Also called: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Special Agent
A federal criminal investigator who busts wildlife traffickers and poachers.
Wildlife special agents go undercover to catch people smuggling ivory, rhino horn, or endangered reptiles, and investigate illegal hunting of protected species like eagles. There are only around 200 of them nationwide, covering huge territories.
Federal pay plus 25% LEAP.
Approximate: anchored on Bureau of Labor Statistics data for a broader job group.
Bachelor's degree (4-year), about 4 years after high school. Bachelor's degree, federal criminal investigator training at FLETC.
Ways in: 4-year college. Training cost: $15k – $60k.
Majors to look at: Wildlife Biology, Criminal Justice, Environmental Science.
Growing slowly. Very small agency.
Low risk for 10 years. AI scans online wildlife markets and shipping data; undercover buys and poaching cases stay human.
Classes: Biology, AP Environmental Science, A foreign language, Government.
Official data: O*NET occupation 33-3021.
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.