Natural resource technician vs forest ranger technician

The differences between natural resource technicians and forest ranger technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 6-12 months to become both a natural resource technician and a forest ranger technician. Additionally, a forest ranger technician has an average salary of $39,902, which is higher than the $33,588 average annual salary of a natural resource technician.

The top three skills for a natural resource technician include GPS, natural resources and hand tools. The most important skills for a forest ranger technician are plant species, ATV, and management plans.

Natural resource technician vs forest ranger technician overview

	Natural Resource Technician	Forest Ranger Technician
Yearly salary	$33,588	$39,902
Hourly rate	$16.15	$19.18
Growth rate	9%	4%
Number of jobs	19,143	6,128
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 79%	Bachelor's Degree, 50%
Average age	38	38
Years of experience	12	12

Natural resource technician vs forest ranger technician salary

Natural resource technicians and forest ranger technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Natural Resource Technician	Forest Ranger Technician
Average salary	$33,588	$39,902
Salary range	Between $26,000 And $42,000	Between $27,000 And $57,000
Highest paying City	Anchorage, AK	-
Highest paying state	Alaska	-
Best paying company	Student Conservation Association	-
Best paying industry	Government	-

Differences between natural resource technician and forest ranger technician education

There are a few differences between a natural resource technician and a forest ranger technician in terms of educational background:

	Natural Resource Technician	Forest Ranger Technician
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 79%	Bachelor's Degree, 50%
Most common major	Environmental Science	Public Health
Most common college	University of California, Berkeley	University of Washington

Natural resource technician vs forest ranger technician demographics

Here are the differences between natural resource technicians' and forest ranger technicians' demographics:

	Natural Resource Technician	Forest Ranger Technician
Average age	38	38
Gender ratio	Male, 60.7% Female, 39.3%	Male, 81.3% Female, 18.8%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 9.4% Unknown, 5.8% Hispanic or Latino, 14.7% Asian, 6.9% White, 62.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0%	Black or African American, 6.8% Unknown, 5.7% Hispanic or Latino, 12.4% Asian, 11.4% White, 62.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0%
LGBT Percentage	8%	8%

Differences between natural resource technician and forest ranger technician duties and responsibilities

Natural resource technician example responsibilities.

Manage facility projects, produce facility reports preventive maintenance, work orders and administer maintenance program using CMMS and SCADA.
Train in intermediate processing including working with isolate stem cells while meetingcompany and FDA regulations for lifesaving and life-enhancing products.
Coordinate a restoration and conservation grant program locating, surveying and controlling invasive wetland species.

Forest ranger technician example responsibilities.

Survey back-country old-growth timber, fight forest fires, manage brush, and replant forests after harvest.
Travele throughout most of interior Alaska on known BLM trails to write environmental assessments on sustainability and degradation probabilities.
Travele throughout most of interior Alaska on known BLM trails to write environmental assessments on sustainability and degradation probabilities.

Natural resource technician vs forest ranger technician skills

Common natural resource technician skills

GPS, 10%
Natural Resources, 9%
Hand Tools, 7%
GRASS, 6%
Data Collection, 6%
Weed Control, 5%

Common forest ranger technician skills

Plant Species, 37%
ATV, 33%
Management Plans, 30%

Natural Resource Technician vs. similar jobs

Natural Resource Technician related careers

Natural Resource Technician related jobs

What similar roles do

Zippia Careers
Life, Physical, and Social Science Industry
Natural Resource Technician
Natural Resource Technician vs Forest Ranger Technician

Updated January 8, 2025

Browse life, physical, and social science jobs