Range Managers
Research or study range land management practices to provide sustained production of forage, livestock, and wildlife.
Also called: Conservationist · Land Management Supervisor · Natural Resource Manager · Natural Resource Specialist · Range Management Specialist · Range Technician
Median pay (national)
$67,950
$45,260–$107,720 (10th–90th)
Employed (US)
25,590
BLS OEWS, May 2024
Outlook 2024–34
+3.4%
~2,500 openings/yr
Typical entry
Bachelor's degree
What the numbers say
Refit analysis ·Pay for range managers shows a broad range: the top 10% earn $107,720 versus $45,260 at the bottom 10% — 2.4x. The median of $67,950 leaves roughly 59% of headroom to the 90th percentile, which is where seniority, specialization, and the skills below tend to pay off.
Refit analysis ·Employment is projected to change +3.4% from 2024 to 2034 — about as fast as the 3% all-occupation average. Even so, BLS projects about 2,500 openings a year, mostly to replace workers who retire or change careers.
Refit analysis ·Where you work moves the number a lot. Across the 50 states with released data, Oregon pays the most for this role (median $86,170, +27% vs the national median), while Kansas sits lowest at $45,880 — a 88% spread for the same job title.
Refit analysis ·O*NET rates Active Listening, Reading Comprehension, Speaking as the highest-importance skills here — so a resume aimed at this role should lead with evidence of those, not a generic skills list.
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Top skills employers ask for
Ranked by O*NET importance for this occupation.
- Active Listening
- Reading Comprehension
- Speaking
- Critical Thinking
- Monitoring
- Writing
- Active Learning
- Mathematics
- Science
- Learning Strategies
What they actually do
Core O*NET tasks for this role.
- Regulate grazing, such as by issuing permits and checking for compliance with standards, and help ranchers plan and organize grazing systems to manage, improve, protect, and maximize the use of rangelands.
- Manage forage resources through fire, herbicide use, or revegetation to maintain a sustainable yield from the land.
- Coordinate with federal land managers and other agencies and organizations to manage and protect rangelands.
- Measure and assess vegetation resources for biological assessment companies, environmental impact statements, and rangeland monitoring programs.
- Maintain soil stability and vegetation for non-grazing uses, such as wildlife habitats and outdoor recreation.
- Study grazing patterns to determine number and kind of livestock that can be most profitably grazed and to determine the best grazing seasons.
- Plan and direct construction and maintenance of range improvements, such as fencing, corrals, stock-watering reservoirs, and soil-erosion control structures.
- Mediate agreements among rangeland users and preservationists as to appropriate land use and management.
- Study rangeland management practices and research range problems to provide sustained production of forage, livestock, and wildlife.
- Tailor conservation plans to landowners' goals, such as livestock support, wildlife, or recreation.
Tools & technology
- Adobe Photoshop
- ESRI ArcGIS software
- Linux
- Microsoft Active Server Pages ASP
- Microsoft Windows
- Oracle Java
- Perl
- Python
- R
- SAS
- The MathWorks MATLAB
- UNIX
- Aquatic Plant Information Retrieval System APIRS
- Automated Geospatial Watershed Assessment AGWA
- BehavePlus
Knowledge areas
- Biology
- English Language
- Geography
- Law and Government
- Administration and Management
- Administrative
- Customer and Personal Service
- Public Safety and Security