33 Series · SOC 33-3031

Fish and Game Wardens Salary

National pay, percentile range, growth outlook, and state-by-state detail from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey (May 2025).

$74,060
Median / year
$100,980
Top 10% earn
-6%
Growth '23–'33
5,770
US workers

Fish and Game Wardens earn a median of $74,060 per year.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, the median annual wage is $74,060, based on the most recent survey of employers. Reported pay ranges from $50,990 (10th percentile) to $100,980 (90th percentile) nationally, across roughly 5,770 US workers. California pays the most ($100,090), since pay varies by state and metro area.

33 Series · Source: BLS OEWS Compare with another job →
Share: Post LinkedIn

The pay verdict

Fish and Game Wardens earn a median of $74,060, putting them above the typical US occupation and higher than 65% of the 825 occupations with a published BLS median. Within Protective Service, it ranks #9 of 24 by median pay. Employment is projected to fall 6% by 2033.

$74,060
Median annual wage
Top 35%
of 825 US occupations with published wages
#9 of 24
in Protective Service
2.0×
90th-to-10th pay spread

Highest-paying state: California at $100,090. Typical entry-level education: Bachelor's degree.

Fish and Game Wardens (SOC 33-3031) pays a national median of $74,060 per year according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey released in May 2025. Full-range compensation stretches from $50,990 at the 10th percentile to $100,980 at the 90th, with a mean of $74,950 indicating a right-skew where top earners pull the average above the midpoint. An estimated 5,770 Americans work in this occupation across 35 reporting states and 30 metro areas.

BLS Employment Projections forecast a -6% change in employment from 2024 to 2034, which the agency classifies as declining relative to the 5% all-occupations baseline. About 500 openings are projected per year, combining new positions with replacement needs from retirements and occupation-switchers. Typical entry-level preparation is Bachelor's degree and moderate-term on-the-job training of on-the-job training. The BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) and Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII) produce a workplace-safety grade of B for this role, with a fatality rate of 7.3 per 100,000 and injury rate of 2.5 per 100.

Geographic variation matters as much as the headline median. California pays the highest state median at $100,090, which is +35% above the national figure. The top metro is Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA at $105,780 - metro premiums typically reflect higher cost of living, industry concentration, or specialized employer demand. When using this page for negotiation or career planning, pair the national median with the state and metro rows below, remember that BLS wages exclude benefits, bonuses, and overtime, and revisit after each May OEWS release since percentiles shift with cost-of-living cycles and industry demand. See our methodology for exactly how these figures are sourced, computed, and verified.

BLS OEWS May 2025 5,770 jobs Median $74,060/yr

Median Salary

$74,060

per year

Median Hourly

$35.60/hr

per hour

Mean Salary

$74,950

average

Employment

5,770

jobs nationwide

How does this pay compare nationally?

Where Fish and Game Wardens pay sits nationally

Median annual wage vs. 825 detailed BLS occupations with a published median

$74,060 Top 35% higher than 65% of 825 US occupations

$0–$20,000: 0 US occupations (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 98 US occupations (12%). Below this entry. $40,000–$60,000: 298 US occupations (36%). Below this entry. $60,000–$80,000: 209 US occupations (25%). This entry sits in this band. $80,000–$100,000: 82 US occupations (10%). Above this entry. $100,000–$120,000: 58 US occupations (7%). Above this entry. $120,000–$140,000: 32 US occupations (4%). Above this entry. $140,000–$160,000: 14 US occupations (2%). Above this entry. $160,000–$180,000: 9 US occupations (1%). Above this entry. $180,000–$200,000: 25 US occupations (3%). Above this entry. This job $0 $200,000 every BLS occupation, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US occupations. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS · May 2025

Does this job pay well and grow?

Each dot is a 33-series occupation, placed by projected 2024–2034 growth and median pay. The highlighted dot is Fish and Game Wardens; the upper-right quadrant is the sweet spot (high pay + fast growth).

Among 24 33-series occupations with growth data, Fish and Game Wardens sits on the slower-growing side at -6% growth and $74,060 median pay.

Among 24 33-series occupations with growth data, Fish and Game Wardens sits on the slower-growing side at -6% growth and $74,060 median pay. Scatter plot of 24 data points. $20000$40000$60000$80000$100000$120000 -10%-5%0%5%10%15%20% Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) Median annual wage
Among 24 33-series occupations with growth data, Fish and Game Wardens sits on the slower-growing side at -6% growth and $74,060 median pay.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS (wages, May 2025) and Employment Projections (2024–2034).

