Texas / Parks and Wildlife Department

Agency file

Parks and Wildlife Department

Source file: Texas — State Employee Salaries (Texas Tribune) / ingested Jun 18, 2026

The Parks and Wildlife Department protects natural resources and the environment — conservation, parks and wildlife, and environmental regulation.

In 2026, this agency had 3,257 employees with median total compensation of $64,469; the highest distinct record was $268,230.

Year: 2026
Total payroll: $230.3M
Employees: 3,257
Median total: $64,469
Highest record: $268,230

What the records show

Compensation analytics

These summaries compare pay within the agency before listing individual records.

Salary distribution

$9,148$138,581+

Hover a bar for its range; click to filter the list below.

How 2026 total compensation is spread across the 3,257 employees. Each bar is a pay range; taller bars mean more people earn in that range. The amber line marks the median ($64,469) — half earn less, half more. The far-right bar collects the highest earners.

Average pay composition

Base — $70,695 (100%)
Overtime — $0 (0%)
Other — $0 (0%)
Benefits — $0 (0%)

What an average paycheck here is made of — base salary versus overtime, other pay (bonuses, allowances), and benefits. A large overtime or other-pay share means take-home often exceeds base salary.

Pay percentiles

10th

25th

Median

75th

90th

$45,360

$51,293

$64,469

$85,989

$98,085

The pay ladder for this department. Someone at the 90th percentile earns $98,085 — more than 90% of the department; the 10th percentile earns $45,360. The shaded band is the middle half of employees (25th–75th percentile).

Largest job titles

Game Warden

378 · $89,789

Maintenance Specialist III

187 · $47,048

Customer Service Representative I

180 · $40,038

Natural Resources Specialist IV

95 · $81,322

Fish and Wildlife Technician II

93 · $54,576

The most common job titles in this department by headcount, with the median total compensation for each. Click a title to see everyone who holds it.

Trend

Year over year

How this department's total payroll, headcount, and median pay changed across the 2 published years.

Year	Total payroll	Employees	Median pay
2025	$220.3M —	3,220 —	$63,741 —
2026	$230.3M ▲ 4.5%	3,257 ▲ 1.1%	$64,469 ▲ 1.1%

Compare

Similar departments

Departments elsewhere with the most similar mix of roles — a proxy for the same kind of agency, matched by workforce composition rather than name. Pay is not cost-of-living adjusted.

Soil and Water Conservation Board Texas47% match
Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife Maine44% match

Record list

Employees

Page 7

Ronald Hoelle Iii

Manager II/Parks and Wildlife Department

2026 total comp

$85,499

Base pay: $85,499
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $85,499
Employment type: Crf - Classified Regular Full-Time
Full-time equivalent (FTE): 1
Middle name: F

Source-specific fields

Class Code: 1601
Hire Date: Sep 10, 2007
Monthly Pay: $7,125
State Employee Number: 180847

Ronald Hoelle Iii is a Manager II at Parks and Wildlife Department. They work crf - classified regular full-time. 2026 total compensation came to $85,499.

Stephen Garrett

Manager II/Parks and Wildlife Department

2026 total comp

$85,497

Base pay: $85,497
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $85,497
Employment type: Crf - Classified Regular Full-Time
Full-time equivalent (FTE): 1
Middle name: M

Source-specific fields

Class Code: 1601
Hire Date: Jun 2, 2008
Monthly Pay: $7,125
State Employee Number: 124153

At Parks and Wildlife Department, Stephen Garrett serves as a Manager II. They work crf - classified regular full-time. Their 2026 pay totaled $85,497.

Kameron Moncus

Program Supervisor V/Parks and Wildlife Department

2026 total comp

$85,418

Base pay: $85,418
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $85,418
Employment type: Crf - Classified Regular Full-Time
Full-time equivalent (FTE): 1
Middle name: P

Source-specific fields

Class Code: 1586
Hire Date: Apr 22, 2010
Monthly Pay: $7,118
State Employee Number: 36937

Kameron Moncus is a Program Supervisor V at Parks and Wildlife Department. They work crf - classified regular full-time. 2026 total compensation came to $85,418.

Melissa Schmidt

Budget Analyst IV/Parks and Wildlife Department

2026 total comp

$85,197

Base pay: $85,197
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $85,197
Employment type: Crf - Classified Regular Full-Time
Full-time equivalent (FTE): 1
Middle name: J

Source-specific fields

Class Code: 1158
Hire Date: Apr 4, 1994
Monthly Pay: $7,100
State Employee Number: 170911

Melissa Schmidt is a Budget Analyst IV at Parks and Wildlife Department. They work crf - classified regular full-time. 2026 total compensation came to $85,197.

