How to Become a Park Ranger

U.S. national park rangers work as naturalists/interpreters, fee collectors and law enforcement officers. Their main responsibility is the safety of the millions of people who visit the parks each year, but they also interact with scientists on environmental issues within the parks.

Difficulty:

Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• CPR Certification Information
• NPS Seasonal Applications
• NPS Seasonal Law Enforcement Certification Information
• Academic Counselings
• Advanced First Aid Certification
• College Catalogs
• Individual School Requirements And Application
• Career Counseling
• Online Park Ranger Information

1. Realize that you'll need at least a bachelor's degree in park management, natural history, forestry, outdoor recreation or a related environmental field for a full-time entry-level position as a park ranger. Prior to that, you'll need to have worked for two to five years as a seasonal (part-time) ranger. The seasonal work will also allow you to make connections.

2. Maintain a high grade point average in high school, especially in the sciences.

3. Obtain college catalogs before your senior year and apply to colleges that offer degrees such as those mentioned earlier.

4. Request applications for seasonal work from the National Park Service after you're in a college degree program (see Tips for contact information). You'll need to have certifications in at least CPR and advanced first aid.

5. Receive a seasonal law enforcement certification if you want to be a seasonal law enforcement ranger. This requires approximately 300 hours of training, which can be provided through courses offered by many community colleges.

6. Include a related science minor in your undergraduate work so that you'll stand out when you apply for a full-time park ranger position.

Tips & Warnings

• For a seasonal work application, write to Seasonal Employment Program, Human Resources Office, National Park Service, P.O. Box 37127, Mail Stop 2225, Washington, DC 20013-7127; [phone]; [e-mail].

• Consider obtaining a master's degree in an environmental field to greatly improve your chances of being hired for the best positions of the NPS.

• You need to exude authority to be a good ranger, and you must be able to wear many hats.

• Competition is now fierce for park ranger positions, due to recent budget cuts. You may be assigned to several different areas of the country during your career.

• Be willing to consider work as a park ranger in state or local parks or in related fields, at least temporarily.