Park Aide (Fields Spring) Winter Season
Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission
Anatone, WA
$18.70 – $24.14 per hour
SeasonalHousing
Park Ranger Jobs
3 open listings · updated Oct 9, 2026
Median posted pay $20.10/hr (8 listings) · 27% include housing · Pay Report
Park ranger jobs run from seasonal park aide work at a state park entrance station to commissioned law enforcement rangers who patrol a district year round. Federal parks call the interpretive side park guide; states use park aide, park technician, park ranger and interpretive ranger, and the title tells you more about the pay band than the work.
More About Park Ranger Jobs
The pay spread is wide and it is public. In September 2026 the National Park Service posted Park Guide openings at $40,736 to $52,957 a year. Washington State Parks listed a fully commissioned Park Ranger 3 at $69,348 to $93,288 a year with park housing, and Colorado Parks and Wildlife posted a Park Ranger Trainee at $59,460. Seasonal entry work pays hourly: California State Parks pays park aides $17.38 to $20.69 an hour, Alaska pays a Park Technician 1 $27.46 an hour, and Wyoming pays seasonal park aides $12.00 to $12.50.
Law enforcement rangers are a separate track. New Mexico’s associate law enforcement park ranger posting pays $22.62 to $33.93 an hour and requires academy training; Colorado runs a limited commission ranger internship at $20.00 an hour that is the usual way in.
Housing shows up more often than in most outdoor work, because parks are remote and rangers are expected to live on site. Read seasonal staff housing rules before you accept a park unit. Federal park jobs are posted on USAJOBS and open in waves — see Forest Service seasonal jobs for how the federal seasonal hiring cycle works, and the outdoor job hiring calendar for when state parks post.
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Interpretive Ranger – Absaroka District
Wyoming State Parks and Cultural ResourcesMoorcroft, WY$29.76 HourlyFull-timeHousing -
Park Ranger 3 – Central Lakes Area (Fully Commissioned)
Washington State Parks and Recreation CommissionWA$69,348.00 – $93,288.00 AnnuallyFull-timeHousing
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Recently Filled (9) These employers hire. Watch for their next listing.
Park Aide (Seasonal) – Mount San Jacinto State Park
California Department of Parks and RecreationPalm Springs, CA$17.38 – $20.69 per HourSeasonalClosedRecreation Manager – Lewis and Clark Caverns State Park
Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and ParksWhitehall, MT$34.34 – $38.44 per hourFull-timeClosedNatural Resources Specialist (Park Ranger)
U.S. Army Corps of EngineersRiverdale, ND$50,460 – $95,969 per yearFull-timeClosedPark Aide (Seasonal) – Calaveras Big Trees State Park
California Department of Parks and RecreationArnold, CA$17.38 – $20.69 per HourSeasonalClosedPark Ranger Trainee
Colorado Parks and WildlifeDenver, CO$59,460.00 AnnuallyFull-timeClosedPark Technician 1 – Delta Junction
Alaska Department of Natural Resources, Division of Parks and Outdoor RecreationDelta Junction, AK$27.46 HourlyFull-timeClosedAssociate Law Enforcement Park Ranger – Fenton Lake State Park
New Mexico Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department, State Parks DivisionJemez Springs, NM$22.62 – $33.93 HourlyFull-timeClosedPark Guide (Field Unit Local Hiring Authority)
National Park ServiceWest Yellowstone, MT$40,736 – $52,957 per yearSeasonalClosedPark Ranger 2 – Silver Falls State Park
Oregon Parks and Recreation DepartmentSublimity, OR$4,312 – $5,988Full-timeClosed
Questions About Park Ranger Jobs
How many park ranger jobs are open right now?
11 listings are live on WildWork as of October 9, 2026. 11 state their pay and 3 include housing.
What do park ranger jobs pay?
The median posted rate is $20.10/hr across 8 current listings that state pay in that unit, with posted rates from $12.25/hr to $29.76/hr. These are advertised rates; tips, overtime and room and board are extra where the listing says so.
Do park ranger jobs come with housing?
27% of current listings say the employer provides housing, free or at a charge, and 0% include meals. Each listing shows whether housing is included and what it costs when the employer says.
Do you need a degree to be a park ranger?
Not for seasonal park aide and park technician work, which state agencies fill on general work experience. Interpretive and law enforcement ranger jobs are different: New Mexico’s associate law enforcement park ranger posting requires a commission and academy training, and federal park guide announcements score education and experience together on USAJOBS.
How much do park rangers make?
It depends on whether the job is seasonal or commissioned. In September 2026, California State Parks paid park aides $17.38 to $20.69 an hour, Alaska paid a Park Technician 1 $27.46 an hour, the National Park Service posted Park Guide roles at $40,736 to $52,957 a year, and Washington State Parks posted a fully commissioned Park Ranger 3 at $69,348 to $93,288 a year.
Is housing provided?
Often, but not always, and it is usually deducted from pay. Washington’s Park Ranger 3 posting lists park housing, and Wyoming’s Absaroka District interpretive ranger job includes housing. Seasonal park aide postings in California and Wyoming did not include it. Ask what the rent and utility deduction is before you accept.
What is the difference between a park guide and a park ranger?
Park guide is the federal title for interpretation — leading tours, staffing visitor centers and answering questions. Park ranger at the state level can mean the same interpretive work, maintenance and fee collection, or a fully commissioned law enforcement position, depending on the state and the pay band.
How do you get a commissioned ranger job?
Usually through a trainee or internship track. Colorado Parks and Wildlife runs a limited commission ranger internship at $20.00 an hour and a Park Ranger Trainee position at $59,460 a year, and both are designed to carry people into the commissioned ranger series.
Sources: USAJOBS, National Park Service Park Guide announcement; Washington state careers, Park Ranger 3 — Central Lakes Area; Colorado state careers, Park Ranger Trainee; CalCareers, Park Aide (Seasonal), California State Parks; Wyoming state careers, Seasonal Park Aide — Sinks Canyon State Park; New Mexico state careers, Associate Law Enforcement Park Ranger.