Looking at the drastic damage we’ve inflicted on our planet probably makes you want to work in a rewarding job related to conservation and sustainability. This is most important if you want to impact and preserve our natural resources.
I know what you’re thinking. How can you build a career that lets you work outdoor jobs that pay well? Believe it or not, great outdoor jobs can pay anywhere from $60,000-$105,000 per year.
If the prospect of taking up outdoor careers entices you, but you’re confused about which occupation to take up, I’ve got you covered.
Here’s my comprehensive outdoor jobs list with all the necessary details. You can choose one that interests you and start working for it right away.
Best-Of by Category
| Category | Product |
|---|---|
| Best for Agriculture Enthusiasts | Fundamentals of Agricultural Engineering |
| Best for Geography Nerds | Mastering Professional Geography |
| Best for Landscape Architects | Essentials of Landscape Architecture |
| Best for Nature Photographers | Advanced Wildlife Photography Equipment |
| Best for Forest Conservationists | Guide to Forest Revival |
| Best for Environmental Engineers | Principles of Environmental Engineering |
| Best for Dog Enthusiasts | Comprehensive Dog Walking Kit |
| Best for Outdoor Educators | Teaching Aids for Outdoor Lessons |
| Best for Climbing Professionals | Professional Climbing Equipment |
| Best for budding Botanists | Handbook of Botany |
| Best for Park Services | National Park Service Uniform |
| Best for Petroleum Engineers | Petroleum Engineering Handbook |
| Best for Photogrammetrists | Advanced Photogrammetry Software |
| Best for Archaeologists | Comprehensive Archaeology Toolkit |
Tips for finding the best outdoor jobs
When looking for an outdoor job, consider your skills and interests. Not every outdoor job is right for everyone.
- If you’re interested in conservation or sustainability, look for jobs that involve working with nature. There are many jobs out there that let you work outside and help conserve our planet.
- If you’re interested in working with animals, look for jobs that involve caring for them. Many outdoor jobs require you to take care of animals, such as working at a zoo or being a mobile veterinarian.
- If you’re interested in working with people, look for jobs that involve customer service or teaching. Many outdoor jobs require you to interact with people, such as being a lifeguard or working at a camp.
No matter your skills and interests, there’s an outdoor job out there for you. So don’t be afraid to explore all the options!
Best Outdoor Jobs and Careers
From becoming a landscape artist, biologist, and archeologist to a construction worker or firefighter, there’s a long list of outdoor jobs to fit your skillset.
Whether you’re interested in contributing to environmental conservation, motivated to help people, or just want to earn some good money, you’ll find an option that fits your needs.
To make things easy for you, I’ve listed the best jobs for outdoor lovers so you can select the one that sparks your interest. So, let’s dive in.
1. Become An Agricultural Engineer
The global population faces a growth crisis, which ultimately means more mouths to feed and economies to sustain. To grow more food during the Green Revolution, researchers devised advanced technologies to protect plants against pests and weeds and enhance the yield.
However, that was not the end of our agricultural problems. Even today, we’re facing all sorts of issues, from the lack of water to soil management and animal waste disposal.
If you’re interested in solving these problems and are trained in agricultural engineering, this is the best outdoor career path for you. This career is also important to help farmers, engineers, and other agricultural managers produce high-quality products for human consumption.
The best part is that platforms like AgHires help you find agricultural-related jobs to earn good money while working outside. It is mainly an agriculture executive recruiting site where small-scale farmers and agricultural enterprise owners sign up to find talented individuals from the field.
All you have to do is become a member of their site as a job seeker and wait for the right opportunity to arrive. Whether your expertise is in horticulture, agribusiness, food production, or raising livestock, you’ll quickly find a job opening that lets you use your skills to the optimum level.
2. Become a Professional Geographer
If you’re a college student looking to make money outside, you should pursue a degree in geography. This will quickly land you a basic geographer’s job with the federal government, with immense growth potential.
Geographers are skilled individuals who study the ever-changing landscape of the earth through satellite imagery, maps, field excursions, and conducting censuses.
