Rangers are also responsible for taking conservation measures separate from visitor use. They use their conservation knowledge to study wildlife behavior, plant species, and the health of the forest; they monitor water quality, pollution, and erosion problems, and they survey the overall health of the park ecosystem. Many rangers are specialists in the unique environs of their parks. Some who work in mountainous zones are experts in mountain climbing, mountain search and rescue, and avalanche control; others in coastal areas are knowledgeable about the local marine biology, and those in desert climates may have a special knowledge of arid-dwelling flora and fauna.
Park rangers are responsible for supervising all park workers and their activities. In addition, they spend a good deal of time doing management and administrative duties. As rangers gain seniority, they may be promoted to the position of head park ranger or district supervisor. Any promotion means less outdoor work and contact with the public and greater administrative responsibilities.
Related Professions
- Campground Director
- Environmental Interpreter
- Interpretive Specialist
- Museum Director
- Natural Resource Manager
- Ranger Aid
Employment as a federal, state, county, or municipal employee in park management and natural resources usually requires a four-year bachelor's degree in parks and recreation management. More than 300 degree programs in parks and recreation are offered by colleges and universities in the United States. The National Recreation and Park Association has accredited more than 90 of these programs. Additionally, there are more than 100 graduate degree programs in this field.
Students are required to take courses in forestry, geography, geology, botany, biology, mathematics, and history; classes in the behavioral sciences, such as communications, psychology, sociology, and public speaking, as well as a core curriculum of recreation management classes. Students in other academic disciplines like forestry or wildlife ecology who wish to pursue a job as a park ranger are required to take at least 24 semester hours of credit in park recreation and management.
Students are encouraged to work in park systems before college graduation. Numerous part-time and full-time summer job opportunities in parks are available at all levels of government. While most jobs require students to do menial tasks like maintenance or fee collection, exposure to and observance of rangers will certainly hone their career aspirations. In addition, many conservation organizations organize park volunteer work programs that expose students to ranger duties.
Professional Certification
The National Recreation and Park Association offers a document of certification for those who meet the requirements of professionalism and technical knowledge. Contact the NRPA, listed at the end of this chapter, for information on testing procedures and personal requirements.
The places in which park rangers work are as diverse as their job duties. Parks are spread throughout the country in urban, suburban, rural, and even desolate areas. At the federal level, the Forest Service runs 360 national parks, monuments, and historical areas. There is a great variety of parks. Parks such as Yosemite, Great Smoky Mountain, Everglades, and the Grand Canyon are immensely popular and crowded; they grow to populations of small cities during the peak summer months. Parks like Badlands, Glacier, Redwood, and Zion are more isolated. There are parks in urban settings in and around Washington, D.C., and historical areas such as Gettysburg, Harpers Ferry, and the Statue of Liberty. There are also many archeological sites where the history of native North Americans are preserved, like Aztec and Bandelire in New Mexico and Ocmulgee in Georgia.
In most federal and many state parks, rangers are supplied housing on the park premises. These accommodations range from quite elaborate to military- style barracks. In addition, senior park rangers are usually given a vehicle. Working hours can be quite long, especially during the summer months when the parks are busiest.
Salary Statistics
Overall, salaries for park rangers tend to cluster in the middle pay range for government workers. Starting pay for National Park Service rangers is between $16,000 and $23,000 (GS 4-7), depending on grades and previous experience. The average pay for all rangers is $30,000. Beginning in 1994, federal rangers will receive a salary adjustment (locality pay) if they work in regions with a high cost of living, such as Washington, D.C., or northern California, for example. Starting salaries in state and local parks is a bit higher. Entry-level rangers can expect to earn from $22,000 to $26,000 and experienced rangers may earn $40,000 to $50,000 per year. Some senior administrators earn as much as $75,000 to $100,000.
