Fish and game wardens
Patrol assigned area to prevent fish and game law violations. Investigate reports of damage to crops or property by wildlife. Compile biological data.
Fish and game wardens patrol assigned area to prevent fish and game law violations. Investigate reports of damage to crops or property by wildlife. Compile biological data. The role reports a median annual salary of $68,180 in the US and is projected to decline by 6% over the next decade. Entry typically requires a Bachelor's degree, and shows low AI exposure (0.27 on a 0-1 scale) — the role's core work resists automation. The most in-demand skills for the role include Critical Thinking, Active Listening, Speaking, Reading Comprehension, Judgment and Decision Making.
Pay in the UK
UK: median £44,007 a year for Protective service associate professionals n.e.c. (ONS ASHE 2025, full-time)
Middle half of full-time jobs: £35,435 to £54,944 a year
UK jobs are grouped differently; this is the closest UK occupation group (ONS SOC 2020 3319). ONS rates this estimate reasonably precise. 2025 provisional figures; ONS revises them a year later. Source: ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (Open Government Licence)
Pay in India (occupation group)
Average monthly earnings of salaried employees in the occupation group “Service and sales workers” in India, from the Government of India's Periodic Labour Force Survey (January–December 2025). It covers everyone in this group, not only Fish and game wardens, and it is not US pay converted to rupees.
Source: MoSPI (Government of India), Periodic Labour Force Survey Annual Report 2025, Table 51 — average wage/salary earnings of regular wage/salaried employees, NCO-2015 division 5. Official India data gives one average per occupation group: there are no official India figures for single careers, experience levels or cities. Read the report
Top skills
Knowledge you'll build
- Law and Government
- Public Safety and Security
- Biology
- English Language
- Customer and Personal Service
- Psychology
- Geography
- Sociology and Anthropology
A day in the life
You start the day before sunrise, loading your boat and radio and heading out to patrol a stretch of river and the forest around it. You check fishing permits along the bank, measure a catch that looks undersized, and quietly explain the rules to a first-time angler before writing a warning. By late morning a report of shots near a protected wetland sends you on foot through the reeds, where you find traps set out of season and photograph them as evidence. In the afternoon you team up with local police to question a suspect and later serve a warrant at his property. Back at the office you file your reports and assemble the evidence for a court hearing. The paperwork and long hours alone on patrol can wear you down. But watching a flock of rare birds settle safely on water you protect reminds you why you do it.
In India: In India this work is done mainly by forest and wildlife department staff such as forest guards and range officers, who patrol protected areas and sanctuaries, often on foot, and deal with poaching, illegal fishing and conflict between people and wild animals.
Illustrative: one typical day, written from the O*NET task statements for this occupation. Real days vary by employer and seniority.
What you'd actually do
- 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.
Tools & technology you'd use
Frequently asked questions
What does Fish and game wardens do?
Patrol assigned area to prevent fish and game law violations. Investigate reports of damage to crops or property by wildlife. Compile biological data.
What does a typical day look like in Fish and game wardens?
You start the day before sunrise, loading your boat and radio and heading out to patrol a stretch of river and the forest around it. You check fishing permits along the bank, measure a catch that looks undersized, and quietly explain the rules to a first-time angler before writing a warning. By late morning a report of shots near a protected wetland sends you on foot through the reeds, where you find traps set out of season and photograph them as evidence.
How much does Fish and game wardens earn?
The median annual salary for Fish and game wardens in the US is $68,180.
What is the job outlook for Fish and game wardens?
The role is projected to decline by 6% over the next decade. Current US employment is approximately 7,000 workers.
How do I become fish and game wardens?
The typical entry education is a Bachelor's degree. Building a foundation in the top skills below will strengthen your application.
What skills does Fish and game wardens need?
The most in-demand skills for this role include Critical Thinking, Active Listening, Speaking, Reading Comprehension, Judgment and Decision Making, Monitoring. These are the skills O*NET identifies as most important for competent performance.
Will AI replace Fish and game wardens?
Our AI-durability model gives Fish and game wardens a score of 0.27 on a 0-1 scale (higher = more exposure). That places it at low AI exposure — the role's core work resists current-generation automation. It's a comparatively AI-durable choice within its field.
How hard is it to enter this field?
Fish and game wardens has moderate barrier to entry — moderately gated — a bachelor's degree or equivalent training is typically required.