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Forest Ranger salary
Average forest ranger salary
$41,431
How much does a forest ranger make?
The average forest ranger salary in the United States is $41,431. Forest ranger salaries typically range between $23,000 and $72,000 yearly. The average hourly rate for forest rangers is $19.92 per hour.
Forest ranger salary is impacted by location, education, and experience. Forest rangers earn the highest average salary in Pennsylvania.
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Where can a Forest Ranger earn more?
Forest Ranger Salaries By Experience Level
Experience Level  | Avg. Salary | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level forest ranger | $33,600 | $16.16 |
| Mid-level forest ranger | $39,800 | $19.11 |
| Senior-level forest ranger | $44,500 | $21.38 |
Forest Ranger salary estimates from across the web
Average forest ranger salary by state
Highest paying states for forest rangers
| Rank | State | Avg. Salary | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alaska | $44,044 | $21.18 |
| 2 | Pennsylvania | $50,685 | $24.37 |
| 3 | Virginia | $46,164 | $22.19 |
| 4 | Arizona | $43,436 | $20.88 |
| 5 | Rhode Island | $45,008 | $21.64 |
| 6 | North Carolina | $39,417 | $18.95 |
| 7 | Connecticut | $45,907 | $22.07 |
| 8 | Delaware | $45,221 | $21.74 |
| 9 | New York | $44,637 | $21.46 |
| 10 | New Jersey | $44,839 | $21.56 |
| 11 | Massachusetts | $38,595 | $18.56 |
| 12 | Michigan | $38,321 | $18.42 |
| 13 | Maine | $35,107 | $16.88 |
| 14 | New Hampshire | $42,346 | $20.36 |
| 15 | Minnesota | $41,057 | $19.74 |
| 16 | Wyoming | $32,892 | $15.81 |
| 17 | West Virginia | $33,777 | $16.24 |
| 18 | Nevada | $34,953 | $16.80 |
| 19 | Alabama | $35,679 | $17.15 |
| 20 | Florida | $35,262 | $16.95 |
| 21 | Vermont | $40,631 | $19.53 |
| 22 | District of Columbia | $43,171 | $20.76 |
| 23 | Maryland | $38,646 | $18.58 |
| 24 | Ohio | $33,901 | $16.30 |
| 25 | New Mexico | $32,944 | $15.84 |
| 26 | Tennessee | $31,007 | $14.91 |
| 27 | Washington | $33,699 | $16.20 |
| 28 | Wisconsin | $32,662 | $15.70 |
| 29 | Texas | $34,311 | $16.50 |
| 30 | North Dakota | $32,619 | $15.68 |
| 31 | Hawaii | $31,469 | $15.13 |
| 32 | Illinois | $34,962 | $16.81 |
| 33 | Kentucky | $29,927 | $14.39 |
| 34 | Iowa | $32,756 | $15.75 |
| 35 | California | $34,285 | $16.48 |
| 36 | Arkansas | $29,925 | $14.39 |
| 37 | Oregon | $33,136 | $15.93 |
| 38 | Indiana | $31,276 | $15.04 |
| 39 | Mississippi | $28,066 | $13.49 |
| 40 | Louisiana | $29,756 | $14.31 |
| 41 | Kansas | $29,560 | $14.21 |
| 42 | South Dakota | $29,458 | $14.16 |
| 43 | Montana | $27,205 | $13.08 |
| 44 | Idaho | $25,344 | $12.18 |
| 45 | South Carolina | $28,805 | $13.85 |
| 46 | Utah | $25,432 | $12.23 |
| 47 | Georgia | $28,729 | $13.81 |
| 48 | Oklahoma | $27,680 | $13.31 |
| 49 | Colorado | $25,508 | $12.26 |
| 50 | Missouri | $27,746 | $13.34 |
| 51 | Nebraska | $27,556 | $13.25 |
Highest paying cities for forest rangers
The highest-paying cities for forest rangers are Dover, DE, Saint Cloud, MN, and Fort Myers, FL.
