Also called: National Park Service ranger (interpretation), Naturalist
Leads guided hikes, campfire talks, and programs that teach visitors about a park's nature and history.
Interpretive rangers give talks about geysers or Civil War battlefields, lead night-sky programs, run Junior Ranger activities, and answer endless visitor questions. Many start as seasonal rangers.
Federal GS-5 to GS-11 pay; estimate.
Approximate: anchored on Bureau of Labor Statistics data for a broader job group.
Bachelor's degree (4-year), about 4 years after high school. Bachelor's in natural resources, history, or education; seasonal experience is key.
Ways in: 4-year college, On-the-job training. Training cost: $15k – $60k.
Majors to look at: Environmental Science, History, Parks & Recreation.
Growing about average. Competitive; depends on federal budgets.
Low risk for 10 years. AI apps give self-guided tours, but campfire talks, guided hikes and Junior Ranger programs stay human.
Classes: AP Environmental Science, AP US History, Speech.
Official data: O*NET occupation 19-1031.
Career Universe is an early version. Pay, training and AI-risk figures are estimates to start your own research, not verified facts. The research was written with AI research assistants, checked by validation scripts and spot-checked by hand. Check anything important with schools, employers and official sources. How the numbers work.