faller job market is expected to shrink by -16.0% between 2016 and 2026.

How employable are fallers?

CareerExplorer rates fallers with a F employability rating, meaning this career should provide poor employment opportunities for the foreseeable future. Over the next 10 years, it is expected the US will need 7,900 fallers. That number is based on the retirement of 9,100 existing fallers.

Are fallers in demand?

Job prospects for fallers depend on the demand for timber. This demand, in turn, is dependent on economic conditions which drive the construction industry. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, fallers will continue to face numerous job pressures. Efforts to conserve federal forest lands and protect natural resources and wildlife habitats have yielded policies that limit the logging industry’s ability to cultivate raw forest material. However, the effect of this on job creation may be tempered somewhat by legislation designed to prevent destructive wildfires by thinning susceptible forests with controlled burns. Ongoing mechanization of logging operations and improvements in logging equipment have increased productivity and made work in the field safer, reducing demand for manpower. On the other hand, some fallers will continue to be needed to fell trees on slopes that cannot be accessed by large machinery. Exerting another negative force on the domestic industry will be surging competition from foreign producers, who can harvest the same amount of lumber at lower cost. As this competition intensifies, the U.S. logging industry is projected to turn to consolidation to cut costs; this will eliminate jobs. Conversely, the need to replace retiring fallers or those who leave the occupation for less demanding jobs will create some positions. Despite a focus on safety, the inherent hazards of jobs in logging may attract fewer new entrants to the occupation and result in reduced competition for openings. Nonetheless, those who do enter the field must be prepared to endure its sensitivity to economic and construction slowdowns, as well as to weather conditions. Depending on the geographic region, cold winter months and muddy spring seasons can interrupt forestry and logging operations and cause layoffs. Experienced fallers can become supervisors of logging crews. Some may choose to start their own logging contractor businesses. This option, though, requires significant entrepreneurial skills, which are essential in logging’s challenging and often difficult business climate.

What’s the supply of fallers?

Faller job market by state