Fish and Game Wardens Salaries by State
Mean and median pay, wage percentiles, employment, and top-paying metro areas for fish and game wardenss across the U.S. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 (data.bls.gov OEWS tool /OESServices/combo/table, all-occupation crawl by area).
National mean salary $74,950 ≈ $36/hr
National median salary $74,060
Total employment 5,770 nationwide
Job Outlook, 2024–2034
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034.
Projected growth -6%
Decline
Annual openings 500 per year (avg)
Employment 2024→2034 7,000 → 6,600 (-400)
Typical entry education Bachelor's degree
Salary Map
Brighter tiles = higher average pay; dashed tiles have no data. Click a state for details.
💰 Top 5 Highest-Paying States
- California$96,130
- Indiana$91,900
- Maryland$91,150
- Nevada$90,270
- Iowa$89,620
📉 5 Lowest-Paying States
- Florida$33,440
- Pennsylvania$53,840
- Kentucky$57,250
- Louisiana$59,940
- Montana$61,670
State Rankings
| # | State | Mean | Median | Hourly | vs. U.S. | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $96,130 | $100,090 | $46 | +28.3% | 330 |
| 2 | Indiana | $91,900 | $93,990 | $44 | +22.6% | 170 |
| 3 | Maryland | $91,150 | $89,300 | $44 | +21.6% | 60 |
| 4 | Nevada | $90,270 | $91,750 | $43 | +20.4% | 50 |
| 5 | Iowa | $89,620 | $98,260 | $43 | +19.6% | 120 |
| 6 | Michigan | $84,770 | $87,460 | $41 | +13.1% | 210 |
| 7 | Texas | $82,050 | $85,980 | $39 | +9.5% | 490 |
| 8 | New York | $80,920 | $80,060 | $39 | +8% | 390 |
| 9 | Wisconsin | $80,030 | $89,110 | $38 | +6.8% | 150 |
| 10 | North Dakota | $78,150 | $79,520 | $38 | +4.3% | 30 |
| 11 | Georgia | $77,730 | $79,440 | $37 | +3.7% | 200 |
| 12 | Idaho | $76,380 | $73,200 | $37 | +1.9% | 110 |
| 13 | New Jersey | $76,200 | $72,920 | $37 | +1.7% | 90 |
| 14 | Tennessee | $76,160 | $75,930 | $37 | +1.6% | 220 |
| 15 | Ohio | $76,100 | $75,880 | $37 | +1.5% | 160 |
| 16 | Hawaii | $76,090 | $69,250 | $37 | +1.5% | 110 |
| 17 | Vermont | $73,210 | $74,940 | $35 | -2.3% | 40 |
| 18 | Arkansas | $71,740 | $72,200 | $34 | -4.3% | 80 |
| 19 | Wyoming | $71,270 | $74,060 | $34 | -4.9% | 70 |
| 20 | Maine | $70,940 | $73,260 | $34 | -5.4% | 190 |
| 21 | Oklahoma | $70,040 | $69,120 | $34 | -6.6% | 170 |
| 22 | Alabama | $69,630 | $74,290 | $33 | -7.1% | 160 |
| 23 | Connecticut | $68,160 | $65,400 | $33 | -9.1% | 90 |
| 24 | Virginia | $68,110 | $66,540 | $33 | -9.1% | 180 |
| 25 | South Dakota | $67,080 | $68,810 | $32 | -10.5% | 100 |
| 26 | Nebraska | $66,670 | $63,000 | $32 | -11% | 70 |
| 27 | Missouri | $65,040 | $70,030 | $31 | -13.2% | 150 |
| 28 | West Virginia | $64,450 | $62,530 | $31 | -14% | 110 |
| 29 | Kansas | $63,970 | $61,840 | $31 | -14.6% | 100 |
| 30 | North Carolina | $62,280 | $61,430 | $30 | -16.9% | 190 |
| 31 | Montana | $61,670 | $59,490 | $30 | -17.7% | 70 |
| 32 | Louisiana | $59,940 | $59,940 | $29 | -20% | 110 |
| 33 | Kentucky | $57,250 | $54,570 | $28 | -23.6% | 70 |
| 34 | Pennsylvania | $53,840 | $50,250 | $26 | -28.2% | 80 |
| 35 | Florida | $33,440 | $31,200 | $16 | -55.4% | 290 |
Top-Paying Metro Areas
Highest median pay among 30 metro areas.
| # | Metro area | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $105,780 | $100,540 | 40 |
| 2 | Southern Indiana nonmetropolitan area | $100,340 | $95,250 | 50 |
| 3 | Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $89,300 | $85,540 | 40 |
| 4 | Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY | $89,110 | $89,510 | 30 |
| 5 | Mid Michigan nonmetropolitan area | $87,460 | $82,830 | 30 |
| 6 | Northern Michigan nonmetropolitan area | $87,460 | $84,860 | 50 |
| 7 | Upper Peninsula of Michigan nonmetropolitan area | $87,460 | $85,230 | 30 |
| 8 | Southwest New York nonmetropolitan area | $87,450 | $87,220 | 30 |
| 9 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $87,140 | $89,500 | 50 |
| 10 | Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | $85,980 | $79,460 | 40 |
Pay by Industry
Highest-paying industries employing fish and game wardenss (BLS OEWS, by median).
| # | Industry | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | State Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $74,790 | $75,830 | 5,450 |
| 2 | State Government, including Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $74,790 | $75,830 | 5,450 |
| 3 | Federal, State, and Local Government, excluding State and Local Schools and Hospitals and USPS | $74,060 | $74,950 | 5,770 |
| 4 | Federal, State, and Local Government, including State and Local Schools and Hospitals and USPS | $74,060 | $74,950 | 5,770 |
| 5 | Cross-Industry, Private, Federal, State, and Local | $74,060 | $74,950 | 5,770 |
| 6 | Sector 99 - Federal, State, and Local Government, excl. State & Local Schools & Hospitals & USPS | $74,060 | $74,950 | 5,770 |
| 7 | Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $59,250 | $59,890 | 320 |
| 8 | Local Government, including Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $59,250 | $59,890 | 320 |
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do fish and game wardens make in the U.S.?
The median fish and game wardens salary in the United States is $74,060 per year (mean $74,950), and about 80% earn between $50,990 and $100,980.
How much do fish and game wardens make per hour?
Roughly $36 per hour, based on a mean annual wage of $74,950 and 2,080 work hours per year.
Which state pays fish and game wardens the most?
California has the highest average pay for fish and game wardens at $96,130 per year (median $100,090).
What is the job outlook for fish and game wardens?
Employment is projected to change -6% from 2024 to 2034 (Decline), with about 500 openings per year.