19 Series · SOC 19-1023
Zoologists and Wildlife Biologists Salary
National pay, percentile range, growth outlook, and state-by-state detail from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey (May 2025).
- $76,780
- Median / year
- $126,440
- Top 10% earn
- +1.6%
- Growth '23–'33
- 18,120
- US workers
Zoologists and Wildlife Biologists earn a median of $76,780 per year.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, the median annual wage is $76,780, based on the most recent survey of employers. Reported pay ranges from $49,100 (10th percentile) to $126,440 (90th percentile) nationally, across roughly 18,120 US workers. Maryland pays the most ($107,500), since pay varies by state and metro area.
The pay verdict
Zoologists and Wildlife Biologists earn a median of $76,780, putting them above the typical US occupation and higher than 69% of the 825 occupations with a published BLS median. Within Life, Physical, and Social Science, it ranks #30 of 48 by median pay. Employment is projected to grow 1.6% by 2033.
- $76,780
- Median annual wage
- Top 31%
- of 825 US occupations with published wages
- #30 of 48
- in Life, Physical, and Social Science
- 2.6×
- 90th-to-10th pay spread
Highest-paying state: Maryland at $107,500. Typical entry-level education: Bachelor's degree.
Zoologists and Wildlife Biologists (SOC 19-1023) pays a national median of $76,780 per year according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey released in May 2025. Full-range compensation stretches from $49,100 at the 10th percentile to $126,440 at the 90th, with a mean of $83,020 indicating a right-skew where top earners pull the average above the midpoint. An estimated 18,120 Americans work in this occupation across 48 reporting states and 139 metro areas.
BLS Employment Projections forecast a +1.6% change in employment from 2024 to 2034, which the agency classifies as slower than average relative to the 5% all-occupations baseline. About 1,400 openings are projected per year, combining new positions with replacement needs from retirements and occupation-switchers. Typical entry-level preparation is Bachelor's degree. The BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) and Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII) produce a workplace-safety grade of A for this role, with a fatality rate of 1.5 per 100,000 and injury rate of 0.7 per 100.
Geographic variation matters as much as the headline median. Maryland pays the highest state median at $107,500, which is +40% above the national figure. The top metro is San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA at $129,940 - metro premiums typically reflect higher cost of living, industry concentration, or specialized employer demand. When using this page for negotiation or career planning, pair the national median with the state and metro rows below, remember that BLS wages exclude benefits, bonuses, and overtime, and revisit after each May OEWS release since percentiles shift with cost-of-living cycles and industry demand. See our methodology for exactly how these figures are sourced, computed, and verified.
Median Salary
$76,780
per year
Median Hourly
$36.91/hr
per hour
Mean Salary
$83,020
average
Employment
18,120
jobs nationwide
How does this pay compare nationally?
Where Zoologists and Wildlife Biologists pay sits nationally
Median annual wage vs. 825 detailed BLS occupations with a published median
$76,780 Top 31% higher than 69% of 825 US occupations
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US occupations. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS · May 2025
Does this job pay well and grow?
Each dot is a 19-series occupation, placed by projected 2024–2034 growth and median pay. The highlighted dot is Zoologists and Wildlife Biologists; the upper-right quadrant is the sweet spot (high pay + fast growth).
Among 25 19-series occupations with growth data, Zoologists and Wildlife Biologists sits on the slower-growing side at +1.6% growth and $76,780 median pay.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS (wages, May 2025) and Employment Projections (2024–2034).
Job Outlook (2024–2034)
Projected Growth
+1.6%
Slower than average
Annual Openings
1,400
per year (projected)
Typical Education
Bachelor's degree
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034
Workplace Safety
All safety ratings →Very Safe
Safety Grade (BLS 2023)
Fatality Rate
1.5/100K
Injury Rate
0.7/100
Danger Index
3.6/100
Source: BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) & Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII), 2023
Career Intelligence
Skills, knowledge, and tasks most important for Zoologists and Wildlife Biologists roles, ranked by importance. Source: O*NET.
