This story is part of CNBC Make It’s Millennial Money series, which details how people around the world earn, spend and save their money. Sarah Myers has always loved the outdoors. Growing up in Vermont and New York, the 33-year-old spent summers camping, canoeing and hiking in the Adirondacks with her family. So when it came time to pick a career, “I knew I wanted to work in land management,” she tells CNBC Make It. Myers now works as a forester where she ensures the continual growth of forests, works on timber sales and helps manage fires during fire season. “I love the sense of history you get in the forests,” she says. “I love the idea that these trees have been here for generations and they’ll outlive me.” In 2024, Myers made $92,100 working in federal land management. She lives in Hot Springs, South Dakota, with her partner. Here’s how she’s built her nature-focused career and how she funds her life in the Midwest. – ‘Seasonal work is hard because you’re not settled anywhere’ – Getting into forestry was no easy feat. Myers has a bachelor’s degree in natural resource management from Cornell University and a master’s in geographic information science from Penn State. While she was still at Cornell, a mentor told her that to qualify for a federal position she should expect to do “about six to eight years-worth of seasonal positions,” she says. That was exactly the path she ended up taking...Read more