Job title · Illinois

Park Ranger (NPS / state / county) in Illinois

Illinois Department of Central Management Services lists 2 job classes for this work in the Illinois state pay plan: Ranger, Senior Ranger.

$59,064 – $90,852
state pay plan range, a year
2
classes in the state plan
$38,020
median pay in IL, all employers
600
workers in IL (SOC 33-9099)

Sources: Illinois Department of Central Management Services, Illinois CMS Alphabetic Index of Position Titles (FY 2027, effective July 1, 2026, corrected edition); U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 — state estimates. Data captured September 30, 2026.

Illinois state pay plan Sourced

Published rates for each class, lowest first, effective July 1, 2026. These are the ranges Illinois sets for its own state employees; cities, counties and school districts have their own pay plans.

Class and gradePublished rate
Ranger
Class 37725
Grade RC-028-13-B · RC-028 Paraprofessional Human Services Employees
$4,922.00 – $6,762.00 a month
$59,064 – $81,144 a year
10 steps
  • Step 1b: $4,922.00 a month
  • Step 1a: $5,076.00 a month
  • Step 1: $5,134.00 a month
  • Step 2: $5,321.00 a month
  • Step 3: $5,523.00 a month
  • Step 4: $5,730.00 a month
  • Step 5: $5,938.00 a month
  • Step 6: $6,161.00 a month
  • Step 7: $6,506.00 a month
  • Step 8: $6,762.00 a month
Grade RC-028-13-Q · RC-028 Paraprofessional Human Services Employees
$5,122.00 – $7,071.00 a month
$61,464 – $84,852 a year
10 steps
  • Step 1b: $5,122.00 a month
  • Step 1a: $5,283.00 a month
  • Step 1: $5,345.00 a month
  • Step 2: $5,539.00 a month
  • Step 3: $5,762.00 a month
  • Step 4: $5,985.00 a month
  • Step 5: $6,205.00 a month
  • Step 6: $6,433.00 a month
  • Step 7: $6,798.00 a month
  • Step 8: $7,071.00 a month
Grade RC-028-13-S · RC-028 Paraprofessional Human Services Employees
$5,218.00 – $7,192.00 a month
$62,616 – $86,304 a year
10 steps
  • Step 1b: $5,218.00 a month
  • Step 1a: $5,380.00 a month
  • Step 1: $5,448.00 a month
  • Step 2: $5,647.00 a month
  • Step 3: $5,873.00 a month
  • Step 4: $6,100.00 a month
  • Step 5: $6,316.00 a month
  • Step 6: $6,548.00 a month
  • Step 7: $6,916.00 a month
  • Step 8: $7,192.00 a month
Grade MS-10-4 · Merit Compensation System salary ranges (MS)
$4,922.00 – $6,920.00 a month
$59,064 – $83,040 a year
Senior Ranger
Class 40090
Grade RC-028-14-B · RC-028 Paraprofessional Human Services Employees
$5,127.00 – $7,135.00 a month
$61,524 – $85,620 a year
10 steps
  • Step 1b: $5,127.00 a month
  • Step 1a: $5,287.00 a month
  • Step 1: $5,354.00 a month
  • Step 2: $5,555.00 a month
  • Step 3: $5,772.00 a month
  • Step 4: $6,025.00 a month
  • Step 5: $6,243.00 a month
  • Step 6: $6,480.00 a month
  • Step 7: $6,861.00 a month
  • Step 8: $7,135.00 a month
Grade RC-028-14-Q · RC-028 Paraprofessional Human Services Employees
$5,342.00 – $7,452.00 a month
$64,104 – $89,424 a year
10 steps
  • Step 1b: $5,342.00 a month
  • Step 1a: $5,510.00 a month
  • Step 1: $5,582.00 a month
  • Step 2: $5,790.00 a month
  • Step 3: $6,030.00 a month
  • Step 4: $6,290.00 a month
  • Step 5: $6,526.00 a month
  • Step 6: $6,776.00 a month
  • Step 7: $7,167.00 a month
  • Step 8: $7,452.00 a month
Grade RC-028-14-S · RC-028 Paraprofessional Human Services Employees
$5,439.00 – $7,571.00 a month
$65,268 – $90,852 a year
10 steps
  • Step 1b: $5,439.00 a month
  • Step 1a: $5,608.00 a month
  • Step 1: $5,684.00 a month
  • Step 2: $5,906.00 a month
  • Step 3: $6,135.00 a month
  • Step 4: $6,403.00 a month
  • Step 5: $6,645.00 a month
  • Step 6: $6,890.00 a month
  • Step 7: $7,282.00 a month
  • Step 8: $7,571.00 a month
Grade MS-11-4 · Merit Compensation System salary ranges (MS)
$5,127.00 – $7,382.00 a month
$61,524 – $88,584 a year

Rates are as the plan publishes them; "a year" figures are conversions. Classes are matched to this job by title (GovJobsWiki editorial rule).

Source: Illinois Department of Central Management Services, Illinois CMS Alphabetic Index of Position Titles (FY 2027, effective July 1, 2026, corrected edition). Data captured September 30, 2026.

Pay in Illinois, all employers Sourced

Protective Service Workers, All Other (SOC 33-9099) in Illinois, all employers combined: BLS state estimates do not separate government from private.

MeasureIL
Workers600
10th percentile$34,620
Median$38,020
90th percentile$82,170
National median, government employers$44,660

Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 — state estimates; U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 — national estimates by ownership. Data captured September 30, 2026.

More about this job

Requirements, hiring process, training, schedule and day-to-day work are on the national Park Ranger (NPS / state / county) page.

Park Ranger (NPS / state / county) in other states