Using these techniques, they conduct thorough research on the earth’s geography to collect crucial information for the economy, health, and mining industries.
For example, their research determines whether a piece of land is fit for a particular purpose and helps keep our maps updated.
As a geographer, you can earn around $50,000 a year as a beginner, while seasoned workers can make $80,000 annually.
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3. Try Landscape Architecture
If you’re interested in bringing out the beauty in nature, then landscape architecture is one of the best outdoor jobs for you. Although you’ll need a proper degree and an operating license from your state to start working this job, the essential requirements are creativity and an eye for detail.
As a landscape architect, you’ll design recreational parks, terrace gardens, botanical gardens, playgrounds, and even parks for official estates and backyards for family homes.
The job mainly involves staying on the field and executing the site plans you create, but you’ll have to start by pitching potential clients. First, you assess the site you have at hand and form a rough idea of what needs to be done, depending on its utility and size.
After that, you provide a cost estimate to your client, who will then decide whether your proposal fits his vision.
Although planning out those beautiful landscapes does require some office work, you’ll still be working to enhance the natural attributes around you.
If your ultimate goal is to contribute to environmental conservation and sustainable living, this outdoor job is ideal for earning money and simultaneously fulfilling your motive.
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4. Take Up A Job As A Local Park Ranger
If you have good people skills and are looking for the best outdoor jobs without a degree, become a park ranger. You’ll earn good money, about $15-$20 per hour, while spending your day at National Parks and wildlife preservation areas.
Some people also pursue college degrees in relevant subjects to become efficient park rangers. But you can easily start as a trainee and get promoted as you learn the ropes.
Your job will involve enforcing the park management rules and ensuring that people follow them during their visits to the park.
Similarly, you’ll have to patrol the park throughout the day to ensure that nothing unpleasant is happening that might damage the park’s integrity.
Yes, it can get exhausting as you’ll work round the clock under constant pressure. But, if spending your life inside an office cubicle repulses you, this is one of the best outdoor jobs for you.
Another aspect I love about becoming a park ranger is its flexibility. You can decide the shift you want to work and even take it up as a part-time job.
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5. Consider Nature And Wildlife Photography
Some of the best photographs we come across every year include nature. Artistic snaps of exotic wildlife, ocean waves, and even the sunset are enough to heal the soul after a long, tiring day.
If you’re passionate about creating such art pieces while appreciating nature in its purest form, becoming an outdoor photographer is one of the best outdoor wilderness jobs.
Besides that, you don’t necessarily need a college degree or specific education to become a talented photographer. All you need to do is collect high-quality photography equipment and get started.
You can sell your photos on stock websites like Adobe Stock and Shutterstock. Furthermore, you can also create your wilderness photography blog and post your pictures to earn ad revenue on the internet.
If you’re nervous about taking the first step, start with a basic Instagram page. Eventually, you’ll see people appreciating your talent and gather some fan following. That’s your signal to turn photography into your full-time job.
After that, you can earn by monetizing your photos and generating ad revenue on social media.
The best part is that taking photos of nature and wildlife requires immense patience. This means you’ll spend most of your time outside in the wilderness, connecting directly with nature and its beautiful attributes.
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6. Reviving Our Forests
You might find it unbelievable, but reforestation is an actual paid job. If you’re looking for the best outdoor jobs to make a living outside, you can work in the reforestation industry without any specific training or experience.
Some companies identify which areas require more oxygen in the long run or need to reduce their carbon footprint immediately. They then devise strategies to solve these problems through reforestation.
That’s why outdoor enthusiasts like you come in. You can plant trees in those areas and look after them for money. You can even take up this endeavor as a part-time job and do your bit to revive our planet’s natural beauty.
7. Become An Environmental Engineer
Environmental engineering is one of the highest-paid outdoor careers. Here, you can give back to Mother Earth at the same time. Environmental engineers create productive solutions for ecological issues like managing recycled materials, air pollution, water pollution, and waste disposal.