Job Outlook (2024–2034)

Projected Growth

-6%

Declining

Annual Openings

500

per year (projected)

Typical Education

Bachelor's degree

On-the-Job Training

Moderate-term on-the-job training

Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034

Workplace Safety

All safety ratings →
B

Safe

Safety Grade (BLS 2023)

Fatality Rate

7.3/100K

Injury Rate

2.5/100

Danger Index

13.7/100

Source: BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) & Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII), 2023

Career Intelligence

Skills, knowledge, and tasks most important for Fish and Game Wardens roles, ranked by importance. Source: O*NET.

Top Skills

Active Listening 3.9
Critical Thinking 3.9
Speaking 3.8
Reading Comprehension 3.6
Judgment and Decision Making 3.5
Monitoring 3.4
Social Perceptiveness 3.4
Persuasion 3.4
Complex Problem Solving 3.4
Coordination 3.3

Knowledge Areas

Law and Government 4.6
Public Safety and Security 4.5
Biology 4.1
English Language 4.1
Customer and Personal Service 4.1
Psychology 3.8
Geography 3.6
Sociology and Anthropology 3.4
Education and Training 3.4
Administration and Management 3.0

Key Tasks

  • ▸ Patrol assigned areas by car, boat, airplane, horse, or on foot to enforce game, fish, or boating laws or to manage wildlife programs, lakes, or land.
  • ▸ Compile and present evidence for court actions.
  • ▸ Investigate hunting accidents or reports of fish or game law violations.
  • ▸ Protect and preserve native wildlife, plants, or ecosystems.
  • ▸ Issue warnings or citations and file reports as necessary.
  • ▸ Serve warrants and make arrests.
  • ▸ Provide assistance to other local law enforcement agencies as required.
  • ▸ Promote or provide hunter or trapper safety training.
  • ▸ Participate in search-and-rescue operations.
  • ▸ Arrange for disposition of fish or game illegally taken or possessed.

Source: O*NET Online, National Center for O*NET Development. Data represents typical importance ratings for this occupation.

Salary Range

Annual Salary Distribution

$50,990$61,430$74,060$89,110$100,980
10th pct25thMedian75th90th pct

Hourly Rate Distribution

$24.51$29.53$35.60$42.84$48.55
10th pct25thMedian75th90th pct

10th Percentile

$50,990

25th Percentile

$61,430

Median

$74,060

75th Percentile

$89,110

90th Percentile

$100,980

Salary by State

Highest Paying States

1. California $100,090 2. Iowa $98,260 3. Indiana $93,990 4. Nevada $91,750 5. Maryland $89,300

Lowest Paying States

31. Florida $31,200 32. Pennsylvania $50,250 33. Kentucky $54,570 34. Montana $59,490 35. Louisiana $59,940
View all 35 states →
# State Median Salary vs National
1 California $100,090 +35% above national
2 Iowa $98,260 +33% above national
3 Indiana $93,990 +27% above national
4 Nevada $91,750 +24% above national
5 Maryland $89,300 +21% above national
6 Wisconsin $89,110 +20% above national
7 Michigan $87,460 +18% above national
8 Texas $85,980 +16% above national
9 New York $80,060 +8% above national
10 North Dakota $79,520 +7% above national
11 Georgia $79,440 +7% above national
12 Tennessee $75,930 +3% above national
13 Ohio $75,880 +2% above national
14 Vermont $74,940 +1% above national
15 Alabama $74,290 same as national
16 Wyoming $74,060 same as national
17 Maine $73,260 1% below national
18 Idaho $73,200 1% below national
19 New Jersey $72,920 2% below national
20 Arkansas $72,200 3% below national
21 Missouri $70,030 5% below national
22 Hawaii $69,250 6% below national
23 Oklahoma $69,120 7% below national
24 South Dakota $68,810 7% below national
25 Virginia $66,540 10% below national
26 Connecticut $65,400 12% below national
27 Nebraska $63,000 15% below national
28 West Virginia $62,530 16% below national
29 Kansas $61,840 17% below national
30 North Carolina $61,430 17% below national
31 Louisiana $59,940 19% below national
32 Montana $59,490 20% below national
33 Kentucky $54,570 26% below national
34 Pennsylvania $50,250 32% below national
35 Florida $31,200 58% below national

Salary by Metro Area

Highest Paying Metros

1. Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA $105,780 2. Southern Indiana nonmetropolitan area $100,340 3. Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV $89,300 4. Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY $89,110 5. Upper Peninsula of Michigan nonmetropolitan area $87,460

