Fish and Game Wardens Salary
Fish and Game Wardens in Arkansas make a median of $72,200 a year, or about $34.71 an hour. The range runs from $51K at the entry level to $90K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 87.64), which stretches that salary to about $82,382 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,021/month, or 21.5% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. This is an aggregate across all of Arkansas. BLS does not publish metro-level data for this occupation in this state.
Where the paycheck goes
What $72K actually covers in Arkansas, month by month
About fish and game wardens
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What this looks like in Arkansas
Fish and game wardens pay in Arkansas tracks closely to the national median, $72K locally vs. $74K nationwide, a 3% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,021/month, 21.7% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 87.64 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 12% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Arkansas
Entry-level fish and game wardens (10th percentile) start around $51K. Mid-career wages sit at $72K. Top earners bring in $90K or more, a $39K spread from bottom to top.
Compare to other states
Track fish and game wardens salary changes
BLS updates this data annually. We'll email you when Arkansas numbers change.
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Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a fish and game warden afford a 2BR apartment alone in Arkansas?
Yes — at the median salary of $72K, rent takes 21.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,021/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for fish and game wardens in Arkansas?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new fish and game wardens typically earn — is $51K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,433/month. At HUD’s $1,021/month FMR, rent would take 30% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is fish and game warden a high-paying job in Arkansas?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $72K locally vs. $74K nationally, a 3% difference.
How does Arkansas compare to the national average for fish and game wardens?
Arkansas pays $72K median vs. the U.S. average of $74K — that’s -3%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 87.64), the purchasing-power equivalent is $82K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do fish and game wardens make in Arkansas?
The median is $72,200 a year, that works out to about $35 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $51,000, and experienced fish and game wardens can clear $90,360. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $72K enough to live in Arkansas?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,711/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,021/month, which eats 21.7% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a fish and game wardens salary go in Arkansas?
Arkansas has a Regional Price Parity of 87.64 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median fish and game wardens salary is worth about $82,382 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do fish and game wardens get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.