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Park naturalist education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a park naturalist. Park naturalists usually study environmental science, biology, or forestry. 75% of park naturalists hold a bachelor's degree, and 12% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 216 real park naturalist resumes to see exactly what park naturalist education sections show.
The most common colleges for park naturalists are the Michigan State University and the Michigan State University.
There are also many online park naturalist courses to help get the education required to be a park naturalist.
What education do you need to become a park naturalist?
What degree do you need to be a park naturalist?
- Bachelor's, 75%
- Associate, 12%
- Master's, 8%
- High School Diploma, 4%
- Other Degrees, 1%
What should I major in to become a park naturalist?
Most common colleges for park naturalists
| Park naturalist common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Michigan State University | 9.09% |
| University of Central Missouri | 6.82% |
| West Virginia University | 6.82% |
| Kent State University | 6.82% |
| University of South Florida | 4.55% |
Best majors for park naturalists
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Environmental Science | 23.3% |
| 2 | Biology | 15.8% |
| 3 | Forestry | 7.5% |
| 4 | Ecology, Population Biology, And Epidemiology | 6.7% |
| 5 | Wildlife Management | 5.0% |
Best colleges for park naturalists
The best colleges for park naturalists are Stanford University, Harvard University, and Northwestern University.
A park naturalist with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for park naturalists. 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 park naturalists.
1. University of California, Berkeley
Berkeley, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$14,184
Enrollment
30,845
2. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$51,354
Enrollment
7,083
3. Duke University
Durham, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$55,695
Enrollment
6,596
4. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$50,420
Enrollment
7,582
5. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$55,584
Enrollment
10,764
6. University of Minnesota - Twin Cities
Minneapolis, MN • Private
In-state tuition
$14,760
Enrollment
31,451
7. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor, MI • Private
In-state tuition
$15,262
Enrollment
30,079
8. Cornell University
Ithaca, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$55,188
Enrollment
15,105
9. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
In-state tuition
$54,568
Enrollment
8,451
10. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
In-state tuition
$53,740
Enrollment
5,567
20 best online courses for park naturalists
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Top 10 most affordable universities for park naturalists
The most affordable schools for park naturalists are University of Florida, hunter college of the city university of new york, and california state university - long beach.
If the best universities for park naturalists 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 park naturalists.
1. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,381
Cost of attendance
21,034
2. Hunter College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,182
Cost of attendance
13,998
3. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Cost of attendance
18,306
4. University of South Florida
Tampa, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,410
Cost of attendance
20,456
5. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
6. California State University - Fullerton
Fullerton, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,886
Cost of attendance
17,645
7. Florida International University
Miami, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,556
Cost of attendance
19,434
8. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York
Brooklyn, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,240
Cost of attendance
13,991
9. California State University - Fresno
Fresno, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,587
Cost of attendance
16,915
10. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$8,987
Cost of attendance
25,527
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for park naturalists
The hardest universities for park naturalists to get into are Stanford University, Harvard University, and Northwestern University.
Some great schools for park naturalists 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 park naturalists 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. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,508
4. Duke University
Durham, NC • Private
Admissions rate
9%
SAT average
1,516
5. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,492
6. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
6%
SAT average
1,512
7. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
Admissions rate
11%
SAT average
1,513
8. Cornell University
Ithaca, NY • Private
Admissions rate
11%
SAT average
1,471
9. University of California, Berkeley
Berkeley, CA • Private
Admissions rate
15%
SAT average
1,448
10. Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN • Private
Admissions rate
10%
SAT average
1,514
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for park naturalists
The easiest schools for park naturalists to get into are Mount Saint Mary's University, curry college, and wayland baptist university.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a park naturalist 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 park naturalists.
1. Mount Saint Mary's University
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
84%
SAT average
1,031
2. Curry College
Milton, MA • Private
Admissions rate
93%
SAT average
1,026
3. Wayland Baptist University
Plainview, TX • Private
Admissions rate
98%
SAT average
1,003
4. Saint Joseph's College of Maine
Standish, ME • Private
Admissions rate
84%
SAT average
1,069
5. Barry University
Miami, FL • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,006
6. Cardinal Stritch University
Milwaukee, WI • Private
Admissions rate
71%
SAT average
1,035
7. Fresno Pacific University
Fresno, CA • Private
Admissions rate
85%
SAT average
1,053
8. Notre Dame College
Cleveland, OH • Private
Admissions rate
90%
SAT average
994
9. AdventHealth University
Orlando, FL • Private
Admissions rate
87%
SAT average
1,016
10. Thomas More University
Crestview Hills, KY • Private
Admissions rate
90%
SAT average
1,099
Average park naturalist salary by education level
| Park naturalist education level | Park naturalist salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $39,133 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $35,376 |
| Doctorate Degree | $45,893 |
Park naturalist education FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025