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Career

Park Naturalists

Typical education: Bachelor's degreeLower pressure

What they do

Plan, develop, and conduct programs to inform public of historical, natural, and scientific features of national, state, or local park.

Kinds of work

  • Social: Helping, teaching, caring for and supporting other people.
  • Realistic: Hands-on work with tools, machines, plants or animals, often outdoors.
  • Investigative: Science, research, figuring out how things work and solving complex problems.

Lower pressure: How much pressure workers in this job report: deadlines, conflict, dealing with upset people, the cost of mistakes, responsibility for others' safety, competition and long hours. It varies a lot from one employer to the next. Source: U.S. Department of Labor worker surveys.

Pay, tasks and more

Salary

United States $73,010 Median per year · $35.10/hr Most earn $47,550–$110,410

BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2025.

What you might do

  • Perform emergency duties to protect human life, government property, and natural features of park.
  • Plan and develop audio-visual devices for public programs.
  • Survey park to determine forest conditions and distribution and abundance of fauna and flora.
  • Train staff and volunteers on park programs.
  • Provide care for park program animals.
  • Take photographs and motion pictures for use in lectures and publications and to develop displays.

Job outlook

United States
5% more jobs by 2035, faster than average · about 2,100 openings a year

Openings include new jobs and jobs left by workers who retire or change careers. Projections: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. "Bright Outlook": U.S. Department of Labor.

Where they work

  • Federal government, excluding postal service26.9%
  • Local government, excluding education and hospitals21.1%
  • Social advocacy organizations20.0%
  • State government, excluding education and hospitals18.7%
  • Management, scientific, and technical consulting services3.8%

Share of all workers in this career. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, National Employment Matrix.

Experience before this job: 2 to 4 years

Career path

How people usually get into this career, from school to their first job and beyond.

Typical education: Bachelor's degreeExperience before this job: 2 to 4 years

Park Naturalist is not usually an entry-level job. Most people earn a bachelor's degree and then spend about 2 to 4 years in related park, recreation, or education work before landing this role, so the full path often takes around 6 to 8 years.

  1. Bachelor's degree in environmental science, biology, natural resources, or parks and recreation

    4 years

    You build the science and public-speaking base that park naturalists use every day, and you can get seasonal park experience during breaks.

  2. Recreation Worker

    2-3 years

    Working as a seasonal park aide, recreation leader, or interpretive assistant teaches you to run group programs and talk with visitors of all ages, which is the core of the naturalist job.

  3. Park Naturalist

    2-4 years of related experience before this role

    You plan and lead programs that explain the history, wildlife, and science of a park to the public, using the skills you built in school and on the job.

Where it can lead

  1. Lead Park Naturalist

    3-5 years of experience first

    You take charge of a team of interpreters, plan the program schedule for a park, and train newer staff, which means showing strong leadership along with your teaching skills.

  2. Conservation Scientist

    1-2 years of experience first

    You shift from teaching the public to studying and managing land and resources, which usually requires stronger research skills and often more science coursework.

What you can do now

Ideas for high school and college students.

In high school

  • Take biology, earth science, and environmental scienceThese classes give you the scientific background that park programs about wildlife, ecosystems, and local geology depend on.
  • Join a nature, science, or environmental clubClub projects help you practice working in a group and sharing what you learn with others.
  • Volunteer at a local park, nature center, or wildlife refugeHelping with trail work, school tours, or visitor questions shows you what park work is really like.
  • Get a summer job at a camp, recreation center, or library programWorking with groups of people helps you build the patience and communication skills needed to lead programs.

In college

  • Major in environmental science, biology, natural resources, or parks and recreationA bachelor's degree in one of these fields is the usual education for this career, and it matches the science knowledge the job needs.
  • Work as a seasonal park aide, recreation leader, or interpretive assistantPaid seasonal work builds the experience that employers expect, and it can lead directly to a naturalist job later.
  • Take public speaking, education, or communication classesClear speaking and teaching skills are at the heart of planning and leading programs for visitors.
  • Get certified in wilderness first aid or CPRMany park jobs ask for safety training, and having it already shows you are ready to work outdoors with the public.
  • Join an outdoor, conservation, or campus nature clubLeading trips or events in a club gives you practice planning activities and working with groups, which you will do often as a naturalist.

Tips for getting started

  • Get seasonal or volunteer work at a park, nature center, or museum early. Hands-on time with visitors is what hiring managers look for, and it counts toward the experience this career usually requires.
  • Practice public speaking and storytelling. Give short talks at school, join a debate or drama club, or lead a nature walk for a youth group, because this career is mostly about explaining things clearly to people.
  • Keep a simple portfolio of programs you have led, including photos, lesson plans, and feedback. It makes job applications stronger when you have little formal work history yet.

Related jobs that often lead here

Education, experience and related careers: U.S. Department of Labor. The step-by-step path, where it can lead and what you can do now were written by AI as typical examples; many people take other ways.

College majors that lead here

Majors: U.S. Department of Education and BLS (CIP–SOC crosswalk). Earnings and debt: College Scorecard, typical across U.S. colleges.

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