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The differences between naturalists and park managers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a naturalist and a park manager. Additionally, a park manager has an average salary of $42,985, which is higher than the $42,363 average annual salary of a naturalist.
The top three skills for a naturalist include nature programs, cultural history and CPR. The most important skills for a park manager are payroll, human resources, and public safety.
| Naturalist | Park Manager | |
| Yearly salary | $42,363 | $42,985 |
| Hourly rate | $20.37 | $20.67 |
| Growth rate | 5% | 5% |
| Number of jobs | 6,913 | 3,090 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 80% | Bachelor's Degree, 58% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
Naturalists are people who educate the public on environmental-related matters. The core responsibilities of this position are preserving, restoring, maintaining, and protecting natural habitat. Other duties performed by a naturalist are; guide work, conducting field studies of local and natural habitats, educating and providing the general public with recreational activities, assisting with administrative tasks that relate to parking admission, and leading and offering guidance during trips and nature walks for both adults and children.
Park Managers are responsible for overseeing the operations of parks. Their duties include organizing work schedules and assignments, supervising park maintenance activities, conduct park inspections, and assess revenue channels. They are also responsible for administering park programs, facilitating park constructions, and helping staff training and recruitment initiatives. Park Managers also assist in resource protection services as well as educational outreach operations. They collaborate and foster good relations with the government, local communities, and non-profits in managing natural resources.
Naturalists and park managers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Naturalist | Park Manager | |
| Average salary | $42,363 | $42,985 |
| Salary range | Between $24,000 And $73,000 | Between $30,000 And $61,000 |
| Highest paying City | Las Vegas, NV | Reno, NV |
| Highest paying state | Rhode Island | Nevada |
| Best paying company | PSEA | Apple |
| Best paying industry | - | Start-up |
There are a few differences between a naturalist and a park manager in terms of educational background:
| Naturalist | Park Manager | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 80% | Bachelor's Degree, 58% |
| Most common major | Environmental Science | Business |
| Most common college | University of California, Berkeley | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between naturalists' and park managers' demographics:
| Naturalist | Park Manager | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 35.7% Female, 64.3% | Male, 63.8% Female, 36.2% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 0.7% Unknown, 2.9% Hispanic or Latino, 2.4% Asian, 1.4% White, 91.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1% | Black or African American, 0.8% Unknown, 2.9% Hispanic or Latino, 2.5% Asian, 1.4% White, 91.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 8% |