Salary of a Law Enforcement Park Ranger
If you love the great outdoors and would like to have a career in law enforcement, carrying a gun without having to face the danger of busting down the doors in crack houses, then perhaps a career as a park ranger is just what you need. Park rangers are law enforcement officials who serve as fish and game wardens in America's public parks and wildlife refuges. The Bureau of Labor Statistics indicates that just over 7,200 game warden were employed in the United States in 2010. Salaries for these park rangers varied by location and by employer.
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Pay Scale
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Law enforcement park rangers earned an average annual salary of $55,650 per year as of May 2010, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The bureau indicates that these park rangers typically made salaries ranging from $31,130 to $81,250 on an annual basis. The median salary for those working in this field was $49,730 per year, while those in the middle half of the pay scale earned salaries that ranged from $37,770 to $62,100 per year.
Employers
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The salary of a law enforcement park rangers depends upon which type of governmental agency they work for. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that 6,330 fish and game wardens were employed by state governments in the United States in 2010. These park rangers made an average salary of $56,540 per year in 2010. The bureau also notes that another 910 were employed by local government agencies and got paid an average salary of $49,420 per year. The National Park Service indicates that starting salary for summer park rangers with a college degree is generally $18,687 per year, as of 2011. Permanent hires make a range of $20,908 to $31,680 per year. The U.S. Department of the Interior pays $36,658 to start and $41,729 after one year of service, as of 2011. Permanent hires make $46,542 or more, depending upon experience.
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Location
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Where the park ranger works also provides some indication as to how much he can expect to make. For instance, the Bureau of Labor Statistics indicates that park rangers in the states of Maryland, Nevada, Washington, Wisconsin and Texas made the highest average salaries of all park rangers nationwide. These rangers made an average salary in excess of $54,660 per year in 2010. Those employed in Georgia made an average salary of $33,010, while those employed in Florida made $40,500. The California State Parks Department indicates that park rangers make a monthly salary range from $3,344 to $5,265, or $40,128 to $63,180 per year, as of 2011.
Job Outlook
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The job outlook for those working in the law enforcement field appears to be positive, based on projections made by the Bureau of Labor Statistics for the period from 2008 to 2018. The bureau indicates that the number of jobs in law enforcement should grow by approximately 10 percent during this decade. This is considered an average rate of growth and it indicates steady job growth in this field. The bureau expects 8 percent job growth for those working as park rangers, which is also considered average growth and indicates that some opportunities should be available.
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References
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