Top Skills
Knowledge Areas
Key Tasks
- ▸ Develop, or make recommendations on, management systems and plans for wildlife populations and habitat, consulting with stakeholders and the public at large to explore options.
- ▸ Inventory or estimate plant and wildlife populations.
- ▸ Inform and respond to public regarding wildlife and conservation issues, such as plant identification, hunting ordinances, and nuisance wildlife.
- ▸ Organize and conduct experimental studies with live animals in controlled or natural surroundings.
- ▸ Study animals in their natural habitats, assessing effects of environment and industry on animals, interpreting findings and recommending alternative operating conditions for industry.
- ▸ Disseminate information by writing reports and scientific papers or journal articles, and by making presentations and giving talks for schools, clubs, interest groups and park interpretive programs.
- ▸ Study characteristics of animals, such as origin, interrelationships, classification, life histories, diseases, development, genetics, and distribution.
- ▸ Perform administrative duties, such as fundraising, public relations, budgeting, and supervision of zoo staff.
- ▸ Check for, and ensure compliance with, environmental laws, and notify law enforcement when violations are identified.
- ▸ Analyze characteristics of animals to identify and classify them.
Source: O*NET Online, National Center for O*NET Development. Data represents typical importance ratings for this occupation.
Salary Range
Annual Salary Distribution
Hourly Rate Distribution
10th Percentile
$49,100
25th Percentile
$61,180
Median
$76,780
75th Percentile
$96,100
90th Percentile
$126,440
Salary by State
Highest Paying States
Lowest Paying States
View all 48 states →
| # | State | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Maryland | $107,500 | +40% above national |
| 2 | District of Columbia | $107,050 | +39% above national |
| 3 | California | $98,530 | +28% above national |
| 4 | Alaska | $90,370 | +18% above national |
| 5 | Mississippi | $88,710 | +16% above national |
| 6 | Louisiana | $87,460 | +14% above national |
| 7 | Oregon | $85,150 | +11% above national |
| 8 | Hawaii | $84,910 | +11% above national |
| 9 | Massachusetts | $84,350 | +10% above national |
| 10 | Washington | $83,780 | +9% above national |
| 11 | Colorado | $83,300 | +8% above national |
| 12 | New Jersey | $83,030 | +8% above national |
| 13 | Iowa | $83,000 | +8% above national |
| 14 | New York | $82,640 | +8% above national |
| 15 | North Dakota | $81,330 | +6% above national |
| 16 | Illinois | $79,780 | +4% above national |
| 17 | Vermont | $79,620 | +4% above national |
| 18 | Michigan | $79,150 | +3% above national |
| 19 | Montana | $78,850 | +3% above national |
| 20 | Pennsylvania | $78,540 | +2% above national |
| 21 | Connecticut | $77,300 | +1% above national |
| 22 | Missouri | $76,400 | same as national |
| 23 | Nevada | $75,180 | 2% below national |
| 24 | Ohio | $74,550 | 3% below national |
| 25 | Maine | $74,490 | 3% below national |
| 26 | Alabama | $74,290 | 3% below national |
| 27 | Wyoming | $74,150 | 3% below national |
| 28 | Utah | $73,920 | 4% below national |
| 29 | Tennessee | $73,570 | 4% below national |
| 30 | New Hampshire | $73,560 | 4% below national |
| 31 | Idaho | $73,360 | 4% below national |
| 32 | Virginia | $72,340 | 6% below national |
| 33 | Minnesota | $68,620 | 11% below national |
| 34 | Wisconsin | $68,370 | 11% below national |
| 35 | New Mexico | $68,220 | 11% below national |
| 36 | Arizona | $66,880 | 13% below national |
| 37 | Kansas | $66,440 | 13% below national |
| 38 | Georgia | $66,210 | 14% below national |
| 39 | South Dakota | $65,890 | 14% below national |
| 40 | North Carolina | $64,620 | 16% below national |
| 41 | South Carolina | $64,090 | 17% below national |
| 42 | Oklahoma | $62,730 | 18% below national |
| 43 | Kentucky | $61,950 | 19% below national |
| 44 | Nebraska | $57,890 | 25% below national |
| 45 | Puerto Rico | $57,110 | 26% below national |
| 46 | Indiana | $54,670 | 29% below national |
| 47 | Florida | $52,750 | 31% below national |
| 48 | Texas | $49,100 | 36% below national |
Salary by Metro Area
