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State or federal? I'd guess feds pay better, but wildlife is generally the states' purview so they have more jobs. I've worked with many rangers over the years and they...mostly...love their jobs. Not sure about pay, I'm thinking mid-30s to get started but I know that can go much higher as you progress. There's demand in remote rural locations which you'd probably have to accept just to get your foot in the door unless you know the president or a governor. That said, the number of applicants has also dropped off dramatically over time. If I recall, in the 70's, Colorado DOW positions attracted 100+ applicants, but now it's usually under 20, or even 10. Also gotta be comfortable with not being the most popular person around. I worked with a lot of ranchers in my area where the bush pig (I promise I use that word affectionately) was handing out tickets for killing rattlesnakes out of season, and the feedback wasn't exactly positive. Keep in mind it can be rather dangerous just in the sense that you'd spend most of your time in the middle of nowhere confronting people who are usually also armed (and drunk) so you gotta be good at independently taking control of bad situations. But the officers were often involved in our conservation/land management projects as well, so you get both sides of it. I've seen a few of these positions offer free housing in the remote locations so the officers didn't even have a rent/mortgage payment...that's a huge monetary benefit. But, if it's really a good match for your personality and interests, you won't be too concerned about the pay. You can sometimes volunteer to assist the rangers with specific things like opening day of a hunting season, then you could get a taste of what it's actually like. I did that while getting my wildlife B.S. and found I didn't like it :)

Being A Park Ranger

It can be a great job. You should definitely consider getting a college degree if you don't have one. Some good majors include agronomy, animal science, criminal justice, environmental science, fisheries or wildlife management, forestry, geography, geology, and zoology. Some other job titles that might interest you include animal cruelty investigator, conservation officer, and humane law enforcement officer. You might be interested in federal jobs such as game warden, Uniformed Law Enforcement officer for the United States Forrest Service or Special Agent, Wildlife Inspector for the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, or Special Agent for the Environmental Protection Agency. Consider local, state, and federal jobs. Law enforcement officer pay varies, sometimes a lot, depending on the agency. Law enforcement officer pay can also depend on things such as years of service, rank, how much education an officer has, and overtime. When considering pay, you should also consider benefits and cost of living. Best of luck!

I dont think there are going to be any Parks left to work in soon. It seems that a homeland security officer is going to be the only law enforcement job available soon.

it is really nice job.It also helps to be a nature lover in good physical shape who enjoys working outdoors.