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Park interpretive specialist salary
Average park interpretive specialist salary
$43,411
Understanding the Park Interpretive Specialist Role
A Park Interpretive Specialist plays a vital role in enhancing public understanding of natural resources and cultural heritage. They develop and implement educational programs, conduct guided tours, and create interpretive materials that help visitors appreciate parks' ecological and historical significance.
Salary Overview
The average salary for this position is approximately $43,411 annually, translating to about $21 per hour. However, salaries can vary significantly based on factors such as geographic location, years of experience, and specific employers.
Top-Paying Locations
Some of the highest paying states for Park Interpretive Specialists include California, New York, and Florida. In these states, professionals can earn a salary that exceeds the national average, especially in major urban parks and conservation areas.
Career Opportunities
Job seekers can find opportunities in national and state parks, nature centers, and environmental organizations. Positions often require a background in environmental science, education, or park management, making relevant experience crucial for securing higher-paying roles.
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Where can a Park Interpretive Specialist earn more?
Park interpretive specialist salary estimates from across the web
Average park interpretive specialist salary by state
The highest-paying states for park interpretive specialists are Delaware, Rhode Island, and New York. The lowest average park interpretive specialist salary states are Louisiana, Alabama, and Wyoming.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for park interpretive specialists
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Delaware | $70,045 | $33.68 |
| 2 | Alaska | $57,580 | $27.68 |
| 3 | Nevada | $55,519 | $26.69 |
| 4 | New York | $62,193 | $29.90 |
| 5 | West Virginia | $47,408 | $22.79 |
| 6 | Rhode Island | $68,915 | $33.13 |
| 7 | District of Columbia | $66,763 | $32.10 |
| 8 | Virginia | $51,327 | $24.68 |
| 9 | Pennsylvania | $47,145 | $22.67 |
| 10 | New Mexico | $47,892 | $23.02 |
| 11 | Massachusetts | $49,384 | $23.74 |
| 12 | Vermont | $45,987 | $22.11 |
| 13 | North Dakota | $42,669 | $20.51 |
| 14 | Arizona | $45,845 | $22.04 |
| 15 | Michigan | $46,732 | $22.47 |
| 16 | New Hampshire | $47,989 | $23.07 |
| 17 | California | $56,626 | $27.22 |
| 18 | Maryland | $49,069 | $23.59 |
| 19 | New Jersey | $53,337 | $25.64 |
| 20 | Connecticut | $51,770 | $24.89 |
| 21 | Minnesota | $46,812 | $22.51 |
| 22 | North Carolina | $39,253 | $18.87 |
| 23 | Iowa | $37,945 | $18.24 |
| 24 | Indiana | $40,465 | $19.45 |
| 25 | Maine | $40,283 | $19.37 |
| 26 | Kentucky | $41,191 | $19.80 |
| 27 | Nebraska | $36,461 | $17.53 |
| 28 | Wisconsin | $42,209 | $20.29 |
| 29 | Florida | $36,614 | $17.60 |
| 30 | Arkansas | $37,405 | $17.98 |
| 31 | Oklahoma | $37,327 | $17.95 |
| 32 | Utah | $36,729 | $17.66 |
| 33 | Hawaii | $36,096 | $17.35 |
| 34 | Texas | $37,852 | $18.20 |
| 35 | Mississippi | $37,582 | $18.07 |
| 36 | Tennessee | $36,569 | $17.58 |
| 37 | Georgia | $36,701 | $17.64 |
| 38 | Wyoming | $32,370 | $15.56 |
| 39 | Oregon | $35,982 | $17.30 |
| 40 | Idaho | $36,587 | $17.59 |
| 41 | Colorado | $35,053 | $16.85 |
| 42 | Missouri | $36,796 | $17.69 |
| 43 | South Dakota | $31,480 | $15.13 |
| 44 | Louisiana | $33,036 | $15.88 |
| 45 | Washington | $37,274 | $17.92 |
| 46 | Montana | $32,361 | $15.56 |
| 47 | Ohio | $33,939 | $16.32 |
| 48 | Illinois | $35,777 | $17.20 |
| 49 | Alabama | $32,441 | $15.60 |
| 50 | South Carolina | $35,174 | $16.91 |
| 51 | Kansas | $30,134 | $14.49 |
Highest paying cities for park interpretive specialists
The highest-paying cities for park interpretive specialists are Dover, DE, Camarillo, CA, and Arlington, VA.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dover, DE | $69,486 | $33.41 |
| 2 | Camarillo, CA | $57,694 | $27.74 |
| 3 | Arlington, VA | $54,636 | $26.27 |
| 4 | Fall River, MA | $50,407 | $24.23 |
| 5 | Kalamazoo, MI | $44,506 | $21.40 |
| 6 | Wauwatosa, WI | $42,352 | $20.36 |
| 7 | West Lafayette, IN | $40,287 | $19.37 |
| 8 | Sugar Land, TX | $38,823 | $18.66 |
| 9 | Seattle, WA | $37,394 | $17.98 |
| 10 | Omaha, NE | $36,941 | $17.76 |
| 11 | Coral Gables, FL | $36,813 | $17.70 |
| 12 | Eugene, OR | $36,304 | $17.45 |
| 13 | Urban Honolulu, HI | $36,159 | $17.38 |
| 14 | Myrtle Beach, SC | $36,047 | $17.33 |
| 15 | Centennial, CO | $35,025 | $16.84 |
| 16 | Westerville, OH | $33,631 | $16.17 |
Park interpretive specialist salary details
A park interpretive specialist's salary ranges from $23,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $80,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a park interpretive specialist's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $80,000 | $6,667 | $38 |
| 75th Percentile | $60,000 | $5,000 | $29 |
| Average | $43,411 | $3,618 | $21 |
| 25th Percentile | $31,000 | $2,583 | $15 |
| 10th Percentile | $23,000 | $1,917 | $11 |
Highest paying park interpretive specialist jobs
The highest paying types of park interpretive specialists are specialist, interpretive naturalist, and park manager.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Naturalist | $42,363 | $3,530 | $20.37 | 6,913 |
| Park Manager | $42,985 | $3,582 | $20.67 | 3,090 |
| Park Ranger | $40,801 | $3,400 | $19.62 | 2,380 |
How would you rate the starting salaries for park interpretive specialists, as well as the prospects for salary advancement?
