Also called: Interpretive Ranger, Law Enforcement Ranger
Protects parks and the people who visit them, leading programs, enforcing rules, and responding to emergencies.
An interpretive ranger might lead a sunrise wildlife walk, staff a visitor center, and give a campfire talk. Law enforcement rangers patrol, investigate crimes, and perform search and rescue. Many start as seasonal rangers.
Estimate based on federal GS-5 to GS-11 pay and state park scales.
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 parks and recreation, natural resources, or biology; law enforcement rangers attend a training academy.
Ways in: 4-year college, Certification. Training cost: $15k – $60k.
Majors to look at: Park and Recreation Management, Environmental Science, Biology, Criminal Justice.
Growing about average. Competitive; many seasonal positions.
Low risk for 10 years. AI helps with mapping and visitor data; leading programs, enforcing rules and emergency response stay human.
Classes: Biology, AP Environmental Science, Government.
Official data: O*NET occupation 33-9099.
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.