Lowest Paying Metros

26. Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL $31,200 27. Syracuse, NY $56,730 28. Kansas nonmetropolitan area $60,380 29. Eastern North Carolina nonmetropolitan area $61,430 30. Northern West Virginia nonmetropolitan area $62,530
View all 30 metro areas →
# Metro Area Median Salary vs National
1 Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA $105,780 +43% above national
2 Southern Indiana nonmetropolitan area $100,340 +35% above national
3 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV $89,300 +21% above national
4 Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY $89,110 +20% above national
5 Upper Peninsula of Michigan nonmetropolitan area $87,460 +18% above national
6 Northern Michigan nonmetropolitan area $87,460 +18% above national
7 Mid Michigan nonmetropolitan area $87,460 +18% above national
8 Southwest New York nonmetropolitan area $87,450 +18% above national
9 Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA $87,140 +18% above national
10 Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX $85,980 +16% above national
11 Central East New York nonmetropolitan area $82,870 +12% above national
12 Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN $81,490 +10% above national
13 Hill Country Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area $80,260 +8% above national
14 Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA $79,440 +7% above national
15 Capital/Northern New York nonmetropolitan area $77,750 +5% above national
16 Western Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area $76,380 +3% above national
17 Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD $76,290 +3% above national
18 Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN $75,990 +3% above national
19 Western Wyoming nonmetropolitan area $74,060 same as national
20 Northern Vermont nonmetropolitan area $73,690 same as national
21 Northeast Maine nonmetropolitan area $73,260 1% below national
22 New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ $73,130 1% below national
23 West Tennessee nonmetropolitan area $66,550 10% below national
24 Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC $63,060 15% below national
25 West South Dakota nonmetropolitan area $62,940 15% below national
26 Northern West Virginia nonmetropolitan area $62,530 16% below national
27 Eastern North Carolina nonmetropolitan area $61,430 17% below national
28 Kansas nonmetropolitan area $60,380 18% below national
29 Syracuse, NY $56,730 23% below national
30 Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL $31,200 58% below national

Similar Occupations in the Same Category

Other roles in SOC major group 33 (protective service) with comparable pay and career paths.

Animal Control Workers

SOC 33-9011

Bailiffs

SOC 33-3011

Correctional Officers and Jailers

SOC 33-3012

Crossing Guards and Flaggers

SOC 33-9091

Detectives and Criminal Investigators

SOC 33-3021
Compare Fish and Game Wardens side-by-side with another occupation →

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does a Fish and Game Wardens make? ▼
The median annual salary for Fish and Game Wardens is $74,060 ($35.60/hour). The salary range spans from $50,990 at the 10th percentile to $100,980 at the 90th percentile.
What state pays Fish and Game Wardens the most? ▼
California pays the highest median salary for Fish and Game Wardens at $100,090/year, which is +35% above the national median.
What education do you need to become a Fish and Game Wardens? ▼
The typical entry-level education for Fish and Game Wardens is Bachelor's degree. On-the-job training: Moderate-term on-the-job training.
How dangerous is being a Fish and Game Wardens? ▼
Fish and Game Wardens has a safety grade of B (Safe) based on BLS data. The fatality rate is 7.3 per 100,000 workers and the injury rate is 2.5 per 100 workers.
Is Fish and Game Wardens a good career? ▼
Employment for Fish and Game Wardens is projected to decline 6% from 2024 to 2034, which is declining. About 500 openings are projected each year.
How does Fish and Game Wardens pay vary by state? ▼
Fish and Game Wardens salaries vary significantly by state. The highest-paying state is California at $100,090/year, while Louisiana pays the least at $59,940/year. BLS data covers 35 states and territories.
Which metro areas pay the most for Fish and Game Wardens? ▼
The highest-paying metro area for Fish and Game Wardens is Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA at $105,780/year. BLS reports wage data for 30 metro areas for this occupation, with pay varying based on local demand and cost of living.

What to do with this data

How to use Fish and Game Wardens pay figures in a real decision

  • For an experienced offer, anchor on the 75th percentile (about $89,110/year), not the median. The median marks the middle worker; the upper quartile is the realistic target with strong experience. Salary calculator
  • Location moves pay significantly: California leads at $100,090/year for this role. Weigh state pay against local cost of living before relocating or negotiating remote. Pay by state
  • Compare this occupation against similar roles before you decide, so you are reading the pay band in context rather than in isolation. Compare jobs

These are BLS survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. Your pay depends on experience, employer, exact role, and location.

Data as of May 2025. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 annual release. Employment projections from BLS Employment Projections program, 2024–2034. Data reflects cross-industry estimates for all ownership types.

These are survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. See how to use them.

Every figure on WageDex is rendered directly from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, no number is typed in by an editor. This occupation's figures are computed directly from the BLS OEWS and Employment Projections datasets, nothing is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of May 2025.

This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or career advice. Actual pay for a specific role, employer, or offer may differ from these national/state figures, consult a qualified career counselor, recruiter, or financial advisor before making decisions based on this data.