33
Fish and Game Wardens is a notable career in the 33 category. This page provides verified data from BLS OEWS 2024 + O*NET 29.0 (2024), helping you compare Fish and Game Wardens against similar careers and make data-driven decisions.
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| soc | 33-3031 |
| title | Fish and Game Wardens |
| onet code | 33-3031.00 |
| description | Patrol assigned area to prevent fish and game law violations. Investigate reports of damage to crops or property by wildlife. Compile biological data. |
| job zone | 4 |
| major group | 33 |
| tot emp | 6,420 |
| a mean | 67,990 |
| a median | 68,180 |
| a pct10 | 35,670 |
| a pct25 | 53,260 |
| a pct75 | 82,100 |
| a pct90 | 94,470 |
| h mean | 32 |
| h median | 32 |
The day-to-day work of a fish and game wardens typically centers on 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. Every task listed below is classified as Core in O*NET — they collectively define the role. Task descriptions below are quoted from the U.S. Department of Labor's O*NET 29.0 occupation profile.
Workers in this occupation rely most on Critical Thinking, Active Listening, and Speaking. Across the top 10 skills, the average O*NET importance score is 3.54 out of 5 — highly rated for this role. Importance reflects how essential each skill is for adequate job performance.
Among working fish and game wardens, the most common entry qualification is a Bachelor's Degree (79.3%). Bachelor's-degree-or-higher credentials are reported by 79% of incumbents. This is a degree-heavy profession — most incumbents hold a four-year degree or beyond.
Median annual pay is highest in Washington at $115,400 and lowest in Florida at $32,760 — a 3.5× spread. The top five states (Washington, Indiana, California, Iowa, Maryland) average $97,966. Figures reflect BLS OEWS May 2024 state-level wage estimates; percentiles shown are for full-time wage-earners in each state.
| State | Median | Mean | 10th % | 90th % | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | $115,400 | $106,440 | $72,500 | $121,810 | 110 |
| Indiana | $99,990 | $96,550 | $72,990 | $114,990 | 160 |
| California | $94,990 | $92,510 | $68,290 | $109,330 | 290 |
| Iowa | $92,270 | $84,660 | $64,170 | $92,270 | 120 |
| Maryland | $87,180 | $88,420 | $77,140 | $96,170 | 30 |
| Nevada | $84,280 | $83,980 | $68,310 | $98,400 | 50 |
| Texas | $81,880 | $77,910 | $52,430 | $93,400 | 480 |
| North Dakota | $80,220 | $78,560 | $65,140 | $97,620 | 30 |
| Ohio | $76,870 | $76,500 | $56,620 | $95,010 | 140 |
| Tennessee | $75,930 | $80,170 | $66,550 | $99,330 | 360 |
| New York | $75,820 | $77,570 | $61,380 | $90,560 | 370 |
| Wyoming | $74,060 | $69,240 | $50,150 | $77,960 | 80 |
| Georgia | $73,490 | $71,400 | $52,240 | $87,930 | 210 |
| Vermont | $71,720 | $70,550 | $55,370 | $82,830 | 40 |
| Maine | $71,120 | $67,840 | $55,410 | $76,340 | 140 |
| Alabama | $71,070 | $66,410 | $38,530 | $86,780 | 170 |
| Hawaii | $70,840 | $76,200 | $59,170 | $98,700 | 90 |
| Idaho | $70,350 | $71,460 | $48,970 | $88,900 | 90 |
| Arkansas | $70,100 | $68,520 | $49,510 | $87,730 | 80 |
| South Carolina | $69,360 | $68,890 | $47,450 | $97,730 | — |
| New Jersey | $64,930 | $68,890 | $42,950 | $102,220 | 80 |
| South Dakota | $63,450 | $65,240 | $47,390 | $81,350 | 110 |
| Connecticut | $62,530 | $65,330 | $52,140 | $75,040 | 70 |
| Kansas | $61,840 | $63,360 | $53,410 | $75,170 | 90 |
| Missouri | $61,780 | $60,410 | $45,750 | $72,090 | 170 |
| Montana | $60,140 | $61,400 | $58,560 | $66,600 | 70 |
| Virginia | $60,000 | $63,040 | $48,720 | $78,960 | 210 |
| West Virginia | $59,630 | $61,860 | $57,630 | $72,530 | 120 |
| North Carolina | $57,950 | $58,490 | $47,260 | $68,290 | 180 |
| Nebraska | $57,370 | $61,210 | $51,970 | $79,930 | 130 |
| Oklahoma | $54,290 | $56,210 | $45,990 | $63,320 | 120 |
| Kentucky | $52,980 | $55,610 | $48,050 | $62,980 | 80 |
| Pennsylvania | $52,500 | $57,460 | $48,050 | $76,360 | 70 |
| Louisiana | $51,370 | $55,280 | $39,200 | $78,180 | 180 |
| Arizona | $45,000 | $48,730 | $36,410 | $63,520 | 250 |
| Florida | $32,760 | $34,380 | $31,200 | $37,440 | 730 |
Recruiters and job boards use several alternate titles for fish and game wardens. Knowing these variants widens your job search — listings for Community Resource Officer or Conservation Enforcement Officer frequently describe the same role. The list below is a sample of the most common industry variants.
This data helps you understand how Fish and Game Wardens compares to others in the 33 category. Use it to make informed decisions based on verified data from BLS OEWS 2024 + O*NET 29.0.
careers with the closest data values to Fish and Game Wardens
The CertifyWize editorial team aggregates and verifies careers data from BLS OEWS 2024 + O*NET 29.0. Every statistic on this site is cross-referenced against the official source before publication, with quarterly re-verification cycles.
Read our full methodology or contact us with corrections.