Camera Trap Technician

Also called: Wildlife Camera Technician, Trail Camera Data Technician

Sets up hidden wildlife cameras and sorts through the thousands of photos they take.

A day in the life

Hikes into the backcountry to swap SD cards on motion-triggered cameras, then labels species in photos (bobcat, fox, mountain lion) for researchers.

Pay over a career

Starting

$30k

Typical

$38k

High

$48k

Estimate.

Approximate: anchored on Bureau of Labor Statistics data for a broader job group.

Training

Bachelor's degree (4-year), about 4 years after high school. Bachelor's in biology or a related field; often seasonal.

Ways in: 4-year college, On-the-job training. Training cost: $15k – $60k.

Majors to look at: Wildlife Biology, Environmental Science.

Outlook

Growing about average. Steady, often grant-funded.

Will it last? Our AI estimate

Medium risk in 5 years, high in 10. AI now identifies most species in camera-trap photos, so sorting jobs vanish; hiking out to set and maintain cameras remains.

Start now, in high school

Classes: Biology, Computer science, AP Statistics, AP Environmental Science.

• Set up a trail camera and classify photos on Zooniverse
• Log wildlife on iNaturalist
• Join an Envirothon team

Official data: O*NET occupation 19-4021.

More Wildlife & Conservation Biology careers

• Wildlife Veterinarian
• Research Wildlife Biologist
• Endangered Species Program Manager
• Conservation Organization Director
• Wildlife Biologist
• Fish & Game Warden
• Wildlife Forensic Scientist
• Ornithologist
• Wildlife Refuge Manager
• Wildlife GIS Analyst
• Wildlife Damage Management Specialist
• Wildlife Technician
• Interpretive Park Ranger
• Wildlife Removal Specialist
• Hunting & Fishing Guide
• Wildlife Photographer
• Wildlife Special Agent
• Wildlife Disease Biologist
• Bat Biologist
• Wildlife Capture Specialist
• Bear Management Technician
• Game Bird Farmer
• Chronic Wasting Disease Sampling Technician

Career Universe is an early version. Pay, training and AI-risk figures are estimates to start your own research, not verified facts. The research was written with AI research assistants, checked by validation scripts and spot-checked by hand. Check anything important with schools, employers and official sources. How the numbers work.