Highest Paying Metros
View all 139 metro areas →
| # | Metro Area | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $129,940 | +69% above national |
| 2 | Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | $122,170 | +59% above national |
| 3 | Gulfport-Biloxi, MS | $113,800 | +48% above national |
| 4 | Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $104,330 | +36% above national |
| 5 | Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | $99,490 | +30% above national |
| 6 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $99,230 | +29% above national |
| 7 | Salem, OR | $98,110 | +28% above national |
| 8 | Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | $97,040 | +26% above national |
| 9 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $96,450 | +26% above national |
| 10 | Worcester, MA | $93,930 | +22% above national |
| 11 | San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $93,500 | +22% above national |
| 12 | Alaska nonmetropolitan area | $92,600 | +21% above national |
| 13 | Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $89,880 | +17% above national |
| 14 | Fairbanks-College, AK | $88,740 | +16% above national |
| 15 | Upper Peninsula of Michigan nonmetropolitan area | $88,710 | +16% above national |
| 16 | Urban Honolulu, HI | $88,240 | +15% above national |
| 17 | Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $86,670 | +13% above national |
| 18 | New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $86,400 | +13% above national |
| 19 | Southwest Colorado nonmetropolitan area | $86,050 | +12% above national |
| 20 | Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA | $85,940 | +12% above national |
| 21 | Bismarck, ND | $85,330 | +11% above national |
| 22 | Northwest Colorado nonmetropolitan area | $85,210 | +11% above national |
| 23 | Corvallis, OR | $85,150 | +11% above national |
| 24 | Coast Oregon nonmetropolitan area | $85,150 | +11% above national |
| 25 | Anchorage, AK | $85,130 | +11% above national |
| 26 | Salinas, CA | $84,900 | +11% above national |
| 27 | Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $84,620 | +10% above national |
| 28 | Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA | $84,500 | +10% above national |
| 29 | North Valley-Northern Mountains Region of California nonmetropolitan area | $84,450 | +10% above national |
| 30 | Grand Junction, CO | $84,360 | +10% above national |
| 31 | Fort Collins-Loveland, CO | $84,240 | +10% above national |
| 32 | Helena, MT | $84,230 | +10% above national |
| 33 | Bend, OR | $83,780 | +9% above national |
| 34 | Medford, OR | $83,780 | +9% above national |
| 35 | North Coast Region of California nonmetropolitan area | $83,780 | +9% above national |
| 36 | Central Oregon nonmetropolitan area | $83,780 | +9% above national |
| 37 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $83,490 | +9% above national |
| 38 | Boulder, CO | $83,300 | +8% above national |
| 39 | Bozeman, MT | $83,230 | +8% above national |
| 40 | Northern Michigan nonmetropolitan area | $82,950 | +8% above national |
| 41 | Kennewick-Richland, WA | $82,880 | +8% above national |
| 42 | Central East New York nonmetropolitan area | $82,640 | +8% above national |
| 43 | Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA | $82,500 | +7% above national |
| 44 | Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $82,360 | +7% above national |
| 45 | Southwest Montana nonmetropolitan area | $81,980 | +7% above national |
| 46 | Eastern Oregon nonmetropolitan area | $81,720 | +6% above national |
| 47 | West North Dakota nonmetropolitan area | $81,600 | +6% above national |
| 48 | West Montana nonmetropolitan area | $81,330 | +6% above national |
| 49 | Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA | $81,040 | +6% above national |
| 50 | Eugene-Springfield, OR | $80,990 | +5% above national |
| 51 | Cleveland, OH | $80,980 | +5% above national |
| 52 | Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $80,540 | +5% above national |
| 53 | Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | $80,360 | +5% above national |
| 54 | Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | $80,260 | +5% above national |
