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National park tour guide education requirements
What education do you need to become a national park tour guide?
What degree do you need to be a national park tour guide?
- Bachelor's, 100%
What should I major in to become a national park tour guide?
- Geography, 21%
- Anthropology, 13%
- Outdoor Education, 8%
- Other Majors, 50%
Most common colleges for national park tour guides
| National park tour guide common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| University of Denver | 13.04% |
| Northland College | 8.70% |
| The Art Institute of Las Vegas | 4.35% |
| Ouachita Baptist University | 4.35% |
| North Carolina State University | 4.35% |
Best majors for national park tour guides
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Geography | 20.8% |
| 2 | Anthropology | 12.5% |
| 3 | Outdoor Education | 8.3% |
| 4 | Environmental Science | 8.3% |
| 5 | Recreation Management | 8.3% |
Best colleges for national park tour guides
The best colleges for national park tour guides are Stanford University, Harvard University, and Cornell University.
A national park tour guide with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for national park tour guides. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become national park tour guides.
1. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$51,354
Enrollment
7,083
2. Cornell University
Ithaca, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$55,188
Enrollment
15,105
3. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$50,420
Enrollment
7,582
4. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$55,584
Enrollment
10,764
5. Pennsylvania State University
University Park, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$18,454
Enrollment
40,108
6. California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo
San Luis Obispo, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$9,816
Enrollment
21,047
7. University of Minnesota - Twin Cities
Minneapolis, MN • Private
In-state tuition
$14,760
Enrollment
31,451
8. University of Georgia
Athens, GA • Private
In-state tuition
$11,830
Enrollment
29,474
9. Duke University
Durham, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$55,695
Enrollment
6,596
10. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Enrollment
31,503
20 best online courses for national park tour guides
1. OSHA Safety Training: Conducting Safety Meetings
A Brief Safety Management Course for Current and Aspiring Safety Professionals...
2. Fire Safety: Become A Fire Safety Expert
Become an expert in Fire Safety, Fire Hazards Control, Fire Evacuation Plans, and Fire Risk Assessment...
3. Food Safety for Managers and Supervisors
The Highfield Food Safety Level 3 syllabus presented in two hours of video tutorials. Boost your food safety knowledge...
4. Basic Fire Safety Awareness
Basic Fire Safety Awareness - Your Gateway towards Career in Fire Safety...
5. ISO 22000:2018. Food Safety Management System
Understand the requirements for a food safety management system applicable for any organization in the food chain...
6. OSHA Workplace Safety (General Industry 6 Hr Class)
Learn the requirements and standards associated with OSHA and workplace safety. Safety best practices for the workplace...
7. Occupational Health & Safety Training
Workplace Health and Safety Course For Employees & Managers...
8. NEBOSH health and safety Management System
It Shows the Start point to Build your Health & safety Career and how to Join the field and becoming HSE Specialist...
9. Fire Safety and Prevention Planning
Become an expert in understanding Fire Safety and Prevention Planning for your workplaces and organizations...
10. OSHA Safety Training: Heat Stress Management
A Workplace Safety Management Course for Current and Future Safety Professionals...
11. Fun food safety and sanitation course
The food safety course will help prepare you for safely working in a kitchen and food handler tests like Servesafe...
12. Complete Health and Safety Auditor Course. OHSAS 18001.
How to implement and audit a health & safety management system and obtain certification to OHSAS 18001 Standard...
13. ISO 45001. Occupational health & safety management system
Upgrate your health and safety career by understanding the requriements for an OH & S management system from ISO 45001...
14. OSHA Safety Pro: Deadly Concrete Dust. Crystalline Silica.
OSHA's General, Construction, and Maritime Industries Hazard Prevention and Safety Standard...
15. The Customer: Build a Customer Service Strategy (BITE SIZE)
For you and your team to be successful in providing great customer service, start by putting your customer first...
16. OSHA Safety Pro: Trenching Excavation & Soil Mechanics
A quick yet detailed certification in OSHA safety with a focus on Trenching, Excavation, & Soil Mechanics...
17. Customer Service, Customer Support, And Customer Experience
Customer service, customer support, and customer experience training. Loyal clients through world-class customer service...
18. OSHA Safety Pro: Personal Protective Equipment
Impress management or get that job with you your ability to display life and dollar saving work place safety practices...
19. Customer Service Mastery: Delight Every Customer
Master Customer Service using this practical customer care course...
20. Customer Service: Keep 'em coming back!
How to give the best customer service in your industry and keep those customers raving about your business...
Top 10 most affordable universities for national park tour guides
The most affordable schools for national park tour guides are Hunter College of the City University of New York, california state university - long beach, and brooklyn college of the city university of new york.
If the best universities for national park tour guides are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for national park tour guides.
1. Hunter College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,182
Cost of attendance
13,998
2. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Cost of attendance
18,306
3. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York
Brooklyn, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,240
Cost of attendance
13,991
4. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,381
Cost of attendance
21,034
5. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
6. Lehman College of the City University of New York
Bronx, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,210
Cost of attendance
14,359
7. California State University - Fresno
Fresno, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,587
Cost of attendance
16,915
8. Queens College of the City University of New York
Queens, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,338
Cost of attendance
14,281
9. California State University - Dominguez Hills
Carson, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,942
Cost of attendance
14,469
10. California State University - Sacramento
Sacramento, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,310
Cost of attendance
19,807
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for national park tour guides
The hardest universities for national park tour guides to get into are Stanford University, Harvard University, and Cornell University.
Some great schools for national park tour guides are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for national park tour guides based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.
1. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
Admissions rate
4%
SAT average
1,497
2. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
Admissions rate
5%
SAT average
1,520
3. Cornell University
Ithaca, NY • Private
Admissions rate
11%
SAT average
1,471
4. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,492
5. Brown University
Providence, RI • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,492
6. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,508
7. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
13%
SAT average
1,445
8. University of California, Berkeley
Berkeley, CA • Private
Admissions rate
15%
SAT average
1,448
9. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
Admissions rate
11%
SAT average
1,513
10. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
22%
SAT average
1,420
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for national park tour guides
The easiest schools for national park tour guides to get into are Barry University, cardinal stritch university, and curry college.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a national park tour guide without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for national park tour guides.
1. Barry University
Miami, FL • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,006
2. Cardinal Stritch University
Milwaukee, WI • Private
Admissions rate
71%
SAT average
1,035
3. Curry College
Milton, MA • Private
Admissions rate
93%
SAT average
1,026
4. Wayland Baptist University
Plainview, TX • Private
Admissions rate
98%
SAT average
1,003
5. San Francisco State University
San Francisco, CA • Private
Admissions rate
72%
SAT average
1,054
6. Nyack College
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
98%
SAT average
999
7. California State University - Sacramento
Sacramento, CA • Private
Admissions rate
64%
SAT average
1,030
8. Midwestern State University
Wichita Falls, TX • Private
Admissions rate
71%
SAT average
1,033
9. Linfield College
McMinnville, OR • Private
Admissions rate
81%
SAT average
1,117
10. Oklahoma Wesleyan University
Bartlesville, OK • Private
Admissions rate
68%
SAT average
964
Average national park tour guide salary by education level
| National park tour guide education level | National park tour guide salary |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or Less | $54,506 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $71,665 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $75,682 |
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Updated January 8, 2025
