How to hire a ranger

How to hire a ranger, step by step

Here's a step-by-step ranger hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a ranger job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new ranger
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a ranger do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring a ranger, identify what type of worker you actually need. Certain positions might call for a full-time employee, while others can be done by a part-time worker or contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   Hiring the perfect ranger also involves considering the ideal background you'd like them to have. Depending on what industry or field they have experience in, they'll bring different skills to the job. It's also important to consider what levels of seniority and education the job requires and what kind of salary such a candidate would likely demand.

   This list presents ranger salaries for various positions.

   Type of Ranger	Description	Hourly rate
   Ranger	Police officers protect lives and property. Detectives and criminal investigators, who are sometimes called agents or special agents, gather facts and collect evidence of possible crimes.	$11-21
   Community Services Officer	Community service offers or CSO support in crime response, investigation, and prevention where police powers are not necessary. The community service officers assist the police officers in terms of upholding order and law in the community... Show more	$12-25
   Military Police	Military police officers act as peacekeepers and soldiers within a community. They have more complicated duties and responsibilities than their civilian counterparts, which include enforcing military law and regulations, responding to emergency situations, and investigating crimes or any illegal or suspicious activities... Show more	$12-32

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Patrol
   • Customer Service
   • Reservations
   • Law Enforcement
   • Natural Resource Management
   • Hand Tools
   • CPR
   • Campground
   • Cleanliness
   • Federal Laws
   • Plumbing
   • Firefighting
   • Visitor Services
   • Responder

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Lead team providing cargo, personal property and passenger movements for DoD personnel.
   • Evaluate students on leadership, time management, organization and ability to accomplish missions.
   • Operate and inspect backpack blowers, pressure washers, and motor utility vehicles.
   • Respond to medical emergencies, assist with firefighting and search and rescue operations, and operate ranger stations.
   • Mow, edge, and trim lawns using tools such as mowers, weed whacker, edger and water grass.
   • Perform general grounds cleaning work; empty trash barrels, pick up debris, pull weeds; trim and mow grass.

   More ranger duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in the ranger job description is a good way to get more applicants. A ranger salary can be affected by several factors, such as the location of the job, the level of experience, education, certifications, and the employer's prestige.

   For example, the average salary for a ranger in Kansas may be lower than in North Dakota, and an entry-level engineer typically earns less than a senior-level ranger. Additionally, a ranger with lots of experience in the field may command a higher salary as a result.

   Average ranger salary

   $15.44hourly

   $32,117 yearly

   ---

   Entry-level ranger salary

   $23,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 23, 2025

   Average ranger salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	Massachusetts	$33,614	$16
   2	Indiana	$30,810	$15
   3	Virginia	$30,331	$15
   4	California	$29,421	$14
   5	Colorado	$28,968	$14
   6	Texas	$26,911	$13
   7	Arizona	$25,061	$12
   8	Oregon	$24,859	$12
   9	Florida	$24,370	$12
   10	North Carolina	$22,862	$11
   11	Utah	$19,789	$10

   Average ranger salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Student Conservation Association	$45,872	$22.05	15
   2	Education Affiliates	$42,618	$20.49
   3	Jefferson County Sheriffs Dept	$40,602	$19.52
   4	Bureau of Land Management	$39,791	$19.13
   5	New York State Restaurant Association	$38,428	$18.48
   6	LYNX Services	$38,286	$18.41
   7	Agua Caliente Casino Palm Springs	$38,046	$18.29	1
   8	The Walt Disney Company	$35,800	$17.21
   9	Forest Manufacturing Co	$34,792	$16.73
   10	Sun Communities	$34,292	$16.49	5
   11	Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts	$34,112	$16.40	1
   12	Commonwealth Of Pennsylvania	$32,811	$15.77
   13	New Belgium Brewing	$32,592	$15.67
   14	Qualis	$32,501	$15.63
   15	Ahmad, Zavitsanos, Anaipakos, Alavi & Mensing P.c. Or Aza	$32,290	$15.52
   16	NC.gov	$32,160	$15.46	1
   17	TDX Tech	$31,990	$15.38
   18	Bluewater Waterfront Grill	$31,788	$15.28
   19	Troon	$31,210	$15.00	3
   20	Marriott International	$31,056	$14.93

