Agriculture, Horticulture, & the Outdoors
Conservation Scientist / Park Ranger
What Does a Professional in this Career Do?
Manages ranges or large tracts of land. Monitors the environmental impact of farming and grazing on the land and tracks plants needed to support grazing livestock. Develops resource management plans to protect wildlife habitats or to support outdoor recreation; works to prevent damage from wildfires and invasive species.Leads informational programs for park visitors about the history and environmental features of public parks, and promote awareness of protecting park land. Welcomes and provides assistance to park visitors, assists with educational programs, oversees park events and activities and patrols park land.
Job Outlook
There were 159 Conservation Scientist / Park Ranger job postings in North Carolina in the past year and 5814 in the United States.
In combination with other careers in the Conservation Scientists / Park Ranger industry, which includes the Conservation Scientist / Park Ranger career, the following graph shows the number of people employed for each year since 2004:
Salary
Many new Conservation Scientist / Park Ranger jobs have salaries estimated to be in the following ranges, based on the requirements and responsibilities listed in job postings from the past year.
National
The average estimated salary in the United States for this career, based on job postings in the past year, is $47,678.
State
The average estimated salary in North Carolina for this career, based on job postings in the past year, is $41,906.
Percentiles represent the percentage that is lower than the value. For example, 25% of estimated salaries for Conservation Scientist / Park Ranger postings in the United States in the past year were lower than $33,831.
Education and Experience
Posted Conservation Scientist / Park Ranger jobs typically require the following level of education. The numbers below are based on job postings in the United States from the past year. Not all job postings list education requirements.
| Education Level | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Associate's Degree | 3% |
| Bachelor's Degree | 33% |
| Master's Degree | 25% |
| Doctoral Degree | 3% |
| Other | 36% |
Posted Conservation Scientist / Park Ranger jobs typically require the following number of years of experience. The numbers below are based on job postings in the United States from the past year. Not all job postings list experience requirements.
| Years of Experience | Percentage |
|---|---|
| 0 to 2 years | 66% |
| 3 to 5 years | 26% |
| 6 to 8 years | 1% |
| 9+ years | 7% |
Skills
Below are listings of the most common general and specialized skills Conservation Scientist / Park Ranger positions expect applicants to have as well as the most common skills that distinguish individuals from their peers. The percentage of job postings that specifically mention each skill is also listed.
Baseline Skills
A skill that is required across a broad range of occupations, including this one.
- Physical Abilities (38%)
- Communication Skills (32%)
- Research (31%)
- Planning (23%)
- Writing (19%)
Defining Skills
A core skill for this occupation, it occurs frequently in job postings.
- Natural Resources (30%)
- Natural Resource Management (21%)
- Soil Science (14%)
- Conservation Planning (13%)
- Water Conservation (13%)
Necessary Skills
A skill that is requested frequently in this occupation but isn’t specific to it.
- Scheduling (19%)
- Resource Management (17%)
- Repair (16%)
- Agronomy (15%)
- Chemistry (14%)
Distinguishing Skills
A skill that may distinguish a subset of the occupation.
- Law Enforcement or Criminal Justice Experience (5%)
- Plows (5%)
- Range Management (5%)
- Fire Suppression (4%)
- Watershed Management (3%)
Salary Boosting Skills
A professional who wishes to excel in this career path may consider developing the following highly valued skills. The percentage of job postings that specifically mention each skill is listed along with the marginal value: the average salary difference between postings that request that skill and those that do not.
- National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) (1%) – marginal value $3,823
Alternative Job Titles
Sometimes employers post jobs with Conservation Scientist / Park Ranger skills but a different job title. Some common alternative job titles include:
- Park Ranger
- Soil Conservationist
- Natural Resource Specialist
- Park Ranger Protection
- Local Funding Agent - Wfh
Similar Occupations
If you are interested in exploring occupations with similar skills, you may want to research the following job titles. Note that we only list occupations that have at least one corresponding NC State Online and Distance Education program.
- Soil / Plant Scientist
- Forest / Conservation Technician
- Wildlife Biologist
- Biological Technician
- Forester
- Physical Scientist
Common Employers
Here are the employers that have posted the most Conservation Scientist / Park Ranger jobs in the past year along with how many they have posted.
United States
- Natural Resources Conservation (505)
- National Park Service (359)
- US Department of Agriculture (124)
- US Department of the Interior (113)
- Bureau of Land Management (112)
North Carolina
- North Carolina Department Of Justice (21)
- State North Carolina (14)
- Natural Resources Conservation (6)
- Money For You (6)
- Zenithfundz Private & Sba Funding For Businesses & Individuals (5)
NC State Programs Relevant to this Career
If you are interested in preparing for a career in this field, the following NC State Online and Distance Education programs offer a great place to start!
- Biological and Agricultural Engineering Master's Degrees
- Biology for Educators Graduate Certificates
- Climate Adaptation Graduate Certificates
- Parks, Recreation, Tourism and Sport Management Master's Degrees
- Soil Science Undergraduate Certificates
- Soil Science Master's Degrees
- STEM Education - Science Master's Degrees
- Watershed Assessment and Restoration Graduate Certificates
All wages, job posting statistics, employment trend projections, and information about skill desirability on this page represents historical data and does not guarantee future conditions. Data is provided by and downloaded regularly from Burning Glass Technologies. For more information about how they gather data and what it represents, see Burning Glass Technologies - Frequently Asked Questions.