Range Managers: Career Overview
Research or study range land management practices to provide sustained production of forage, livestock, and wildlife.
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What Do Range Managers Take On?
Typical responsibilities of range managers span:
- Regulate grazing, such as by issuing permits and checking for compliance with standards, and help ranchers plan and organize grazing systems to manage, improve, protect, and maximize the use of rangelands.
- Manage forage resources through fire, herbicide use, or revegetation to maintain a sustainable yield from the land.
- Coordinate with federal land managers and other agencies and organizations to manage and protect rangelands.
- Measure and assess vegetation resources for biological assessment companies, environmental impact statements, and rangeland monitoring programs.
- Maintain soil stability and vegetation for non-grazing uses, such as wildlife habitats and outdoor recreation.
- Study grazing patterns to determine number and kind of livestock that can be most profitably grazed and to determine the best grazing seasons.
- Offer advice to rangeland users on water management, forage production methods, and control of brush.
- Plan and direct construction and maintenance of range improvements, such as fencing, corrals, stock-watering reservoirs, and soil-erosion control structures.
What Range Managers Need to Know
Successful range managers draw on a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Key Skills
These are the skills most important for this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Knowledge Areas
Types of Range Managers Jobs
People in this occupation may also be known by titles such as:
- Conservationist
- Forestry and Wildlife Manager
- Land Management Supervisor
- Natural Resource Management Specialist
- Natural Resource Manager
- Natural Resource Officer
- Natural Resource Specialist
- Natural Resources Officer
Job Outlook
There are roughly 173,356 range managers working in the United States today. This occupation is expected to grow by +1.3% over the projection horizon.
Salary for Range Managers
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $59,935 |
| Hourly median | $28.82 |
| 10th percentile | $34,600 |
| 25th percentile | $47,268 |
| 75th percentile | $72,603 |
| 90th percentile | $85,270 |
Pay can vary substantially based on experience, location, and industry.
Range Managers Salary 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 |
Pay by U.S. Region
Pay for range managers shift depending on where you work. These regions lead on median pay:
| 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 |
Top Metro Areas
| 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 |
Which Industries Hire Range Managers
The bulk of range managers 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 |
Below are examples of industries where range managers work:
Tools and Technology
- Graphics or photo imaging software: Adobe Photoshop (hot technology)
- Geographic information system: ESRI ArcGIS software (hot technology)
- Web page creation and editing software: Facebook (hot technology)
- Operating system software: Linux (hot technology)
- Data base user interface and query software: Microsoft Access (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)
- Presentation software: Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Operating system software: Microsoft Windows (hot technology)
- Word processing software: Microsoft Word (hot technology)
- Object or component oriented development software: Oracle Java (hot technology)
The Day-to-Day Environment
Daily working conditions for range managers tends to involve the following characteristics:
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Telephone Conversations
- Contact With Others
- Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team
How to Become Range Managers
Entry-level range managers positions require a bachelor’s degree as the typical entry-level education. The role falls in Considerable Preparation Needed (Job Zone 4), indicating the level of preparation typically expected.
Related Careers
Similar Occupations
- Water Resource Specialists (Primary-Long)
- Brownfield Redevelopment Specialists and Site Managers (Supplemental)
- Agricultural Engineers (Supplemental)
- Environmental Engineers (Supplemental)
- Soil and Plant Scientists (Primary-Short)
- Zoologists and Wildlife Biologists (Primary-Long)
- Biologists (Supplemental)
- Conservation Scientists (Primary-Short)
Where to Study
Future range managers typically earn 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
Sources
Statistics shown above are sourced from 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: 19-1031.02 (Conservation Scientists).
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