Many regional governments impose regulations on hunting and fishing to promote healthy populations of fish and animals. Fish and game wardens are law enforcement officers who investigate violations of fish and game laws. The educational requirements vary from one region to another, but a high school diploma and passage of written and physical exams are generally required for all law enforcement jobs.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that fish and game wardens earned an average annual income of $55,670 in 2011. The average wage of fish and game wardens was $26.77 an hour. Wardens in the top 10 percent of the occupation in terms of annual income made more than $81,080, and workers in the bottom 10 percent made less than $31,710. Half of all fish and game wardens earned between $38,360 and $61,680.
According to the bureau, Maryland was the highest-paying state for fish and game wardens in 2011, with workers there averaging $69,410. Those in Washington ranked second, at $61,180. Florida employed the most fish and game wardens of any state, and workers there made $40,860 on average. Georgia was the second-largest employer of fish and game warders, with workers averaging $33,310.
The bureau says 6,360 of the 7,180 fish and game wardens surveyed worked for state governments in 2011 and the rest worked for local governments. State employees earned $56,210 on average, and local government workers averaged $51,550.
The bureau expects the economy to add 400 jobs for fish and game wardens between 2010 and 2020. This increase would result in 5 percent job growth for the occupation, much lower than the expected national average of 14 percent. Sluggish job growth and tight government budgets may lead to strong competition for jobs in law enforcement.
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