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 (est., no BLS code), that's about 1 in 300. These are GS-14/GS-15 positions — with locality, federal pay reaches roughly $190K, just under the 2025 GS ceiling (Executive Schedule Level IV, $191,900).
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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