| Rank | City | Avg. Salary | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dover, DE | $45,057 | $21.66 |
| 2 | Saint Cloud, MN | $41,417 | $19.91 |
| 3 | Fort Myers, FL | $36,276 | $17.44 |
| 4 | Palmdale, CA | $34,616 | $16.64 |
| 5 | Hilliard, OH | $33,209 | $15.97 |
| 6 | Pine Bluff, AR | $30,222 | $14.53 |
| 7 | Milton, GA | $28,815 | $13.85 |
Forest Ranger salary details
A forest ranger's salary ranges from $23,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $72,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a forest ranger's salary?
| Percentile | Annual Salary | Monthly Salary | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $72,000 | $6,000 | $35 |
| 75th Percentile | $55,000 | $4,583 | $26 |
| Average | $41,431 | $3,453 | $20 |
| 25th Percentile | $30,000 | $2,500 | $14 |
| 10th Percentile | $23,000 | $1,917 | $11 |
Highest paying forest ranger jobs
The highest paying types of forest rangers are hot shot, fire crew specialist, and forest fire warden.
| Job Title | Annual Salary | Monthly Salary | Hourly Rate | Job Openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ranger | $32,117 | $2,676 | $15.44 | 748 |
| Park Ranger | $40,801 | $3,400 | $19.62 | 2,380 |
Top companies hiring forest rangers now:
Which companies pay forest rangers the most?
Forest ranger salaries at Americorps and Maine are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average forest ranger salary at companies like State Of Florida and My Florida Regional Mls are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average Salary | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Americorps | $37,639 | $18.10 |
| 2 | Maine | $34,244 | $16.46 |
| 3 | State Of Florida | $31,787 | $15.28 |
| 4 | My Florida Regional Mls | $31,693 | $15.24 |
| 5 | Florida Department of Transportation | $31,328 | $15.06 |
| 6 | Florida Dept. of Health | $30,970 | $14.89 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Forest Ranger salary trends
The average forest ranger salary has risen by $5,588 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average forest ranger earned $35,843 annually, but today, they earn $41,431 a year. That works out to a 9% change in pay for forest rangers over the last decade.
Compare forest ranger salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average forest ranger salary over time
Compare forest ranger salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
- National Average
- Columbus, OH
Forest Ranger salary by year
| Year | Avg. Salary | Hourly Rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $41,400 | $19.92 | +3.1% |
| 2024 | $40,100 | $19.29 | +2.4% |
| 2023 | $39,200 | $18.83 | +1.1% |
| 2022 | $38,700 | $18.62 | +2.1% |
| 2021 | $37,900 | $18.22 | +2.4% |
Recently added forest ranger salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date Added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| State of Maine | Agency Transfers Only-Forest Ranger II-Seven Positions-Numerous Locations | Benton, ME | 12/14/2024 | $53,726 |
| State of Maine, Bureau of Human Resources | Agency Transfers Only-Forest Ranger II-Seven Positions-Numerous Locations | Benton, ME | 12/14/2024 | $53,726 |
| State of Florida | Senior Forest Ranger-42002302 (FOR Internal Agency Employees Only) | Ocala, FL | 12/12/2024 | $44,990 |
| Arkansas | Forest Ranger I | Little Rock, AR | 12/11/2024 | $32,405 |
| Myflorida | Senior Forest Ranger-42002302 (FOR Internal Agency Employees Only) | Ocala, FL | 12/11/2024 | $44,990 |
| Oklahoma AG | Forest Ranger | Rattan, OK | 11/27/2024 | $44,516 |
| State of Oklahoma | Forest Ranger | Cole, OK | 11/27/2024 | $40,509 |
| State of Arkansas | Forest Ranger I (B102C) | De Queen, AR | 11/23/2024 | $32,405 |
| Arkansas Government Job | Forest Ranger I (B102C) | De Queen, AR | 11/22/2024 | $32,405 |
| Arkansas | Forest Ranger I | Little Rock, AR | 10/24/2024 | $32,405 |
Forest Ranger salary FAQs
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