Education · 1 of 5
The path
Hire first, then train. The hard part is being picked, not passing.
- 1
Finish high school
Grade 12
Biology, government and physical education. Get your driver's license, learn to swim well, and stay out of trouble because the background check is thorough.
- 2
College
2 to 4 years
Most states want a degree. Some, including Texas, require a full bachelor's; others accept an associate degree or 60 college credits. Wildlife management, biology and criminal justice are the usual majors.
- 3
Apply and survive the process
6 to 12 months
Written exam, physical fitness test, swim test, panel interview, polygraph in many states, psychological evaluation, medical exam and a deep background investigation. It takes months.
- 4
The academy
6 to 8 months
A residential law enforcement academy run by the wildlife agency itself, commonly six to eight months. Firearms, law, defensive tactics, boats, first aid, wildlife identification and evidence.
- 5
Field training, then your own district
Year 1
Months riding with a veteran warden, then you are assigned a county or a stretch of water and you work it mostly alone.