Is National Park Service a good company to work for?

National Park Service has an overall rating of 3.5 out of 5, based on over 1,142 reviews left anonymously by employees. This rating has decreased by 3% over the last 12 months. 42% of employees would recommend working at National Park Service to a friend and 21% have a positive outlook for the business. The best reviews about National Park Service have been left by employees working as Intern , Biological Science Technician and Seasonal Park Ranger .

Does National Park Service pay their employees well?

According to anonymously submitted Glassdoor reviews, National Park Service employees rate their compensation and benefits as 3.1 out of 5. Find out more about salaries and benefits at National Park Service. This rating has decreased by 3% over the last 12 months.

How satisfied are employees working at National Park Service?

42% of National Park Service employees would recommend working there to a friend based on Glassdoor reviews . Employees also rated National Park Service 3.4 out of 5 for work life balance, 3.4 for culture and values and 2.9 for career opportunities.

What are the top reviewed jobs at National Park Service?

Park Ranger (79) , Biological Science Technician (54) , Intern (32) , Park Guide (30) , Seasonal Park Ranger (27) , Interpretive Park Ranger (22) , Visitor Use Assistant (18) , Maintenance Worker (12) , Maintenance (10) , Lifeguard (9) , Project Manager (9) , Administrative Assistant (8) , Archaeologist (8) , Park Guide: GS-5 (8) , Park Ranger - Law Enforcement (8)

What are the pros of working at National Park Service according to real employee reviews?

"The people you'll work with are great and the work you'll do is rewarding." ((in 76 reviews)); "The coworkers are great and truly want to protect the cultural and natural wonders of this country." ((in 59 reviews)); "Good benefits (especially health insurance) even as a seasonal employee" ((in 49 reviews)); "Great work environment." ((in 31 reviews)); "Great opportunities for job diversity and protecting invaluable resources" ((in 18 reviews))

What are the cons of working at National Park Service according to real employee reviews?

"The pay is low and you'll often be told you get paid in sunsets." ((in 97 reviews)); "Poor management training and diversity awareness" ((in 38 reviews)); "People that are in the agency have been traumatized by the poor management and leadership practices." ((in 13 reviews)); "Upper management is extremely disfunctional" ((in 12 reviews)); "Long hours and can be hard labor." ((in 12 reviews))

What are the top reviewed National Park Service locations?

Washington , San Francisco , New York , Denver , Boston , Yellowstone National Park , Fort Collins , Yosemite National Park , Estes Park , Lakewood , Grand Canyon , Tucson , West Glacier , Bar Harbor , Gatlinburg , Marblemount , Lowell , Anchorage , Empire , Three Rivers , Port Angeles , Atlanta , Porter , Moab , Moose , Big Bend National Park , Rapid City , Thousand Oaks , Las Vegas , Philadelphia

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National Park Service

National Park Service reviews

3.5

42% would recommend to a friend

(839 total reviews)

Michael T. Reynolds

28% approve of CEO

21% positive business outlook

Ratings by category

3.4

Culture & values

3.4

Diversity & inclusion

3.4

Work/Life balance

3.1

Compensation and benefits

2.9

Career opportunities

2.6

Senior management

National Park Service has an employee rating of 3.5 out of 5 stars, based on 839 company reviews on Glassdoor which indicates that most employees have a good working experience there. The National Park Service employee rating is in line with the average (within 1 standard deviation) for employers within the Government & Public Administration industry (3.6 stars).

Ratings by demographic groups

Race / Ethnicity

Gender

Sexual orientation

Disability

Parent or family caregiver

Veteran status

Reviews by job title

839 reviews

1.0

Jul 4, 2014

Disheartening

Visitor use assistant

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

Great scenery, wonderful customers. Things seem great at first, but morale goes down over time and experience.

Cons

They pass over the ethical employees in favor of competitive sociopath-type personnel. Reference checks are not always conducted and once a lemon is put into a position of power it is too late. Nobody gets fired, so proper hiring is essential.

4.0

Feb 11, 2009

Great in college, but don't expect to move up quickly

Park ranger

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

The best part about the NPS is the people. I have met an immense amount of great individuals. For the most part, they are old, so they have a lot of wisdom to give. Also, they will retire soon which makes it easier for you to get a job. JOB SECURITY! In these tough times, if you're in with the NPS, you should feel pretty good about your job stability. You meet so many different types of people! Expect interesting conversations! You learn a lot. The topic of your site will become a part of you. It pays to be informed.

Cons

Not a lot of growth potential. A range of management. Since growth is usually dependent on movement, it is hard to know what you are getting into when you join up. Some sites are extremely lax, while others are extremely strict. BEWARE. If you don't like people, don't join the park service. You have to be able to network. Without networking, you won't go anywhere in the NPS. Can have a horrible work schedule. Be prepared to work weekends and federal holidays if you work in the field. All the office employees will get off before you. Prepare yourself now.

2.0

Mar 5, 2022

Seasonal life is rough

Vua- entrance stations

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

Great Coworkers at a seasonal level. Beautiful scenery. Easy job that is interesting and new every day. Meet people from all over the country.

Cons

Out of touch management that will not retire. Impossible to get a permanent job unless you are in the right place at the right time or a veteran. Low pay. High rent for subpar government quarters if you are staying in the park. No access to vision, dental, or retirement unless you are permanent. Constantly understaffed. Not very diverse. Especially in management positions considering they will hire under qualified veterans before even looking at the resumes of qualified civilians.

Viewing 22 - 24 of 839 Reviews

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Jobs at National Park Service

Museum Curator (Seasonal)

Park Guide - Field Unit Local Hiring Authority (FUL)

Public Affairs Specialist (Temporary NTE 1 yr)

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Disheartening

Great in college, but don't expect to move up quickly

Seasonal life is rough

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