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The differences between rangers and patrol officers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a patrol officer has an average salary of $35,621, which is higher than the $32,117 average annual salary of a ranger.
The top three skills for a ranger include patrol, customer service and reservations. The most important skills for a patrol officer are patrol, customer service, and public safety.
| Ranger | Patrol Officer | |
| Yearly salary | $32,117 | $35,621 |
| Hourly rate | $15.44 | $17.13 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 748 | 123,265 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 58% | Bachelor's Degree, 43% |
| Average age | 40 | 40 |
| Years of experience | - | - |
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.
The job of patrol officers is to enforce ordinances, laws, prevent crime, control crowds, arrest violators, and regulate traffic. They also perform other duties that may include monitoring an assigned area for unauthorized or suspicious activity, responding to reports of emergencies and possible crime such as robberies, and building good relationships with community members. To be a successful patrol officer, you should have solid judgment, excellent communication skills, and decision-making skills in stressful situations.
Rangers and patrol officers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Ranger | Patrol Officer | |
| Average salary | $32,117 | $35,621 |
| Salary range | Between $23,000 And $44,000 | Between $27,000 And $46,000 |
| Highest paying City | Boston, MA | Seattle, WA |
| Highest paying state | North Dakota | North Dakota |
| Best paying company | Student Conservation Association | Mount St. Mary's University |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Government |
There are a few differences between a ranger and a patrol officer in terms of educational background:
| Ranger | Patrol Officer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 58% | Bachelor's Degree, 43% |
| Most common major | Criminal Justice | Criminal Justice |
| Most common college | California State University - Bakersfield | California State University - Long Beach |
Here are the differences between rangers' and patrol officers' demographics:
| Ranger | Patrol Officer | |
| Average age | 40 | 40 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 73.6% Female, 26.4% | Male, 82.9% Female, 17.1% |
| Race ratio | 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% | Black or African American, 12.5% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 18.5% Asian, 3.5% White, 59.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0% |
| LGBT Percentage | 7% | 7% |