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The differences between park rangers and naturalists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a park ranger and a naturalist. Additionally, a naturalist has an average salary of $42,363, which is higher than the $40,801 average annual salary of a park ranger.
The top three skills for a park ranger include patrol, customer service and CPR. The most important skills for a naturalist are nature programs, cultural history, and CPR.
| Park Ranger | Naturalist | |
| Yearly salary | $40,801 | $42,363 |
| Hourly rate | $19.62 | $20.37 |
| Growth rate | 5% | 5% |
| Number of jobs | 2,380 | 6,913 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 62% | Bachelor's Degree, 80% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
A park ranger is responsible for maintaining and protecting the natural ecosystem landscape and coordinating with environmental organizations to develop strategies and programs to stabilize the condition of the lands. Park rangers conduct data analysis and research to improve agricultural integrity by utilizing adequate resources through scientific testing and investigations. They monitor the activities of landowners and other businesses that may pose risks to the environment. A park ranger should have excellent communication and organizational skills, as well as extensive knowledge of environmental programs and conservation.
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 rangers and naturalists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Park Ranger | Naturalist | |
| Average salary | $40,801 | $42,363 |
| Salary range | Between $22,000 And $72,000 | Between $24,000 And $73,000 |
| Highest paying City | New York, NY | Las Vegas, NV |
| Highest paying state | Delaware | Rhode Island |
| Best paying company | National Park Foundation | PSEA |
| Best paying industry | Government | - |
There are a few differences between a park ranger and a naturalist in terms of educational background:
| Park Ranger | Naturalist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 62% | Bachelor's Degree, 80% |
| Most common major | Criminal Justice | Environmental Science |
| Most common college | SUNY at Binghamton | University of California, Berkeley |
Here are the differences between park rangers' and naturalists' demographics:
| Park Ranger | Naturalist | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 66.2% Female, 33.8% | Male, 35.7% Female, 64.3% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 0.5% Unknown, 2.9% Hispanic or Latino, 2.2% Asian, 1.4% White, 91.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1% | 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% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 8% |