Park Naturalists: Salary, Job Description, How To Become One, and Quiz

Stan T.Career, Overview

Park Naturalists

Park Naturalists plan, develop, and conduct programs to inform public of historical, natural, and scientific features of national, state, or local park.

Salary
$69020
Becoming One
Hard
Education
Bachelor's degree
Job Satisfaction
Job Growth
Low

Personality



Job description

Park Naturalists plan, develop, and conduct programs to inform public of historical, natural, and scientific features of national, state, or local park.

  • Conduct field trips to point out scientific, historic, and natural features of parks, forests, historic sites, or other attractions.
  • Prepare and present illustrated lectures and interpretive talks about park features.
  • Plan and organize public events at the park.
  • Provide visitor services, such as explaining regulations, answering visitor requests, needs and complaints, and providing information about the park and surrounding areas.
Read more about what does a Park Naturalist really do at work and what is it like being and working as one.



Salary

Average salary
$65320 per year

Average hourly wage
$31 per hour


Park Naturalists with little to no experience tend to make between $34020 and $46210 while the more experienced ones can earn over $79600 per year.

Top 5 paying states Hourly Annual
AK $45 $93,390
CT $42 $87,710
NJ $41 $85,360
MD $38 $79,070
PR $37 $77,380

One of the easiest ways to increase your salary as a Park Naturalist is to move to a higher paying state like AK. Right now, the highest paying states for Park Naturalists are AK, CT, NJ, MD and PR.

However, a higher pay at AK doesn’t guarantee that you will make more because the living expenses at AK might be twice as high than where you are currently at now.

Three other factors that can increase your salary as a Park Naturalist is the degree you hold, the industry you work in, and lastly the company you work for.


Requirements

Recommended degree level
Bachelor’s degree

We asked other Park Naturalists what degree they had when they got the job and most of them said they had a Bachelor’s Degree followed by a Master’s Degree.

Other than that, we also asked them what did they major in and here are the most popular majors that came up.

Agroecology and Sustainable Agriculture
Range Science and Management
Natural Resources/Conservation, General
Natural Resources Management and Policy
Water, Wetlands, and Marine Resources Management
Read more about how to become a Park Naturalist and the degree, training and education you need.

Pros and Cons

Here are some of the pros and cons of being a Park Naturalist.

PROS
Suitable for people who likes to help and teach others
Suitable for people who values relationships between co-workers and customers and wants to work in a friendly non-competitive environment
This career is perfect for people who love to work indoors.
Very good salary
CONS
Not suitable for people who likes to follow routines
It is hard to get into this career. A considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for this career.

What is the job like

Job satisfaction
69%

Is this job meaningful
65%


69% of Park Naturalists said they were satisfied with their job and 65% said they feel like their job is making other people’s lives better.


Is this right for me

Best personality for this career
The Helpers and The Builders

You can read more about these career personality types here.

People who are suitable for this job tends to like working with, communicating with, and teaching people. They like helping or providing service to others..

They also like work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They like working with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery.



Learn more about Park Naturalists

Summary (You are here)
Job Description
Salary
Requirements
Quiz

Related career information

Park Naturalists job description, Park Naturalists salary, Park Naturalists information, what is the job of a Park Naturalist like, pros and cons about Park Naturalists, colleges and universities for Park Naturalists, is Park Naturalists the right career for me, careers in Social Science and Humanities

Similar careers

Department of Natural Resources Officer (DNR Officer), Education and Information Coordinator, Education Specialist, Environmental Education Specialist, Environmental Educator, Historical Interpreter, Interpretive Naturalist, National Park Ranger, Natural Resource Educator, Park Activities Coordinator

Additional resources