Fish and Game Wardens Salary
Fish and Game Wardens in Virginia make a median of $66,540 a year, or about $31.99 an hour. The range runs from $57K at the entry level to $84K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 94.79), which stretches that salary to about $70,197 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,646/month, about 37.6% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Virginia. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $67K get you in Virginia?
About fish and game wardens
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Virginia
Fish and game wardens pay in Virginia tracks closely to the national median, $67K locally vs. $74K nationwide, a 10% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,646/month, which is 38.1% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 94.79 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 5% 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, Virginia
Entry-level fish and game wardens (10th percentile) start around $57K. Mid-career wages sit at $67K. Top earners bring in $84K or more, a $27K spread from bottom to top.
Fish and Game Wardens salary by metro in Virginia
1 metro area with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk | $63K | -5% | 80 |
Compare to other states
Track fish and game wardens salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Virginia numbers change.
Related careers in Public Safety
Frequently asked questions
Can a fish and game warden afford a 2BR apartment alone in Virginia?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $67K, rent takes 38.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,646/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,300/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for fish and game wardens in Virginia?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new fish and game wardens typically earn — is $57K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,402/month. At HUD’s $1,646/month FMR, rent would take 48% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is fish and game warden a high-paying job in Virginia?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $67K locally vs. $74K nationally, a 10% difference.
How does Virginia compare to the national average for fish and game wardens?
Virginia pays $67K median vs. the U.S. average of $74K — that’s -10%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 94.79), the purchasing-power equivalent is $70K — below the national median.
How much do fish and game wardens make in Virginia?
The median is $66,540 a year, that works out to about $32 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $56,700, and experienced fish and game wardens can clear $83,550. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $67K enough to live in Virginia?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,324/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,646/month, which eats 38.1% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a fish and game wardens salary go in Virginia?
Virginia has a Regional Price Parity of 94.79 (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 $70,197 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.