4. Writing a ranger job description

   A job description for a ranger role includes a summary of the job's main responsibilities, required skills, and preferred background experience. Including a salary range can also go a long way in attracting more candidates to apply, and showing the first name of the hiring manager can also make applicants more comfortable. As an example, here's a ranger job description:

   Ranger job description example

   The Forest Preserve District of DuPage County provides opportunities for people to connect with nature.
   
   The District's mission is, "to acquire and hold lands containing forests, prairies, wetlands and associated plant communities or lands capable of being restored to such natural conditions for the purpose of protecting and preserving the flora, fauna and scenic beauty for the education, pleasure and recreation of it's citizens.
   Job purpose This position assists Ranger staff in the upkeep of District preserves, facilities and amenities, while providing clean/safe preserves for the public. Essential Duties and Responsibilities • Preserve/grounds maintenance including opening preserves, de-littering, latrine cleaning and upkeep of amenities
   • Working guidance to seasonal staff (maintenance and camp staff only)
   • Preserve inspections including trails, boundaries, water controls, special facilities and amenities
   • Lead or assist alongside Division staff with various recreational programs including but not limited to archery, fishing, paddling, geocaching, camps, and special events
   • Interact with the participants, engage in activities, be a positive role model and provide appropriate leadership to program participants
   • Take direction/receive working guidance from Ranger staff
   • Provide District information to the participants regarding the preserves, facility operations, recreational opportunities, rules and regulations
   • Assist with facility operations
   • Keep neat and accurate records including reports on programs, incidents/injuries, equipment damage, documentation of behavioral issues, time accounting, time sheets, etc.
   • Perform as first responder to emergency situations
   • Operate power tools and motor vehicles
   • Perform other duties as required Education and Experience Required Additional Information: Must be 18 years of age or older by the first day of employment.
   Hours: Up to 6 Month Assignment; approximately 40 hours per week (hours vary and will include weekends and holidays.
   Pay: $14.00 an hour Preferred Experience: Good written and oral communication skills and well organized; Meet assigned deadlines with
   minimal supervision; Have a positive attitude and excellent interpersonal skills; Preserve maintenance; Facility Operations;
   Recreational Programming; Natural Resource Management.
   Special training or other license, certification, etc.: CPR/1st Aid; must have a valid Driver's License.
   Skills In: Dealing effectively with the public; expressing oneself clearly and concisely; handling revenues and operating a
   cash register; sound decision making; prioritization of tasks; time management; interpreting rules and regulations; keeping
   neat and accurate records; knowledge of District preserves, rules, policies and safety procedures; operation of power tools
   and motor vehicles. The Forest Preserve District of DuPage County is an EEO employer. We provide equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibit discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find rangers for your business:

   • Promoting internally or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to meet candidates with the right educational background.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to recruit passive job-seekers.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your ranger job on Zippia to find and recruit ranger candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with ranger candidates should focus on their interest in the role and background experience. As the hiring process goes on, you can learn more about how they'd fit into the company culture in later rounds of interviews.

   You should also ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match the ideal candidate profile you developed earlier. Candidates good enough for the next step can complete the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new ranger

   Once you've found the ranger candidate you'd like to hire, it's time to write an offer letter. This should include an explicit job offer that includes the salary and the details of any other perks. Qualified candidates might be looking at multiple positions, so your offer must be competitive if you like the candidate. Also, be prepared for a negotiation stage, as candidates may way want to tweak the details of your initial offer. Once you've settled on these details, you can draft a contract to formalize your agreement.

   It's also good etiquette to follow up with applicants who don't get the job by sending them an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   To prepare for the new employee's start date, you can create an onboarding schedule and complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9 forms, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Human Resources should also ensure that a new employee file is created.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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How much does it cost to hire a ranger?