Zoologists and Wildlife Biologists
Study the origins, behavior, diseases, genetics, and life processes of animals and wildlife. May specialize in wildlife research and management. May collect and analyze biological data to determine the environmental effects of present and potential use of land and water habitats.Salary by State
| State Name | Employment | Annual Salary | Hourly Salary | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 260 | $59,680 | $28.69 | |
| Alaska | 700 | $82,450 | $39.64 | |
| Arizona | 350 | $63,390 | $30.48 | |
| Arkansas | 160 | $60,260 | $28.97 | |
| California | 1,080 | $78,390 | $37.69 | |
| Colorado | 640 | $73,260 | $35.22 | |
| Connecticut | 110 | $72,190 | $34.71 | |
| Florida | 1,570 | $53,080 | $25.52 | |
| Georgia | 230 | $64,160 | $30.84 | |
| Hawaii | 210 | $78,140 | $37.57 | |
| Idaho | 330 | $68,190 | $32.78 | |
| Illinois | 180 | $66,600 | $32.02 | |
| Indiana | 150 | $55,240 | $26.56 | |
| Iowa | 140 | $63,320 | $30.44 | |
| Kansas | 190 | $58,350 | $28.06 | |
| Kentucky | 130 | $56,290 | $27.06 | |
| Louisiana | 50 | $71,050 | $34.16 | |
| Maine | 240 | $60,530 | $29.10 | |
| Maryland | 330 | $81,170 | $39.03 | |
| Massachusetts | 280 | $92,830 | $44.63 | |
| Michigan | 270 | $72,370 | $34.79 | |
| Minnesota | 520 | $68,450 | $32.91 | |
| Mississippi | 170 | $73,860 | $35.51 | |
| Missouri | 130 | $69,210 | $33.27 | |
| Montana | 350 | $68,060 | $32.72 | |
| Nebraska | 140 | $56,770 | $27.29 | |
| Nevada | 150 | $68,350 | $32.86 | |
| New Hampshire | 90 | $65,800 | $31.63 | |
| New Jersey | 100 | $85,730 | $41.22 | |
| New Mexico | 200 | $61,920 | $29.77 | |
| New York | 500 | $76,020 | $36.55 | |
| North Carolina | 360 | $66,930 | $32.18 | |
| North Dakota | 100 | $73,330 | $35.26 | |
| Ohio | 170 | $61,760 | $29.69 | |
| Oklahoma | 100 | $58,590 | $28.17 | |
| Oregon | 970 | $77,370 | $37.20 | |
| Pennsylvania | 210 | $66,940 | $32.19 | |
| South Carolina | 230 | $56,020 | $26.93 | |
| South Dakota | 160 | $57,960 | $27.87 | |
| Tennessee | 80 | $69,920 | $33.61 | |
| Texas | $77,330 | $37.18 | ||
| Utah | 280 | $59,380 | $28.55 | |
| Vermont | 80 | $72,440 | $34.83 | |
| Virginia | 290 | $70,710 | $33.99 | |
| Washington | 1,940 | $81,310 | $39.09 | |
| Wisconsin | 350 | $61,110 | $29.38 | |
| Wyoming | 310 | $65,570 | $31.53 |
Education
The programs listed below are typically the education paths that can land you this kind of job.
A program that prepares individuals to conserve and manage wilderness areas and the flora, marine and aquatic life therein, and manage wildlife reservations and zoological/aquarium facilities for recreational, commercial, and ecological purposes. Includes instruction in wildlife biology, marine/aquatic biology, environmental science, freshwater and saltwater ecosystems, natural resources management and policy, outdoor recreation and parks management, the design and operation of natural and artificial wildlife habitats, applicable law and regulations, and related administrative and communications skills.
A general program that focuses on the scientific study of the biology of animal species and phyla, with reference to their molecular and cellular systems, anatomy, physiology, and behavior. Includes instruction in molecular and cell biology, microbiology, anatomy and physiology, ecology and behavior, evolutionary biology, and applications to specific species and phyla.
