Park Ranger / Conservation Officer
Protect natural areas, educate visitors, and manage wildlife in national and state parks.
Salary Range
The highest-paid specialization or seniority level for park ranger / conservation officers.
About 1 in 333 reaches this level
The NPS has ~63 national park superintendents; out of ~20K NPS ranger-type staff, that's about 1 in 300. Federal GS pay scale caps these positions at roughly $133K-$135K even with locality adjustments.
Salary data based on 2025 BLS, Glassdoor, and industry reports. Actual compensation varies by location, experience, and employer.
How to Become One
This career typically requires a bachelor's degree. Here are the top colleges for it:
AI Risk Assessment
AI is used for wildlife monitoring (camera traps, satellite tracking) but the core work -- patrolling, visitor management, firefighting, law enforcement -- is inherently physical and interpersonal. The federal 30x30 conservation initiative has generated thousands of new positions. AI poses virtually zero risk.
Ratings reflect a 10-year outlook based on 2025-2026 research, weighted toward entry-level impact. Individual outcomes will vary.
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