Find out who hires rangelande managers Students in action - Stories from rangeland students Learn about the career choices for rangeland students Colleges and Universities in your area
Careers in Rangeland Ecology aren’t what you’d call “desk jobs.” Conference calls for a Rangeland ecologist. Why join the rat race when you can join the herd? Why trade stocks when you can manage live stock Taking care of America’s wide open spaces is serious business.

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Vast grassland, shrubland, woodland and desert landscapes comprise rangeland ecosystems and provide ecosystem services throughout North America. Professional rangeland management specialists are needed to integrate information about plant communities, soils, wildlife species, livestock use, watershed functions, and land use policy to conserve and restore these wildland ecosystems. Rangeland management career activities include invasive plant control, endangered species surveys, or planning for a sustainable livestock operation on private or public lands.

Is rangeland management right for you? Find out more on what to expect in the field

students working out on the range

Would you like to:

  • Work outdoors?
  • Ride horses or off-road vehicles?
  • Pursue an exciting career path in land conservation?

Explore profiles of Rangeland Management Specialists who have made their careers working on landscapes they love.

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What Does it Take to be a Rangeland Manager

To become a Range Technician you need at least 1 year of study that includes at least 6 semester hours of courses such as range management or conservation, agriculture, forestry, wildlife management, engineering, biology, mathematics, or other natural or physical sciences.

To become a Rangeland Management Specialist you need a degree in range management or related discipline with at least 42 semester hours in a combination of the plant, animal, and soil sciences, and natural resources management, as follows:

  • 18 semester hours of Range Management
  • 15 semester hours of directly related Plant, Animal, and Soil Sciences
  • 9 semester hours of Related Resource Management Studies

Colleges and Universities. Schools offering rangeland management degrees

Most Rangeland Management jobs require a four year college degree. View the list of schools offering rangeland programs in your state or province.

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USDA

The creation of this Rangeland Recruitment Webpage was made possible by USDA Higher Education Challenge Grant No. 2010-38411-21370 "Repositioning Rangeland Education for a Changing World."