| 55 | Mobile, AL | $80,110 | +4% above national |
| 56 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $79,780 | +4% above national |
| 57 | Columbia, SC | $79,580 | +4% above national |
| 58 | Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | $79,440 | +3% above national |
| 59 | Northeast Maine nonmetropolitan area | $79,440 | +3% above national |
| 60 | Richmond, VA | $79,220 | +3% above national |
| 61 | Reno, NV | $79,160 | +3% above national |
| 62 | Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | $79,010 | +3% above national |
| 63 | Bangor, ME | $79,000 | +3% above national |
| 64 | Northwest Minnesota nonmetropolitan area | $79,000 | +3% above national |
| 65 | Northeast Minnesota nonmetropolitan area | $79,000 | +3% above national |
| 66 | Southwest Minnesota nonmetropolitan area | $79,000 | +3% above national |
| 67 | Southeast Minnesota nonmetropolitan area | $79,000 | +3% above national |
| 68 | La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN | $78,850 | +3% above national |
| 69 | Yakima, WA | $78,460 | +2% above national |
| 70 | Eastern Washington nonmetropolitan area | $78,460 | +2% above national |
| 71 | Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY | $78,380 | +2% above national |
| 72 | Portland-South Portland, ME | $77,290 | +1% above national |
| 73 | Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | $77,280 | +1% above national |
| 74 | Boise City, ID | $77,210 | +1% above national |
| 75 | Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA | $76,600 | same as national |
| 76 | Northwestern Idaho nonmetropolitan area | $76,400 | same as national |
| 77 | East-Central Montana nonmetropolitan area | $76,400 | same as national |
| 78 | Columbus, OH | $75,400 | 2% below national |
| 79 | North Central Tennessee nonmetropolitan area | $75,230 | 2% below national |
| 80 | Montgomery, AL | $75,210 | 2% below national |
| 81 | Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $75,190 | 2% below national |
| 82 | Western Wyoming nonmetropolitan area | $74,970 | 2% below national |
| 83 | Eastern Wyoming nonmetropolitan area | $74,860 | 3% below national |
| 84 | Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA | $74,710 | 3% below national |
| 85 | Missoula, MT | $73,920 | 4% below national |
| 86 | Balance of Nevada nonmetropolitan area | $73,920 | 4% below national |
| 87 | Coeur d'Alene, ID | $73,360 | 4% below national |
| 88 | Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | $73,280 | 5% below national |
| 89 | Colorado Springs, CO | $72,860 | 5% below national |
| 90 | Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | $72,760 | 5% below national |
| 91 | Ogden, UT | $72,160 | 6% below national |
| 92 | Southeast-Central Idaho nonmetropolitan area | $71,280 | 7% below national |
| 93 | Western Washington nonmetropolitan area | $71,140 | 7% below national |
| 94 | Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT | $70,840 | 8% below national |
| 95 | Madison, WI | $70,410 | 8% below national |
| 96 | Flagstaff, AZ | $70,370 | 8% below national |
| 97 | High Desert Utah nonmetropolitan area | $70,240 | 9% below national |
| 98 | Southwest Maine nonmetropolitan area | $70,080 | 9% below national |
| 99 | Duluth, MN-WI | $69,030 | 10% below national |
| 100 | East South Dakota nonmetropolitan area | $68,990 | 10% below national |
| 101 | Northwestern Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area | $68,370 | 11% below national |
| 102 | Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | $68,200 | 11% below national |
| 103 | Rapid City, SD | $68,100 | 11% below national |
| 104 | Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | $67,970 | 11% below national |
| 105 | Albuquerque, NM | $67,930 | 12% below national |
| 106 | Santa Fe, NM | $67,870 | 12% below national |
| 107 | Casper, WY | $67,640 | 12% below national |
| 108 | Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR | $66,790 | 13% below national |
| 109 | Arizona nonmetropolitan area | $66,790 | 13% below national |
| 110 | Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $66,770 | 13% below national |
| 111 | Raleigh-Cary, NC | $65,870 | 14% below national |
