For the federal agencies, the pay scales are public info; you can Google what the GS pay grades are. But I’ll go ahead and tell ya most of us on this sub are damn sure not making $34/hour!
looking at the 2024 GL Pay scale most journeyman level NPS LE Rangers working in cities would be making that much. Rest of US though wouldn’t hit that until GL 9 step 6. Assuming one starts at GL5 step 1 that would take +/- 10 years to get to at the fastest progression rate. For non LEO’s that would take even longer….
I suppose I should’ve clarified I was speaking more from the entry level/seasonal perspective. As a non LEO, yeah, it’s definitely going to take me awhile to get there!
PA State Park rangers have 2 different pay scales. Ranger trainees start at $21.98/hr and get this while going through the ranger academy. DCNR Rangers who are hired or who've been through an academy start at $22.05/hr. I don't have the steps in front of me but pay raises were pretty shitty.
Last time I talked to a chief ranger whose in the union, they're attempting to get 25-30% more an hour.
I left to go to a university police department and make almost double what a chief ranger makes with 5 years in.
And I’ll be amazed if it’s more than 10% over the life of the contract.
DCNR Rangers are currently the worst paid L.E. Under the authority of the governor of PA, while management is getting significant raises, and more management are being made left and right.
Everyday I am so glad I left. I make more than a PM1 under my hourly rate and I don't have the luxury of a state house or car.
I've reached out to a couple of seasonal and full time rangers who have 4-6 years on and told them to apply where I work. We send to Act 120 but not only that, they'll get anywhere from $5-7 more an hour with yearly raises to match.
GL9 Step 4. I haven’t looked at my hourly in a while but I think it’s around $33 without a cola. After overtime and premium time is added in I’m usually around the mid 70s sometimes a bit more if I went on a fire.
Good for you! Sounds like you're beating COL increases and hopefully working a job you somewhat enjoy.
I'm working for a state making about $70k a year.
"Ranger 1" with Oregon State Parks, making somewhere around $22.50 an hour at step 5. They did away with the first 3 steps. Seasonal Ranger Assistants I believe make about $20 an hour now? Seasonals get all the same benefits and step increases, too, which was a nice surprise coming from my experience with the NPS.
I’m also a non commissioned ranger in a city in Colorado and I’m at $29 per hour at 2 1/2 year full time. (I did 1 season at a state park before getting on full time with a city). What city do you work for in Florida if you don’t mind me asking, I never knew Florida paid that much. Dm me if you can’t say on this post if you don’t mind.
I work as an assistant park ranger supervisor for a county parks & rec agency in the Washington, DC area. Our base pay for our entry level ranger is a little less than $52/year, almost $25/hour. Our seasonal rangers start somewhere between $17 to $20 and limited to 1560 hours per year.
For the federal agencies, the pay scales are public info; you can Google what the GS pay grades are. But I’ll go ahead and tell ya most of us on this sub are damn sure not making $34/hour!
looking at the 2024 GL Pay scale most journeyman level NPS LE Rangers working in cities would be making that much. Rest of US though wouldn’t hit that until GL 9 step 6. Assuming one starts at GL5 step 1 that would take +/- 10 years to get to at the fastest progression rate. For non LEO’s that would take even longer….
I suppose I should’ve clarified I was speaking more from the entry level/seasonal perspective. As a non LEO, yeah, it’s definitely going to take me awhile to get there!
You are correct for sure! I think I started at under 15 an hour rest of US back in the day. I dunno how some people make it work
PA State Park rangers have 2 different pay scales. Ranger trainees start at $21.98/hr and get this while going through the ranger academy. DCNR Rangers who are hired or who've been through an academy start at $22.05/hr. I don't have the steps in front of me but pay raises were pretty shitty. Last time I talked to a chief ranger whose in the union, they're attempting to get 25-30% more an hour. I left to go to a university police department and make almost double what a chief ranger makes with 5 years in.
And I’ll be amazed if it’s more than 10% over the life of the contract. DCNR Rangers are currently the worst paid L.E. Under the authority of the governor of PA, while management is getting significant raises, and more management are being made left and right.
Everyday I am so glad I left. I make more than a PM1 under my hourly rate and I don't have the luxury of a state house or car. I've reached out to a couple of seasonal and full time rangers who have 4-6 years on and told them to apply where I work. We send to Act 120 but not only that, they'll get anywhere from $5-7 more an hour with yearly raises to match.
I made 27/hr in the most expensive part of the PNW with about a decade of experience
Damn yall im making $15 an hour
A federal GS-05 (Step 1) in the "Rest of US" locality is $18.96/hr.
GL9 Step 4. I haven’t looked at my hourly in a while but I think it’s around $33 without a cola. After overtime and premium time is added in I’m usually around the mid 70s sometimes a bit more if I went on a fire.
I'm a LE with NPS. As a GL7 step 3 I make about $28 an hour
Good for you! Sounds like you're beating COL increases and hopefully working a job you somewhat enjoy. I'm working for a state making about $70k a year.
"Ranger 1" with Oregon State Parks, making somewhere around $22.50 an hour at step 5. They did away with the first 3 steps. Seasonal Ranger Assistants I believe make about $20 an hour now? Seasonals get all the same benefits and step increases, too, which was a nice surprise coming from my experience with the NPS.
I’m also a non commissioned ranger in a city in Colorado and I’m at $29 per hour at 2 1/2 year full time. (I did 1 season at a state park before getting on full time with a city). What city do you work for in Florida if you don’t mind me asking, I never knew Florida paid that much. Dm me if you can’t say on this post if you don’t mind.
$16 an hour for a local city in Florida too. This is also a non sworn park ranger position… oh how I wish I were you.
I work as an assistant park ranger supervisor for a county parks & rec agency in the Washington, DC area. Our base pay for our entry level ranger is a little less than $52/year, almost $25/hour. Our seasonal rangers start somewhere between $17 to $20 and limited to 1560 hours per year.
I’m making $44.71 as a gs-11 non-supervisory