A program that focuses on the scientific study of insect species and populations in respect of their life cycles, morphology, genetics, physiology, ecology, taxonomy, population dynamics, and environmental and economic impacts. Includes instruction in applicable biological and physical sciences as well as insect toxicology and the biochemical control of insect populations.
A program that focuses on the scientific study of function, morphology, regulation, and intercellular communications and dynamics within vertebrate and invertebrate in animal species, with comparative applications to homo sapiens and its relatives and antecedents. Includes instruction in reproduction, growth, lactation, digestion, performance, behavioral adaptation, sensory perception, motor action, phylogenetics, biotic and abiotic function, membrane biology, and related aspects of biochemistry and biophysics.
A program that focuses on the scientific study of the psychological and neurological bases of animal sensation, perception, cognition, behavior, and behavioral interactions within and outside the species. Includes instruction in ethology, behavioral neuroscience, neurobiology, behavioral evolution, cognition and sensory perception, motivators, learning and instinct, hormonal controls, reproductive and developmental biology, community ecology, functional behavior, and applications to specific behaviors and patterns as well as to specific phyla and species.
A program that focuses on the application of biological principles to the study of vertebrate wildlife, wildlife habitats, and related ecosystems in remote and urban areas. Includes instruction in animal ecology; adaptational biology; urban ecosystems; natural and artificial habitat management; limnology; wildlife pathology; and vertebrate zoological specializations such as mammalogy, herpetology, ichthyology, ornithology, and others.
Any instructional program in zoology/animal biology not listed above.
A program that focuses on the scientific study of the relationships and interactions of small-scale biological systems, such as organisms, to each other, to complex and whole systems, and to the physical and other non-biological aspects of their environments. Includes instruction in biogeochemistry; landscape and/or marine/aquatic dynamics; decomposition; global and regional elemental budgets; biotic and abiotic regulation of nutrient cycles; ecophysiology; ecosystem resilience, disturbance, and succession; community and habitat dynamics; organismal interactions (co-evolution, competition, predation); paleoecology; and evolutionary ecology.
A program that focuses on the scientific study of the ecology and behavior of microbes, plants, and animals inhabiting oceans, coastal waters, and saltwater wetlands and their interactions with the physical environment. Includes instruction in chemical, physical, and geological oceanography; molecular, cellular, and biochemical studies; marine microbiology; marine botany; ichthyology; mammalogy; marine population dynamics and biodiversity; reproductive biology; studies of specific species, phyla, habitats, and ecosystems; marine paleocology and palentology; and applications to fields such as fisheries science and biotechnology.
A program that focuses on the scientific study of the genetic, developmental, functional, and morphological patterns and processes, and theoretical principles; and the emergence and mutation of organisms over time. Includes instruction in molecular and morphological systematics; genetics and development; evolutionary transformation; paleobiology and paleontology; morphogenesis; mutation; locomotor, biomechanical and craniodental form and function; evolutionary theory; and systematic biology.
A program that focuses on the scientific study of the origins, functions, relationships, interactions, and natural history of living populations, communities, species, and ecosystems in relation to dynamic environmental processes. Includes instruction in biodiversity, molecular genetic and genomic evolution, mesoscale ecology, computational biology and modeling, conservation biology, local and global environmental change, and restoration ecology.
A program that focuses on the study of biology, chemistry, geology and physics applied to marine, estuarine and coastal environments. Includes instruction in marine biogeochemistry, atmosphere and ocean dynamics, coastal ecology, coastal ocean processes, microbial ecology, marine ecosystem modeling, and polar microbiology.
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$70,300 per yearNational average salarySlowJob growth rate
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Bachelor's degreeTypical education requirement
Educational Attainment
The following chart shows the highest education level completed by those working as zoologists and wildlife biologists.
- Less than high school 0%
- High school graduate 0%
- College dropout 0%
- Associate’s degree 0%
- Bachelor’s degree 46%
- Master’s degree 31%
- Doctorate degree 23%
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