Also called: Conservation Officer, Fish and Wildlife Officer
A law enforcement officer for nature: enforces hunting and fishing laws and protects wildlife.
You patrol rivers by boat and backroads by truck, checking hunting licenses, catching poachers spotlighting deer at night, and rescuing lost hikers. One day you're in a courtroom, the next you're relocating a bear from a neighborhood.
Fish and game wardens.
Approximate: anchored on Bureau of Labor Statistics data for a broader job group.
Bachelor's degree (4-year), about 4 years after high school. Many states require a bachelor's in wildlife or criminal justice, plus a police academy.
Ways in: 4-year college, 2-year college, Military. Training cost: $15k – $60k.
Majors to look at: Wildlife Management, Criminal Justice, Conservation Law Enforcement.
Growing slowly (about 1% over 10 years). Fish and game wardens.
Low risk for 10 years. Drones and data tools help patrols; enforcing laws in the field and dealing with people stay human.
Classes: Biology, Government, PE or fitness.
Official data: O*NET occupation 33-3031.
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.