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What is a naturalist and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read

Like you must have already guessed, a naturalist job is related to nature. Similar to biologists, naturalists study living organisms, their impact on one another, and how they affect their surroundings. Naturalists often have in-depth knowledge about wildlife, animals, and plants. Their job requires some level of study. In fact, most of what they do involves observing potential genetic links and doing so without carrying out any genetic analysis.

If you are thinking of starting your career as a naturalist, keep in mind that you must first get a strong foundational knowledge of ecology, biology, chemistry, geography, and math. Degree options like wildlife management, geoscience, etc., can help you gain proficiency in this area.

Seeing that naturalists deal with plants and animals, they can work in different places. Even so, most naturalists find employment in government-owned establishments like state and federal parks, EPA, and NPS.

They can also work in private-owned scientific and technical consulting companies. Some work in the educational sector as teachers, while others get hired into the medical industry as researchers. Depending on where they find work, a naturalist's salary ranges from $39,180 to $97,390.

ScoreNaturalistUS Average
Salary
3.3

Avg. Salary $42,363

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability Level
7.6

Growth Rate 5%

Growth Rate 0.3%

Diversity
7.1
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 1.07%

Asian 1.40%

Black or African American 0.72%

Hispanic or Latino 2.39%

Unknown 2.88%

White 91.54%

Gender

female 64.30%

male 35.70%

Age - 41
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 41
Stress Level
7.6

Stress level is high

7.1 - high

Complexity Level
8.2

Complexity Level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work Life Balance
7.2

Work Life balance is good

6.4 - fair

Naturalist career paths

Key steps to become a naturalist

  1. Explore naturalist education requirements

    Most common naturalist degrees

    Bachelor's

    80.3 %

    Associate

    8.6 %

    Master's

    6.2 %
  2. Start to develop specific naturalist skills

    SkillsPercentages
    Nature Programs14.40%
    Cultural History11.28%
    CPR9.45%
    Natural History6.65%
    Outdoor Education4.17%
  3. Complete relevant naturalist training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of 6-12 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New naturalists learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a naturalist based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real naturalist resumes.
  4. Research naturalist duties and responsibilities

    • Lead tour groups on both bicycles and kayaks, man small retail/rental outlet as only staff person.
    • Act as primary historian for all tour groups, ages k-12.
    • Assist with naturalist guide hikes, canoe tours and general outdoor learning activities.
    • Supervise canoe trips, nature walks, park cleanups, and volunteer groups.
  5. Prepare your naturalist resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your naturalist resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a naturalist resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose From 10+ Customizable Naturalist Resume templates

    Build a professional Naturalist resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your Naturalist resume.
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    Naturalist Resume
    Naturalist Resume
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    Naturalist Resume
  6. Apply for naturalist jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a naturalist job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How Did You Land Your First Naturalist Job

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Average naturalist salary

The average Naturalist salary in the United States is $42,363 per year or $20 per hour. Naturalist salaries range between $24,000 and $73,000 per year.

Average Naturalist Salary
$42,363 Yearly
$20.37 hourly

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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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