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The differences between park rangers and rangers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a park ranger has an average salary of $40,801, which is higher than the $32,117 average annual salary of a ranger.
The top three skills for a park ranger include patrol, customer service and CPR. The most important skills for a ranger are patrol, customer service, and reservations.
| Park Ranger | Ranger | |
| Yearly salary | $40,801 | $32,117 |
| Hourly rate | $19.62 | $15.44 |
| Growth rate | 5% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 2,380 | 748 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 62% | Bachelor's Degree, 58% |
| Average age | 42 | 40 |
| Years of experience | 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.
A ranger is responsible for protecting and conserving natural resources and environmental conditions. Rangers coordinate with environmental institutions and landowners to identify land conservation strategies to prevent destructible threats of wildfires and calamities. They also monitor the operations within the forests and parks, evaluating efficient development through scientific methodologies and research studies. A ranger creates reports of cost estimates for conservation efforts, authorizing various land operations upon inspection to mitigate the risks of pollution and other hazardous circumstances.
Park rangers and rangers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Park Ranger | Ranger | |
| Average salary | $40,801 | $32,117 |
| Salary range | Between $22,000 And $72,000 | Between $23,000 And $44,000 |
| Highest paying City | New York, NY | Boston, MA |
| Highest paying state | Delaware | North Dakota |
| Best paying company | National Park Foundation | Student Conservation Association |
| Best paying industry | Government | Finance |
There are a few differences between a park ranger and a ranger in terms of educational background:
| Park Ranger | Ranger | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 62% | Bachelor's Degree, 58% |
| Most common major | Criminal Justice | Criminal Justice |
| Most common college | SUNY at Binghamton | California State University - Bakersfield |
Here are the differences between park rangers' and rangers' demographics:
| Park Ranger | Ranger | |
| Average age | 42 | 40 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 66.2% Female, 33.8% | Male, 73.6% Female, 26.4% |
| 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, 10.9% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 15.4% Asian, 3.3% White, 64.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 7% |