However, to manage such serious issues, you will need proper education and a bachelor’s degree to apply for this job. So, if you’re a student looking to pursue a career in the outdoor industry jobs, this is the ultimate option for you.
The best part is that you won’t be spending your day staring at a computer screen in a cramped office space. Instead, you’ll spend most of your time inspecting sites and outdoor grounds. Your research will help assess their productivity and even repurpose them in some cases.
Most importantly, if you become an environmental engineer, you can use your profession as a vessel to bring a change in environmental policies. This way, you can help make the world a better place for humans worldwide.
8. Walk Dogs In Your Neighborhood
Becoming a professional pet sitter is a great idea for outdoor lovers considering how to find outdoor jobs near me. The only requirement for this job is that you should love dogs!
Start by looking for busy pet owners in your area and offering them your dog-walking services. You can even pass out advertisement flyers around your neighborhood or spread word of mouth about your job availability.
Online platforms like Rover also connect dog owners with side hustlers who would walk their dogs every day for some money. Additionally, advertise your services further on social media and platforms like Craigslist to generate a steady workflow for yourself.
Even if you don’t want to do this all day, you can merge the job with your morning walk. This way, you can quench your thirst for outdoor experiences daily without compromising your career.
9. Teach Interested Individuals
If you’re an outdoor enthusiast talented in various outdoor sports, you can earn money by taking outdoor education jobs. People want their children to spend time away from their mobile screens. This increases the demand for such outdoor instructors tenfold.
You can start by signing up for recreational companies, parks, or even schools and earn using your skills in outdoor sports. It doesn’t matter if you aren’t trained in any particular sport. You can teach necessary outdoor skills, including collecting wood or starting a bonfire.
Besides that, if you’re interested in adventure sports, you can become an adventure sports instructor. This would involve teaching diving, skiing, kayaking, and fishing.
On the other hand, if you prefer to be self-employed, this industry has ample scope. You can create your own tour guide business to impart your love for the outdoors to the people around you.
Guide people across hiking trails and complicated caves, or organize rock climbing and mountain biking tours for money.
10. Climb for a Living
Although the concept sounds out of the box, people have worked as climbers to earn a living for centuries. In the modern-day industry, such individuals are called arborist climbers.
If you’re an outdoor enthusiast who would love to participate in intriguing activities, become an arborist climber. As a professional in this field, you’ll have to climb trees to assess their health and fix any problems you see.
This job pays you around $40,000 annually. On top of that, it also lets you conserve the environment and restore the minimal forest areas on our planet. If you want to give back to the environment while working outdoors, become a trained climber and apply for the job.
11. Become a Botanist
Botanists are some of the highest-paid researchers worldwide. These trained individuals study plant life in a particular area, using the information to devise beneficial strategies to save biodiversity.
They also study the effects of human interactions with plant species and work to conserve their natural integrity with minimal human intervention. With the environmental conservation industry booming, botanists are paid anywhere from $80,000 to $100,000 annually to spend their days outdoors.
So, if you’re tired of grueling away in your office cabin, it is probably time to switch careers. Start working with plants, crops, flowers, and vegetation.
12. Join the Natural Park Service
Working for the National Park Service can be an outdoor career option for those who want to find a job that involves being outdoors without being a ranger. The National Park Service is responsible for managing and protecting America’s national parks, and its employees play a vital role in preserving these natural treasures.
Rangers patrol the parks and provide information and assistance to visitors, while biologists conduct research and work to protect endangered species. Maintenance workers keep the parks clean and well-maintained, while interpretive staff lead educational programs and help visitors learn about the park’s history and natural resources.
With so many different positions available, the National Park Service offers outdoor enthusiasts a great way to pursue a rewarding career while enjoying some of the most beautiful places on earth.
Working for the National Park Service also offers the opportunity to work with a variety of people from all over the country and the world.
This can be a great way to meet new people and learn about different cultures.
13. Petroleum Engineer
Petroleum engineering is an outdoor job that involves oil and gas extraction. It can be done in both onshore and offshore settings, and petroleum engineers often travel to different locations to oversee drilling operations.
