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Game Warden Salary by State 2026 (BLS Data)

By WardenTools · Last updated 2026-08

Game warden pay varies more by geography than by almost any other factor. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) OEWS May 2025 release for SOC 33-3031, state mean wages range from $33,440 in Florida to $96,130 in California — a gap of more than $62,000. This page ranks every state for which BLS separately reports data and explains why 15 states are absent (small workforce = suppressed for statistical reliability).

Full US choropleth map of game warden mean annual wages by state with legend
Full US choropleth map of game warden mean annual wages by state with legend

Salary data compiled by the WardenTools from BLS OEWS May 2025 (SOC 33-3031). States without separately-reported BLS data are noted honestly — we do not estimate suppressed figures.

How to Read This Table

The ranking below reflects states for which the BLS separately reports game warden wage data in the May 2025 OEWS release. For each state we list:

  • Mean annual wage — the average salary across all reported game wardens in that state
  • Mean hourly wage — the average hourly rate
  • Employment — the number of game wardens the BLS counts in that state
  • vs. national median — the state mean minus the national median ($74,060)

States are ranked by mean annual wage, highest first. The full state-by-state detail — including requirements, academies, and how-to-become steps — is on each state's dedicated page at /state/[state]/.

Game Warden Salary Ranked by State (BLS May 2025)

Rank State Mean annual Mean hourly Employment vs. National median
1 California $96,130 46.21 330 +$22,070
2 Indiana $91,900 44.18 170 +$17,840
3 Maryland $91,150 43.82 60 +$17,090
4 Nevada $90,270 43.40 50 +$16,210
5 Iowa $89,620 43.09 120 +$15,560
6 Michigan $84,770 40.76 210 +$10,710
7 Texas $82,050 39.45 490 +$7,990
8 New York $80,920 38.91 390 +$6,860
9 Wisconsin $80,030 38.48 150 +$5,970
10 North Dakota $78,150 37.57 30 +$4,090
11 Georgia $77,730 37.37 200 +$3,670
12 Idaho $76,380 36.72 110 +$2,320
13 New Jersey $76,200 36.64 90 +$2,140
14 Tennessee $76,160 36.61 220 +$2,100
15 Ohio $76,100 36.59 160 +$2,040
16 Hawaii $76,090 36.58 110 +$2,030
17 Vermont $73,210 35.20 40 −$850
18 Arkansas $71,740 34.49 80 −$2,320
19 Wyoming $71,270 34.26 70 −$2,790
20 Maine $70,940 34.11 190 −$3,120
21 Oklahoma $70,040 33.68 170 −$4,020
22 Alabama $69,630 33.48 160 −$4,430
23 Connecticut $68,160 32.77 90 −$5,900
24 Virginia $68,110 32.75 180 −$5,950
25 South Dakota $67,080 32.25 100 −$6,980
26 Nebraska $66,670 32.05 70 −$7,390
27 Missouri $65,040 31.27 150 −$9,020
28 West Virginia $64,450 30.99 110 −$9,610
29 Kansas $63,970 30.76 100 −$10,090
30 North Carolina $62,280 29.94 190 −$11,780
31 Montana $61,670 29.65 70 −$12,390
32 Louisiana $59,940 28.82 110 −$14,120
33 Kentucky $57,250 27.53 70 −$16,810
34 Pennsylvania $53,840 25.89 80 −$20,220
35 Florida $33,440 16.08 290 −$40,620

National median (reference): $74,060/year ($35.60/hour) · Total national employment: 5,770.

States Without Separately-Reported BLS Data

The BLS suppresses wage data for states where the game-warden workforce is too small to report reliably. This affects 15 states — including Alaska, Colorado, Illinois, Massachusetts, Oregon, and Washington, among others with active game-warden programs.

This does not mean those states have no game wardens. Washington, for example, fields a full warden force through the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife — but the BLS suppression threshold means no wage figure is published. For these states, we direct you to the official state wildlife agency career page, which often lists current salary ranges in job postings.

Our policy: We never estimate or infer a suppressed BLS figure. We report it as "Not separately reported in BLS OEWS May 2025" and link to the state agency. Browse all states — including those without BLS wage data — on our state directory, where each page lists the agency, requirements, academy, and how-to-become steps regardless of wage-data availability.

What Drives the State Pay Gap

The $58,000+ gap between the highest and lowest paying states reflects four primary factors:

  1. Cost of living. California, Washington, and New York have high costs of living that inflate nominal wages. Adjusted for purchasing power, the gap narrows substantially.
  2. State pay-scale structure. Each state's wildlife agency sets pay through civil-service bands or collective bargaining. States with strong public-employee unions (California, Minnesota, New York) tend to pay more.
  3. Federal vs. state employment mix. States with more federal game wardens (paid on the GS scale) may show different averages than states dominated by state-agency employment.
  4. Experience mix. States with senior workforces show higher averages; states with a high share of recent academy graduates show lower averages.

For a pay-vs-cost-of-living analysis, see our best states for game wardens guide, which adjusts pay using BEA Regional Price Parities.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why isn't my state in the table? The BLS suppresses wage data for states with small game-warden workforces to protect statistical reliability and confidentiality. Roughly 30 states have no separately-reported figure. Check your state's page at /state/[state]/ for the agency link, or see the state directory.

Which state pays game wardens the most? California at $96,130 mean annual wage (BLS May 2025). Indiana ($91,900) and Maryland ($91,150) follow.

Which state has the most game warden jobs? Texas with 490 officers (BLS May 2025), followed by New York (390) and California (330).

Is the salary data current? The most recent BLS OEWS release used is May 2025 (published April 2026). BLS releases annual updates each spring. We refresh figures when new data is published.

Sources

Last updated June 2026. Disclaimer: Salary figures are compiled from public BLS data for informational purposes. States without separately-reported BLS data are honestly noted as such. Verify current pay with your state wildlife agency.