Margaret Scarborough

Budget Analyst IV/Parks and Wildlife Department

2026 total comp

$85,197

Base pay: $85,197
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $85,197
Employment type: Crf - Classified Regular Full-Time
Full-time equivalent (FTE): 1
Middle name: E

Source-specific fields

Class Code: 1158
Hire Date: Apr 1, 2000
Monthly Pay: $7,100
State Employee Number: 71680

At Parks and Wildlife Department, Margaret Scarborough serves as a Budget Analyst IV. They work crf - classified regular full-time. Their 2026 pay totaled $85,197.

Brooke Upchurch

Budget Analyst IV/Parks and Wildlife Department

2026 total comp

$84,955

Base pay: $84,955
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $84,955
Employment type: Crf - Classified Regular Full-Time
Full-time equivalent (FTE): 1
Middle name: A

Source-specific fields

Class Code: 1158
Hire Date: Dec 1, 2020
Monthly Pay: $7,080
State Employee Number: 1298490

At Parks and Wildlife Department, Brooke Upchurch serves as a Budget Analyst IV. They work crf - classified regular full-time. Their 2026 pay totaled $84,955.

Sandra Williams

Budget Analyst IV/Parks and Wildlife Department

2026 total comp

$84,955

Base pay: $84,955
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $84,955
Employment type: Crf - Classified Regular Full-Time
Full-time equivalent (FTE): 1
Middle name: C

Source-specific fields

Class Code: 1158
Hire Date: Sep 1, 2011
Monthly Pay: $7,080
State Employee Number: 112373

Sandra Williams holds the role of Budget Analyst IV at Parks and Wildlife Department. Their status is crf - classified regular full-time. In 2026, their total compensation was $84,955.

Andrea Boon

Budget Analyst IV/Parks and Wildlife Department

2026 total comp

$84,955

Base pay: $84,955
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $84,955
Employment type: Crf - Classified Regular Full-Time
Full-time equivalent (FTE): 1
Middle name: L

Source-specific fields

Class Code: 1158
Hire Date: Oct 10, 2018
Monthly Pay: $7,080
State Employee Number: 1144410

Andrea Boon holds the role of Budget Analyst IV at Parks and Wildlife Department. Their status is crf - classified regular full-time. In 2026, their total compensation was $84,955.

James Watson

Project Manager III/Parks and Wildlife Department

2025 total comp

$84,874

Base pay: $84,874
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $84,874
Employment type: Crf - Classified Regular Full-Time
Full-time equivalent (FTE): 1
Middle name: M

Source-specific fields

Class Code: 1560
Hire Date: Aug 1, 2006
Monthly Pay: $7,073
State Employee Number: 80995

At Parks and Wildlife Department, James Watson serves as a Project Manager III. They work crf - classified regular full-time. Their 2025 pay totaled $84,874.

Steven Kimbley

Project Manager III/Parks and Wildlife Department

2025 total comp

$84,874

Base pay: $84,874
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $84,874
Employment type: Crf - Classified Regular Full-Time
Full-time equivalent (FTE): 1
Middle name: A

Source-specific fields

Class Code: 1560
Hire Date: Jun 19, 2014
Monthly Pay: $7,073
State Employee Number: 125318

At Parks and Wildlife Department, Steven Kimbley serves as a Project Manager III. They work crf - classified regular full-time. Their 2025 pay totaled $84,874.

Shatoya Smith

Manager III/Parks and Wildlife Department

2026 total comp

$84,738

Base pay: $84,738
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $84,738
Employment type: Crf - Classified Regular Full-Time
Full-time equivalent (FTE): 1
Middle name: R

Source-specific fields

Class Code: 1602
Hire Date: Aug 1, 2008
Monthly Pay: $7,062
State Employee Number: 19117

Shatoya Smith is a Manager III at Parks and Wildlife Department. They work crf - classified regular full-time. 2026 total compensation came to $84,738.

Michael Ritter

Manager II/Parks and Wildlife Department

2026 total comp

$84,738

Base pay: $84,738
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $84,738
Employment type: Crf - Classified Regular Full-Time
Full-time equivalent (FTE): 1
Middle name: T

Source-specific fields

Class Code: 1601
Hire Date: Sep 27, 2004
Monthly Pay: $7,062
State Employee Number: 151568

Michael Ritter works as a Manager II for Parks and Wildlife Department. Their status is crf - classified regular full-time. Michael earned $84,738 in 2026.

April Cumming

Marketing Specialist V/Parks and Wildlife Department

2026 total comp

$84,733

Base pay: $84,733
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $84,733
Employment type: Crf - Classified Regular Full-Time
Full-time equivalent (FTE): 1
Middle name: M

Source-specific fields

Class Code: 1826
Hire Date: Nov 18, 2024
Monthly Pay: $7,061
State Employee Number: 1759492

April Cumming works as a Marketing Specialist V for Parks and Wildlife Department. Their status is crf - classified regular full-time. April earned $84,733 in 2026.