Also called: District Ranger, Forest Manager
Runs an entire national forest or ranger district, balancing logging, recreation, wildlife, grazing, and fire.
You might approve a timber sale in the morning, meet with ranchers about grazing permits at lunch, and host a town meeting about a new trail system at night. You manage dozens of staff and millions of acres.
Federal GS-13 to GS-15 range.
Approximate: anchored on Bureau of Labor Statistics data for a broader job group.
Bachelor's degree (4-year), about 4 years after high school. Forestry or natural resources degree plus many years in the US Forest Service.
Ways in: 4-year college, On-the-job training, Graduate school. Training cost: $15k – $60k.
Majors to look at: Forestry, Natural Resource Management, Ecology.
Growing slowly. Depends on federal budgets.
Low risk for 10 years. AI helps with planning documents and data; balancing public uses, leading staff and community trust stay human.
Classes: Biology, AP Government, Speech.
Official data: O*NET occupation 11-9121.
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