Re: Forest Rangers (pay, level of education, competitiveness of market, placement)?

Question

I am a recent PhD graduate in Psychology, but all I've ever wanted to do is live in the Sierras, specifically, in a small town called June Lake. There is little to no work in this town, and it and the neighboring towns have become exorbitantly expensive to live in. I love the outdoors and have toyed with being a forest ranger for years now. Can someone please tell me what the educational requirements are, what the pay is, how difficult it is to find a job, and whether or not rangers can pick their area to some degree? It would only be worth it to me if I could work in or near Inyo National Forest. If any rangers have personal thoughts on their jobs for someone who probably romanticizes it terribly, I'd love to hear. And if anyone has a link to a useful website, I would love that as well. I don't expect to be rich - college professors only make 50k at my level which doesn't go far in Cali! - I just want to be happy.

Thank you for your time and assistance!

Answer 1

I recently lived in the Lee Vining, just north of June Lake for 2 years as a wildlife biologist.  It is an amazing area that I fell in love with but my job ended and I had to leave.  The job market is scarce except for tourist industry jobs in the summer and ski resort jobs in the winter.  Permant, year-round jobs are few and far between.  Especially with the FS, the current administration has crippled the forest service in recent years and many long-term FS employees have been laid-off.  Also, permanent jobs are strictly for people with experience in the field.  

The only way to enter the field is to first take a seasonal job or volunteer for a summer and work your way up.  Field jobs are not for everyone and there is a weeding out process.  Summers in the Sierras offer many seasonal opportunities with the FS and other organizations.  I recommend contacting the Mammoth Lakes Forest Service Station for advice in finding local positions.

Good luck!!  I miss the Eastern Sierras!!

Answer 2

I hate to dash your dreams, but first off, pay is not so good for Forest Rangers (the very top jobs are about 90K).

Most important though, they do not get to pick where they would like to work.  For the really popular spots Forest Rangers generally only get a two year tour of duty in that spot, before they are transfered to another spot.

However if you are foot loose, and fancy free (not married, not kids, no house/car payment) you might want to concider working for the Forest Service for a year.  Every summer they higher a lot of college students for the summer tourist crunch.

You might work at the Grand Canyon shoveling mule manure for the mules that trail ride to the bottom of the canyon, or you might end up cleaning a whole lot of bathrooms, and making the rounds of trash cans.

However you will be working in a beautiful environment (even if it is "scut" work).  You will get to see some of the U.S.  You will probably sleep in dorm type rooms, several people to a room.  The pay will be poor, the memories will be priceless and last your lifetime.

These are Government jobs.  You need to hit those kind of web-sites.  I'm sorry I do not have a link.  I just checked into when I was a teen, and serriously thinking about traveling the U.S. for a few years working for the Forest Rangers.

Want a job that pays well?  This is going to sound weird!  Learn to drive a truck (semi).  Contract with the Forest Service, and beg borrow or steal (just kidding) the down payment for a water tanker truck.

Then anyplace there is a forest fire, you can go, because your contracted with the Forest Service.  In one summers work, you can make over 100K.  No I'm not kidding.  

How do I know?  My husband use to be a helicopter mechanic, and worked the forest fires.  The water tenders (tanker truck drivers) are making 2K a day....sometimes more.

~Garnet

Homesteading/Farming over 20 years

Answer 3

You would definitely have to go back to school and earn at least a Bachelor of Science degree in Forestry or another closely related topic.  You can try and go for seasonal jobs in that area..but even those require a degree most of the time.  I worked up in the Sierras as a biologist/ornithologist for 5 months a couple years ago.  Absolutely LOVED it up there..gorgeous!!!  We lived in Truckee..but had study sites all over the area..some as far as Quincy.  If you get lucky, you might be able to get some courses behind you than start applying for internships and seasonal work during the spring seasons while you work your way through school.  Experience is going to play a big part in what job you eventually get.  Seasonal work pays close to nothing ..but the experience is of great value.  It could be a long while before you are able to find a full time job in this field.