PublicPay

Park Ranger federal salary series 0025

Full-time federal employees in the Park Ranger series earned a median of $70,623 in annualized adjusted basic pay in September 2026, 36% below the all-federal median of $109,641. The middle half earned between $50,460 and $92,107.

Median pay
$70,623
full-time, September 2026
Middle 50%
$50,460–$92,107
25th–75th percentile
Employees
5,107
in this series, all schedules
Change in median
-1.7%
vs. September 2025
Pay distribution, full-time employees with published pay, September 2026
Park Ranger
All federal (full-time)

What shapes park ranger pay

The most common grade with published pay is GS-5 (1,223 employees, median $40,736). The largest employer of this series with published pay is the Department of the Interior (4,875 employees). Among states with at least 30 full-time employees with published pay, the median is highest in District of Columbia ($91,145) and lowest in Montana ($40,736), a gap that partly reflects locality pay differences. Federal pay depends mostly on grade and step, plus a locality adjustment for where the job is located; see the GS pay scale explainer.

Park Ranger pay by grade

Grades with at least 30 full-time employees with published pay. GS grades are listed first; other pay plans follow.

Park Ranger pay by grade
Pay plan–grade Employees Median pay Middle 50%
GS-5 1,223 $40,736 $40,736–$45,785
GS-7 745 $55,506 $50,460–$57,188
GS-9 891 $72,737 $67,376–$79,351
GS-11 669 $89,539 $83,146–$96,003
GS-12 372 $106,309 $99,783–$114,393
GS-13 239 $127,725 $118,351–$138,000
GS-14 160 $153,188 $142,549–$166,127
GS-15 69 $186,952 $172,604–$197,200
GL-7 63 $60,261 $58,771–$66,083
GL-9 599 $76,313 $70,813–$84,579

middle 50% (25th–75th percentile) 10th–90th percentile median all-federal median ($109,641)

Park Ranger pay by agency

Park Ranger pay by agency
Agency Employees Median pay Middle 50%
Department of the Interior 4,875 $70,623 $50,460–$92,107

middle 50% (25th–75th percentile) 10th–90th percentile median all-federal median ($109,641)

Park Ranger pay by state

The 10 states with the most employees in this series and published pay.

Park Ranger pay by state
State Employees Median pay Middle 50%
California 575 $68,632 $47,490–$94,445
Wyoming 305 $50,460 $40,736–$74,005
Alaska 277 $57,055 $46,060–$92,885
Utah 268 $50,460 $40,736–$69,909
Colorado 228 $56,262 $50,460–$87,152
Washington 215 $56,715 $45,785–$83,935
New York 193 $76,202 $59,465–$94,563
Arizona 184 $71,890 $55,506–$88,629
Virginia 180 $82,396 $63,266–$102,475
Pennsylvania 163 $85,620 $70,280–$100,157

middle 50% (25th–75th percentile) 10th–90th percentile median all-federal median ($109,641)

Compare park ranger pay across all states and agencies →

Change since September 2025

The median moved −1.7% from $71,810 in September 2025 to $70,623 in September 2026. Headcount went from 4,849 to 5,107 (+5.3%). A change in the median reflects both pay adjustments and who joined or left the workforce, so it is not the same as a pay raise.

Related occupations in Miscellaneous Occupations Group