Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 — state estimates; State POST commissions and legislatures, State peace officer standards: statutes, administrative rules and POST commission pages. Data captured September 30, 2026.
How to become a game warden in Kansas
- Certification
- Kansas full-time law enforcement officer certification (a provisional certificate is issued pending basic training); separate part-time certification
- Minimum age
- At least 21 (K.S.A. 74-5605(b)(8)); KLETC admission also requires 21.
- Education
- High school diploma from an accredited school, a nonaccredited private secondary school, or the equivalent. The equivalent is a GED; or nonaccredited private-school completion plus ACT/SAT at the 50th percentile or higher; or admission to an accredited postsecondary institution (K.S.A. 74-5605(b)(4); K.A.R. 106-3-4).
- Citizenship
- U.S. citizen (K.S.A. 74-5605(b)(1))
- Disqualifiers
- Felony conviction; misdemeanor crime of domestic violence; or a misdemeanor the commission finds reflects on honesty, trustworthiness, integrity or competence. Expunged convictions count. Diversion or deferred judgment counts for felonies (since 7/1/1995) and for those misdemeanors. Also: lacking good moral character (K.A.R. 106-2-4), a disqualifying mental or personality disorder found by psychological testing (K.A.R. 106-3-3), or a disqualifying physical or mental condition. The commission may deny for any conduct that is grounds for discipline under K.S.A. 74-5616 (K.S.A. 74-5605(b)-(d)).
- Basic academy
- KLETC full-time Basic Training Program: 571 hours over 14 weeks (kletc.org). It was long described as a 560-hour program. Neither statute nor K.A.R. sets an hour minimum. The curriculum is adopted by the director of police training (K.S.A. 74-5603), and certified state or local agency academies may run equivalent courses (K.S.A. 74-5604a; K.A.R. 106-4-1). Part-time officers take a separate part-time basic course.
- State exam
- None required
- Time to certify
- A provisional certificate is valid 1 year from appointment, and the commission may extend it. The officer must attend the next available basic course unless the agency shows a public-safety reason (K.S.A. 74-5607a(c); K.A.R. 106-3-1).
- Officers from other states
- The commission may certify officers certified in another state whose requirements equal or exceed the Kansas basic course, and may waive duplicative hours (K.S.A. 74-5608a). KLETC Reciprocity Certification Program eligibility: employed by a Kansas agency; current certification with no discipline; out of law enforcement no more than 5 years. The program is about 35-40 hours of online material, a written exam (70% minimum) and a duty-handgun qualification (70%). From 2/1/2026, applicants must also show a psychological exam taken within the prior 12 months.
- Continuing training
- 40 hours a year for full-time officers, starting the second year after certification (training year July 1-June 30), including an annual bias-based policing course (K.S.A. 74-5607a(b); KS-CPOST FAQ).
Kansas has no separate state licensing exam. K.A.R. 106-4-1(b) requires a final written-test average of at least 70% and a firearms score of at least 70% at the training school, and KLETC offers a challenge exam for lapsed Kansas officers. Kansas sets no state-mandated entry fitness test: K.S.A. 74-5605(b)(7) only requires freedom from physical or mental conditions that impair performance, and agencies or academies may set PT tests. The statute sets no driver's license requirement. Sheriffs must hold full-time KS-CPOST certification (K.S.A. 19-801b). Highway Patrol troopers are covered as state officers.
Source: State POST commissions and legislatures, State peace officer standards: statutes, administrative rules and POST commission pages. Data captured October 2, 2026.
Pay in Kansas, all employers Sourced
Fish and Game Wardens (SOC 33-3031) in Kansas, all employers combined: BLS state estimates do not separate government from private.
| Measure | KS |
|---|---|
| Workers | 100 |
| 10th percentile | $53,410 |
| Median | $61,840 |
| 90th percentile | $78,920 |
| National median, government employers | $74,060 |
Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 — state estimates; U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 — national estimates by ownership. Data captured September 30, 2026.
Pension in Kansas
State employees: State public safety
| Plan | Accrual | Normal retirement | Employee pays | Social Security |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kansas Police and Firemen's Retirement System (KP&F) - Tier II KP&F Tier II | 2.5% | age 50 with 25 years of service | 7.15% | Varies |
The statewide plan a new hire usually joins. Some cities and counties run their own plans; check with the employer. Each plan's formula, vesting, cost-of-living adjustment and retiree health are on the Kansas pension plans list.
Source: State retirement systems, Official state retirement system pages, member handbooks and statutes. Data captured October 2, 2026.
More about this job
Requirements, hiring process, training, schedule and day-to-day work are on the national Fish & Game Warden page.
Fish & Game Warden in other states
More government jobs in Kansas
Kansas government jobs · Kansas public pension plans · police officer standards in Kansas · exam practice in Kansas