National Park Service Program for Park Rangers
Want to be an NPS Law Enforcement Ranger?
The National Park Service (NPS) partners with a variety of colleges and universities nationwide to provide the specialized training required for its seasonal Law Enforcement Rangers. The Park Ranger Law Enforcement Academy (PRLEA) is the primary pathway for individuals seeking to enter the field.
The institutions offering the PRLEA include:
- Colorado Northwestern Community College (Rangely, CO)
- Mercyhurst University (Erie, PA)
- Minnesota North College – Vermilion (Ely, MN)
- Northern Arizona University (Flagstaff, AZ)
- Skagit Valley College (Mount Vernon, WA)
- Southwestern Community College (Franklin, NC)
- Temple University (Ambler, PA)
The PRLEA is a demanding, full-time program. It consists of a core curriculum of approximately 680 hours; however, most individual academies exceed 700 total hours with additional training.
All applicants must be at least 21 years old by the time of commissioning and must pass a comprehensive medical exam, a background investigation, a drug screening, and the Physical Efficiency Battery (PEB) fitness test.
Graduates receive a certificate of completion. This certification makes them eligible to apply for seasonal NPS Type II law enforcement commissions, though specific qualifications may vary depending on the job, location, and other variables. Many rangers use these seasonal positions as a stepping stone to permanent NPS careers.
Academy Program Details
The information below is current as of the time of publication. Higher education options are always subject to change, so check with the institution to confirm specific details about a program, scholarship, or admission requirements.
Colorado Northwestern Community College
The program at Colorado Northwestern Community College in Rangely, Colorado, is offered twice per year, in the spring and the fall. Students can enroll in the academy as a standalone program or pursue an Associate of Applied Science (A.A.S.) in Park Ranger Studies.
Located in Erie, Pennsylvania, this PRLEA program is offered through the university’s Municipal Police Training Academy.
Minnesota North College – Vermilion
The program at the Vermilion campus in Ely, Minnesota, is a program offered only during the fall semester. It offers a blended program that meets the requirements of both the NPS commission and the Minnesota Board of Peace Officer Standards and Training.
The program at Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff, Arizona, is held in both the spring and fall. Students who already have a degree can enroll in the non-credit option. Other students can take the program for college credit, which can be applied toward a Bachelor of Science degree.
Skagit Valley College in Mount Vernon, Washington, provides students with opportunities to gain extra training in related fields, such as Wildland Firefighting and Emergency Medical Response programs.
Southwestern Community College
Southwestern Community College in Franklin, North Carolina, offers a program through the college’s Continuing Education division, so students do not earn regular college credit. The college does have agreements with some institutions that allow program graduates to receive credit.
The program at Temple University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is part of the university’s Criminal Justice Training Programs and is held at the Ambler campus in its Law Enforcement Training Center.
Scholarships
While the National Park Service (NPS) does not offer a direct service-for-tuition scholarship to attend the academies, some private scholarships exist for students pursuing related degrees. The Newell S. Rand Jr. Scholarship Program, for example, offers awards (historically up to $1,000) to students enrolled full-time in a degree program related to the field.
These related degrees include Conservation Law Enforcement, Natural Resource Management, or Park Management. A student enrolled in a PRLEA program that is part of an Associate or Bachelor’s degree (such as the options at Northern Arizona University or Colorado Northwestern Community College) may be eligible to apply for this type of funding.
It is important to distinguish this scholarship from the academic certification. The Rand Scholarship is for those seeking a college degree, not exclusively for the standalone PRLEA certification.
Other professional organizations, such as the Association of National Park Rangers (ANPR) and the Western National Parks Association (WNPA), may also offer academic scholarships.
These are generally available to students already enrolled in a degree program, or in some cases, to dependents of park employees.
The PRLEA model remains a “self-sponsored” path. The financial “opportunity” is the certification itself. Successful graduates of the academy are certified for three years, making them eligible to apply for seasonal (Type II) Law Enforcement Ranger positions with the National Park Service. This certification is the required prerequisite for seasonal hiring, but does not guarantee employment.
About the author
Julie Provost is a freelance writer, and blogger. She lives in Tennessee with her National Guard husband and three boys.
