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Salary comparison

Fish and Game Wardens vs. Security Guards: Who Earns More?

Fish and Game Wardenss out-earn Security Guardss by $36K a year at the national median, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Fish and Game Wardenss land at $74,060 and Security Guardss at $38,020. The education gap is real: fish and game warden programs typically require high school diploma or equivalent, while security guard programs require high school diploma or equivalent. Top-paying state for Fish and Game Wardenss is California ($100,090); for Security Guardss it's District of Columbia ($64,210).

Fish and Game Wardens
Security Guards
Median salary
$74,060
$38,020
Hourly rate
$35.6/hr
$18.28/hr
Entry level (10th %)
$50,990
$30,210
Senior level (90th %)
$100,980
$58,840
Education required
High school diploma or equivalent
High school diploma or equivalent
U.S. employment
5,770
1,283,470
Job growth (10-year)
N/A
N/A
Category
Public Safety
Public Safety
Top-paying state
California
District of Columbia

Pay by state

States where both occupations have BLS data, sorted by Fish and Game Wardens median pay.

State
Fish and Game Wardens
Security Guards
California
$100,090
$43,240
Maryland
$89,300
$38,220
New York
$80,060
$44,240
North Dakota
$79,520
$39,310
Vermont
$74,940
$45,550
Wyoming
$74,060
$39,200
Maine
$73,260
$39,100
Idaho
$73,200
$38,300
New Jersey
$72,920
$38,880
Missouri
$70,030
$40,390
Hawaii
$69,250
$42,820
Virginia
$66,540
$43,640
Connecticut
$65,400
$39,920
Nebraska
$63,000
$39,840
Montana
$59,490
$38,480

Source: BLS OEWS May 2025. Highlighted value is higher in each row.

Common questions

Who earns more, Fish and Game Wardenss or Security Guardss?

Fish and Game Wardenss earn more nationally. The median is $74,060 for Fish and Game Wardenss versus $38,020 for Security Guardss, a difference of $36K. Per BLS OEWS May 2025.

Which has better job growth, Fish and Game Wardens or Security Guards?

BLS Employment Projections data is not available for one or both occupations. Check the individual career pages for current outlook figures.

Which requires more education, Fish and Game Wardens or Security Guards?

Fish and Game Wardens typically requires high school diploma or equivalent. Security Guards requires high school diploma or equivalent. Education requirements vary by employer and state licensing board.

Where do Fish and Game Wardenss get paid the most?

California is the top-paying state for Fish and Game Wardenss at $100,090/year, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Major metro areas within that state typically pay even more than the state average.

How does Fish and Game Wardens vs. Security Guards pay differ by state?

The gap varies significantly by state. In California, Fish and Game Wardenss earn $100,090 vs. $43,240 for Security Guardss. See the state comparison table on this page for the full picture.

Full Fish and Game Wardens salary breakdownView →Full Security Guards salary breakdownView →Best cities for Fish and Game Wardenss by take-home payExplore →Best cities for Security Guardss by take-home payExplore →How to become a fish and game wardensGuide →How to become a security guardsGuide →