Park Naturalists: Career Profile
Plan, develop, and conduct programs to inform public of historical, natural, and scientific features of national, state, or local park.
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What Tasks Do Park Naturalists Do?
Typical responsibilities of park naturalists include:
- Provide visitor services, such as explaining regulations, answering visitor requests, needs and complaints, and providing information about the park and surrounding areas.
- Assist with operations of general facilities, such as visitor centers.
- Confer with park staff to determine subjects and schedules for park programs.
- Conduct field trips to point out scientific, historic, and natural features of parks, forests, historic sites, or other attractions.
- Plan and organize public events at the park.
- Prepare and present illustrated lectures and interpretive talks about park features.
- Plan, organize and direct activities of seasonal staff members.
- Perform emergency duties to protect human life, government property, and natural features of park.
Skills and Knowledge
Effective park naturalists draw on a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Key Skills
The abilities that matter most in this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Top Knowledge Areas
Other Park Naturalists Job Titles
People in this occupation may also be known by titles such as:
- Camp Ranger
- Environmental Education Specialist
- Environmental Educator
- Interpretation Park Ranger
- Interpretive Naturalist
- National Park Ranger
- Natural Resource Educator
- Naturalist
Job Outlook
The U.S. employs around 42,669 park naturalists working in the United States today. Demand is forecast to grow by +9.4% over the projection horizon.
Park Naturalists Pay
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $76,516 |
| Hourly median | $36.79 |
| 10th percentile | $44,819 |
| 25th percentile | $60,668 |
| 75th percentile | $92,365 |
| 90th percentile | $108,214 |
Compensation varies based on experience, location, and industry.
Pay by State
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| Oregon | $86,170 |
| California | $81,620 |
| Washington | $81,220 |
| Colorado | $80,240 |
| Nevada | $79,790 |
| North Dakota | $79,790 |
| Connecticut | $77,410 |
| Utah | $77,380 |
| Minnesota | $77,180 |
| Wyoming | $77,020 |
| Massachusetts | $76,750 |
| Alabama | $76,270 |
| Arizona | $76,100 |
| Wisconsin | $75,940 |
| Alaska | $75,470 |
| Maryland | $75,350 |
| Tennessee | $74,960 |
| Nebraska | $74,960 |
| Montana | $74,900 |
| Illinois | $72,550 |
| Idaho | $72,550 |
| Arkansas | $72,550 |
| South Dakota | $72,550 |
| New Mexico | $72,490 |
| West Virginia | $68,390 |
| Georgia | $67,950 |
| New Hampshire | $67,720 |
| Virginia | $67,200 |
| New York | $65,550 |
| Texas | $65,170 |
| Maine | $64,990 |
| Iowa | $64,010 |
| Puerto Rico | $63,960 |
| Kentucky | $63,960 |
| Indiana | $62,880 |
| Oklahoma | $61,960 |
| Vermont | $61,880 |
| North Carolina | $61,820 |
| Michigan | $61,010 |
| Missouri | $60,900 |
| New Jersey | $60,430 |
| Ohio | $59,780 |
| Louisiana | $58,480 |
| Mississippi | $56,980 |
| Delaware | $55,990 |
| South Carolina | $54,220 |
| Pennsylvania | $53,110 |
| Florida | $52,820 |
| Hawaii | $46,580 |
| Kansas | $45,880 |
Where Park Naturalists Earn the Most
Pay for park naturalists vary by region. Top regions by median wage:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Far Western US | $80,272 | 17.4% | 1.70 |
| Rocky Mountains | $77,766 | 9.4% | 2.87 |
| New England | $72,059 | 5.3% | 1.57 |
| Great Lakes | $67,709 | 13.7% | 1.17 |
| Southwest | $67,053 | 12.1% | 1.12 |
| Plains States | $66,894 | 12.3% | 2.27 |
| Other U.S. Territories | $63,960 | 0.2% | 0.40 |
| Southeast | $62,091 | 16.2% | 0.91 |
Highest-Paying Metro Areas for Park Naturalists
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | CA | $105,680 | 80 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | OR | $98,930 | 340 |
| Salem, OR | OR | $98,050 | 90 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | CA | $96,260 | 370 |
| Bend, OR | OR | $94,310 | 80 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | CA | $91,770 | 90 |
| Medford, OR | OR | $87,050 | 30 |
| Charlottesville, VA | VA | $86,730 | 30 |
Industry Breakdown
Most park naturalists are found across these industries:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Other Services (except Public Administration) | 5,250 | $62,940 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1,170 | $72,010 |
| Educational Services | 830 | $64,110 |
| Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation | 330 | $49,980 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 50 | $76,990 |
Park Naturalists work in the following industries:
Tech Stack
- Document management software: Adobe Acrobat (hot technology)
- Web page creation and editing software: Facebook (hot technology)
- Web platform development software: Microsoft Active Server Pages ASP (hot technology)
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Electronic mail software: Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Presentation software: Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Word processing software: Microsoft Word (hot technology)
The Day-to-Day Environment
The on-the-job environment of park naturalists is shaped by the following characteristics:
- Deal With External Customers or the Public in General
- Telephone Conversations
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Contact With Others
How to Become Park Naturalists
Entry-level park naturalists positions require a bachelor’s degree as the typical entry-level education. This occupation sits in Considerable Preparation Needed (Job Zone 4), indicating the level of preparation typically expected.
Other Careers to Consider
Similar Occupations
- Education and Childcare Administrators, Preschool and Daycare (Supplemental)
- Entertainment and Recreation Managers, Except Gambling (Supplemental)
- Zoologists and Wildlife Biologists (Supplemental)
- Conservation Scientists (Primary-Long)
- Range Managers (Primary-Short)
- Foresters (Primary-Long)
- Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health (Primary-Long)
- Environmental Restoration Planners (Supplemental)
Where to Study
Future park naturalists often complete programs in:
Natural Resources and Conservation
8 programs across 4 majors
Biological and Biomedical Sciences
5 programs across 1 majors
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies
2 programs across 2 majors
Agriculture, Agriculture Operations, and Related Sciences
2 programs across 2 majors
About the Data
This profile draws on the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 19-1031.03 (Conservation Scientists).
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