By Yoon Kim and Shannon Sollitt
Ah, the outdoor industry, where beer is consumed after all outdoorsy activities and employees are encouraged to call in on powder days. The perks of outdoor jobs do come at a cost (usually in the form of smaller paychecks) but the higher you climb, the more lucrative, and exciting, the work gets. Even the Yvon Chouinards and Doug Tompkins of the world had to start somewhere; so can you. Here’s where.
Inside Jobs
There’s nothing wrong with wanting to work inside for a job that gets you outside. Especially when the gig also grants you deals and quick access to new outdoorsy products.
Gear Shop Employee
Expected Pay: $8 – $15/hour
Who started here: Jim Whittaker, first full timer at REI, who later became the first American to summit Everest.
Retail jobs belong somewhere on the bottom of the work pyramid, especially in the beginning. Making minimum wage selling gear you can’t afford to people who don’t know how to use it can feel soul-crushing at times. But the exclusive access to brands and gear is sure to pay off one day. Flexible hours are another retail perk—you can always make time for your next adventure.
Internally at a brand or mass retailer
Expected Pay: $20k – $100k+
Who started here: Doug Tompkins, borrowed $5,000 from a bank to start The North Face.
There are many ways to break into a position at an outdoor gear company. You can move sideways from outside the industry, diagonally if you already have a skillset or from the bottom (which usually means starting as an intern) or at the top by founding your own company. While most outdoor brands promote work/life balance, be ready to put in heavy hours during the holidays when gear manufacturers do the bulk of their sales.
Agency/Sales Reps
Expected Pay: $20k – $175k
Who started here: Jeremy Collins, artist, founder of The Meridian Line.
Outdoor companies often outsource parts of their business, including marketing, distribution and design of the actual products. Outsourcing presents opportunities for artists, creatives, and sales agents. The main difference between working internally for a brand and working for an agency is that agencies work with multiple brands.
Outside Jobs
Dedication, perseverance and an innate sense of adventure are some of the qualifications for work at a job that keeps you outside. But keep in mind, these aren’t the kinds of jobs that build retirement funds.
Professional Athlete
Expected Pay: $10k – $70k
Who started here: Jim Holland, Co-founder of Backcountry.com, Olympic ski jumper in the 90’s.
In outdoor sports, being a professional athlete is less of a living than it is a lifestyle. All too often, athletes make just enough to fund their next trip. Just as often, they lose money on trips. Film athletes pay for the trips that they go on, depending on sponsorships from brands. Competition prizes for big-mountain skiers range from a couple hundred to many thousands of dollars. Professional athleticism often bleeds into guiding, film-making/media production and other more stable and lucrative positions.
Guide
Expected Pay: $15/hour – up to $100k
Who started here: Kevin Fedarko, author of The Emerald Mile, worked as a river guide in the Grand Canyon as a prelude to writing the book.
Guiding is a great way to get outdoors all the time and meet all sorts of interesting people along the way—but you need the skills first. Jobs on the river are often the easiest to break into since training only takes a few days/weeks. Beginner guides should be prepared to scrape by for a few years. But once you make your way up and start working for top tier companies such as Exum or RMI, you can earn upwards of $500 per day before tips. Unpredictable weather conditions and other natural factors make guiding less reliable than a regular 9-5, however.
Recreational Protective Service (Ski Patrol/Lifties/Ropes Course Facilitator)
Expected Pay: Minimum wage – $30k
Who started here: Mark Udall, former Colorado Senator, started as a course instructor for Outward Bound.
Ski patroller and other Recreational Protective Service (RPS) jobs are among the lowest paying in the country, especially considering the certifications and training required. And expect low hourly wages as well as seasonal work. But for many, low wages are trade enough for the opportunity to follow a passion. Perhaps the only way to sustain an adventurous lifestyle as an RPS worker is to have another job.
A Little Bit of Both
A healthy balance of fresh air and screen time is perhaps the biggest draw to these types of jobs. Most require expertise in a specific field, but, as with anything, also have access points for beginners.
Scientist/Conservationist
Expected Pay: $60k – $120k
Who started here: Sally Jewell, petroleum engineer who became CEO of REI, now Secretary of the Interior.
Whether you’re using geology software to survey water tables or studying shark behavior, most science-based conservation jobs require a minimum of a Masters Degree. The upside is that these jobs pay relatively well. Be ready to put in plenty of time in front of a computer crunching data while spending the rest of your time traveling the country (or world) to collect more.
Media
Expected Pay: $20k – $70k
Who started here: Author John Muir later petitioned congress for the National Park bill that passed in 1890.
Media jobs are as flexible—and possibly as profitable—as you want them to be. As in most jobs, the more experience you have, the more money you make. Brand-new freelance writers or photographers are lucky to get paid in gear, but their words and images become more valuable over time. The best freelance writers can make up to $2/word. In some cases, press trips supplement salaries with unforgettable memories. Outdoor publications need a solid team of staff writers, editors and publishers. These positions pay more consistently. Highly qualified editors can make upwards of $60,000 per year, while publishers make even more.
Non Profit/Government
Expected Pay: $20k – $65k
Who started here: Edward Abbey, once a part time park ranger, turned novelist and conservationist.
Non-profit and government employers in the outdoor space look something like Smokey the Bear. Young National Park rangers—in age or in experience—can expect long hours of hard labor for very little reward, except maybe a breathtaking backyard. Rangers are in charge of a wide variety of park services, from education to maintenance to law enforcement. The pay grade depends on the type of work and level of expertise. The average salary for a park ranger is in the $30,000’s, but interns and volunteers start lower than that.