| 112 | Northeastern Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area | $65,600 | 15% below national |
| 113 | Central Kentucky nonmetropolitan area | $65,510 | 15% below national |
| 114 | Kansas nonmetropolitan area | $64,790 | 16% below national |
| 115 | Eastern North Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $64,620 | 16% below national |
| 116 | Western North Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $64,620 | 16% below national |
| 117 | West South Dakota nonmetropolitan area | $64,560 | 16% below national |
| 118 | Tucson, AZ | $64,330 | 16% below national |
| 119 | Lansing-East Lansing, MI | $63,520 | 17% below national |
| 120 | Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | $63,370 | 17% below national |
| 121 | Knoxville, TN | $62,670 | 18% below national |
| 122 | Oklahoma City, OK | $61,210 | 20% below national |
| 123 | Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $61,050 | 20% below national |
| 124 | Charleston-North Charleston, SC | $58,260 | 24% below national |
| 125 | South Nebraska nonmetropolitan area | $57,890 | 25% below national |
| 126 | Naples-Marco Island, FL | $57,240 | 25% below national |
| 127 | Gainesville, FL | $55,790 | 27% below national |
| 128 | Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | $55,050 | 28% below national |
| 129 | Panama City-Panama City Beach, FL | $54,750 | 29% below national |
| 130 | Lincoln, NE | $54,530 | 29% below national |
| 131 | Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $53,230 | 31% below national |
| 132 | South Florida nonmetropolitan area | $52,520 | 32% below national |
| 133 | Tallahassee, FL | $52,060 | 32% below national |
| 134 | Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL | $50,000 | 35% below national |
| 135 | Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL | $49,920 | 35% below national |
| 136 | North Florida nonmetropolitan area | $49,650 | 35% below national |
| 137 | Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $49,100 | 36% below national |
| 138 | Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | $48,130 | 37% below national |
| 139 | Jacksonville, FL | $48,110 | 37% below national |
Similar Occupations in the Same Category
Other roles in SOC major group 19 (life physical and social science) with comparable pay and career paths.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a Zoologists and Wildlife Biologists make? ▼
What state pays Zoologists and Wildlife Biologists the most? ▼
What education do you need to become a Zoologists and Wildlife Biologists? ▼
How dangerous is being a Zoologists and Wildlife Biologists? ▼
Is Zoologists and Wildlife Biologists a good career? ▼
How does Zoologists and Wildlife Biologists pay vary by state? ▼
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What to do with this data
How to use Zoologists and Wildlife Biologists pay figures in a real decision
- For an experienced offer, anchor on the 75th percentile (about $96,100/year), not the median. The median marks the middle worker; the upper quartile is the realistic target with strong experience. Salary calculator
- Location moves pay significantly: Maryland leads at $107,500/year for this role. Weigh state pay against local cost of living before relocating or negotiating remote. Pay by state
- Compare this occupation against similar roles before you decide, so you are reading the pay band in context rather than in isolation. Compare jobs
These are BLS survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. Your pay depends on experience, employer, exact role, and location.
Every figure on WageDex is rendered directly from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, no number is typed in by an editor. This occupation's figures are computed directly from the BLS OEWS and Employment Projections datasets, nothing is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of May 2025.
This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or career advice. Actual pay for a specific role, employer, or offer may differ from these national/state figures, consult a qualified career counselor, recruiter, or financial advisor before making decisions based on this data.