As a result, petroleum engineering can be an outdoor career for those who enjoy working in different settings and don’t mind spending extended periods away from home.
Petroleum engineers need to think critically and solve problems quickly. They typically have a bachelor’s degree in engineering, but some jobs may require a master’s degree or higher.
In addition to outdoor jobs, petroleum engineering careers can be very well-paying, with experienced engineers earning six-figure salaries.
14. Photogrammetrists
Photogrammetrists are responsible for measuring land and structures using photographs. They use various equipment, including drones, satellites, and GPS units, to collect data for mapping and surveying purposes.
To become a photogrammetrist, one must have a bachelor’s degree in surveying, engineering, or another related field. They learn to use a variety of equipment, including GPS devices and drones, to collect data that is then used to create maps. The work can be challenging, but it is also very rewarding.
Photogrammetry is an essential science for many industries, including construction, engineering, and forestry. As a result, photogrammetrists often have the opportunity to work outdoors on a variety of interesting projects. They also enjoy good working conditions and competitive salaries.
If you are looking for a challenging and rewarding outdoor career, photogrammetry may be the perfect option for you.
15. Archaeologist
For those who love being outdoors, a career as an archaeologist can be the perfect fit. Archaeologists study human history and cultures by excavating sites and analyzing artifacts.
While fieldwork is a big part of the job, archaeologists also spend time in labs conducting research and writing reports. The ability to work both in the field and the lab makes archaeology a well-rounded outdoor career.
Archaeologists typically hold at least a bachelor’s degree in archaeology, anthropology, or a related field. Many archaeologists also pursue advanced degrees.
Although archaeological fieldwork can be physically demanding, it is also incredibly rewarding. Seeing firsthand the results of your hard work is an unbeatable feeling.
Final Words
That concludes my list of the best outdoor jobs for nature lovers. If you’re concerned about environmental conservation and sustainability but don’t get enough time to contribute to the job, you can turn it into your full-time income source.
Know what you’re signing up for before jumping onto the bandwagon. Outdoor jobs can be exhausting and require you to work at odd hours.
FAQs
You’ve finally been through my list of the best outdoor jobs available. Now, you can get started right away. However, there are some aspects you should be aware of before jumping into the industry.
Here are some FAQs that are probably bugging you, with concise answers that might come in handy in your job search.
What are the most dangerous outdoor jobs?
The most dangerous outdoor jobs involve working with hazardous materials or in dangerous environments. For example, petroleum engineers often work in hazardous locations and must take precautions to avoid injury.
Other dangerous outdoor jobs include forestry work, firefighting, and law enforcement. These careers can be risky but also very rewarding.
Why should you work outdoors?
There are many reasons why you should work outdoors.
First and foremost, working outdoors is a great way to enjoy nature and get some exercise at the same time. It’s also a great way to connect with the environment and help nature thrive. Finally, outdoor jobs can often be very rewarding, both financially and emotionally.
What Jobs Can I Do Outside?
Some outside jobs don’t require sitting at a designated desk all day. You can spend your time partially or completely outside while getting paid simultaneously.
Some outdoor jobs include positions in the farming, mining, research, and human interaction industries.
How to Find Jobs in The Outdoor Industry?
To find a job in the outdoor industry, you’ll first have to assess your skills. Which college degree do you hold? What kind of jobs are you qualified for? Are you willing to work actively full-time?
After choosing a career opening based on this information, it is time to look for job opportunities. You can reach out to potential employers online on sites like AgHire or advertise your services on social media platforms.
Besides that, you can even look for job openings around you and drop by to inquire about an interview session.
What Are Outdoor Jobs?
Outdoor jobs are professional occupations where you don’t have to spend your day inside.
You can become an outdoor researcher, teacher, instructor, guard, or artist. And get to spend your time outside and connect with nature while on the job.
Depending on the nature of your job and your qualification, you can earn anywhere from $30,000-$100,000 annually.