Dr. Kate Seltzer Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Rowan University
Top companies hiring park interpretive specialists now:
Which companies pay park interpretive specialists the most?
Park interpretive specialist salaries at Student Conservation Association and Toshiba America Business Solutions are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average park interpretive specialist salary at companies like Delaware State Government and University of Washington are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Student Conservation Association | $66,944 | $32.18 |
| 2 | Toshiba America Business Solutions | $63,608 | $30.58 |
| 3 | Delaware State Government | $58,519 | $28.13 |
| 4 | University of Washington | $52,486 | $25.23 |
| 5 | University of Nebraska at Omaha | $50,015 | $24.05 |
| 6 | University of Nebraska System | $46,369 | $22.29 |
| 7 | Denver Art Museum | $46,107 | $22.17 |
| 8 | National Captioning Institute | $45,088 | $21.68 |
| 9 | Vacasa | $43,188 | $20.76 |
| 10 | The State of Oregon | $37,226 | $17.90 |
| 11 | Douglas County | $36,449 | $17.52 |
| 12 | City of Aurora | $35,866 | $17.24 |
| 13 | City of Westerville | $35,748 | $17.19 |
| 14 | Indiana State Police | $35,428 | $17.03 |
| 15 | State of Colorado | $35,208 | $16.93 |
| 16 | City of Coral Gables | $34,494 | $16.58 |
| 17 | City of Eugene | $33,896 | $16.30 |
| 18 | Vail Resorts | $30,505 | $14.67 |
| 19 | Marriott International | $28,135 | $13.53 |
| 20 | Kalamazoo Valley Community College | $27,563 | $13.25 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Park Interpretive Specialist salary by industry
The average park interpretive specialist salary varies across industries:
- The average park interpretive specialist salary in the manufacturing industry is $43,711, the highest of any industry.
- The average park interpretive specialist salary in the finance industry is $43,333.
- Park interpretive specialists in the education industry earn an average salary of $31,065, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for park interpretive specialists
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Manufacturing | $43,711 | $21.01 |
| 2 | Non Profits | $43,333 | $20.83 |
| 3 | Government | $42,295 | $20.33 |
| 4 | Education | $31,065 | $14.94 |
High paying park interpretive specialist jobs
Park interpretive specialist salary trends
The average park interpretive specialist salary has risen by $3,045 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average park interpretive specialist earned $40,366 annually, but today, they earn $43,411 a year. That works out to a 4% change in pay for park interpretive specialists over the last decade.
Compare park interpretive specialist salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average park interpretive specialist salary over time
Compare park interpretive specialist salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Park interpretive specialist salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $43,400 | $20.87 | +2.1% |
| 2025 | $42,500 | $20.43 | +2.2% |
| 2024 | $41,600 | $19.99 | -0.3% |
| 2023 | $41,700 | $20.04 | -0.5% |
| 2022 | $41,900 | $20.15 | +1.1% |
Recently added park interpretive specialist salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Novo Nordisk | Cardiometabolic Care Specialist-HEP/GI-New Hyde Park New York | New Hyde Park, NY | 06/28/2025 | $118,000 |
| Education Realty Trust Inc. | Make Ready Specialist-Palomino Park | Highlands Ranch, CO | 06/25/2025 | $37,566 |
| Glenview Park District | Park Specialist-Athletic Fields Hourly) | Glenview, IL | 06/21/2025 | $63,048 |
| Skokie Park District | Park Specialist III-Horticulture | Skokie, IL | 06/15/2025 | $60,000 |
| Blue Valley School District | ASL Interpreter-Valley Park Elementary School | Overland Park, KS | 06/13/2025 | $62,067 |
| Jobs@Du | Parking Enforcement Specialist | Denver, CO | 06/12/2025 | $40,697 |
| Department of Conservation & Recreation | Park Interpreter 3C 90 Days STS (Erving SF) Summer 2025 | Rowe, MA | 06/05/2025 | $35,479 |
| State of Arkansas | Park Interpreter (49251) | Hot Springs, AR | 05/19/2025 | $32,405 |
| State of Arkansas | Park Interpreter (49250) | Pope, MS | 05/19/2025 | $32,405 |
| Innovative Integrative Health | Translation & Interpreting Specialist-Spanish | Anaheim, CA | 05/18/2025 | $43,827 |
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