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Zoologist: pay, job outlook and how to become one

Updated October 26, 2026. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET data. Published by Humblebee.

$76,780median pay per year, or $36.91 an hour, May 2025[1]
  1. $49,100lowest 10% earn less
  2. $61,18025th percentile
  3. $76,780median
  4. $96,10075th percentile
  5. $126,440top 10% earn more
Middle half of workers in the inner band[4]Median for all US jobs, $50,980[5]

Zoologists and wildlife biologists had a median pay of $76,780 a year in May 2025[1]. Employment is projected to grow 3.6% from 2025 to 2035, close to the 3.5% projected for all occupations[2][3].

Job growth, 2025–35
+3.6%[2]
Openings per year
1,400[6]
Typical entry education
Bachelor's degree[7]

How much do zoologists make?

The BLS category is Zoologists and Wildlife Biologists. Its median pay was $76,780 a year, or $36.91 an hour[1]. Half of workers earned more and half earned less. The average was $83,020 a year, or $39.91 an hour[8]. The median for all occupations was $50,980 a year[5].

The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $49,100 a year, and the lowest-paid 25% earned less than $61,180[4]. The highest-paid 25% earned more than $96,100, and the highest-paid 10% earned more than $126,440[4]. Per hour, those boundaries were $23.61, $29.41, $46.20 and $60.79[9]. A percentile is a boundary, and BLS publishes percentile wages, not a starting salary[10].

These figures cover wage and salary workers. They leave out the self-employed and do not include nonproduction bonuses or the cost of benefits[11]. Only 0.9% of zoologists and wildlife biologists were self-employed in 2025[12].

Pay by state and city

Among the 46 states and DC with published data, Maryland had the highest median at $107,500[13]. The District of Columbia was next at $107,050, then California at $98,530[13]. Texas had the lowest median listed at $49,100, and Florida was next lowest at $52,750[13].

California had the most jobs, with 2,210[14]. Washington followed with 1,840, then Florida with 1,400, Oregon with 1,010 and Colorado with 730[14].

Among metro areas with at least 100 jobs, Washington-Arlington-Alexandria had the highest median at $104,330[15]. Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD followed at $99,490[15], then San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA at $99,230[15]. The Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue area had the most jobs, with 720, and a median of $96,450[16].

Show median pay in 46 states and DC
StateMedian per yearJobs
Maryland[13]$107,500250
District of Columbia$107,050140
California$98,5302,210
Alaska$90,370650
Mississippi$88,710110
Louisiana$87,46050
Oregon$85,1501,010
Hawaii$84,910170
Massachusetts$84,350470
Washington$83,7801,840
Colorado$83,300730
New Jersey$83,03090
Iowa$83,00090
New York$82,640370
North Dakota$81,330100
Illinois$79,780250
Vermont$79,62070
Michigan$79,150330
Montana$78,850430
Pennsylvania$78,540200
Connecticut$77,300110
Missouri$76,400120
Nevada$75,180190
Ohio$74,550220
Maine$74,490330
Alabama$74,290290
Wyoming$74,150320
Utah$73,920370
Tennessee$73,570310
New Hampshire$73,56040
Idaho$73,360380
Virginia$72,340290
Minnesota$68,620720
Wisconsin$68,370360
New Mexico$68,220170
Arizona$66,880410
Kansas$66,440160
Georgia$66,210200
South Dakota$65,890170
North Carolina$64,620350
South Carolina$64,090250
Oklahoma$62,730120
Kentucky$61,950150
Nebraska$57,890140
Indiana$54,670120
Florida$52,7501,400
Texas$49,100580

How to become a zoologist

BLS lists a bachelor's degree as the typical education for entry, with no related work experience and no typical on-the-job training[7].

Coursework often includes lab and field work, and students may need math and statistics for data analysis[20]. Some jobs call for outdoor skills for remote places, such as driving a boat or all-terrain vehicle[21]. Greater responsibility and independence tend to come with experience or more education[22]. Our facts give no license or exam for this work, and they do not say how many years the training takes.

What zoologists do

O*NET describes the work as studying the origins, behavior, diseases, genetics and life processes of animals and wildlife[23]. Typical tasks include:

Job titles reported by workers include conservation biologist, fisheries biologist, habitat biologist and wildlife biologist[25].

Where they work

Government, outside state and local education and hospitals, was the largest employer in 2025, at 66%[26]. Zoologists and wildlife biologists work in settings such as offices and laboratories. Depending on the job, they may also spend time outdoors collecting data and studying animals in the wild[27].

Fieldwork may mean long trips to remote places. A cetologist studying whales, for example, may spend months at sea[28]. It can be physically demanding, especially in all kinds of weather[29]. Some workers handle wild animals or spend time in rough terrain or extreme temperatures, so they need to take care to avoid injury or illness[30].

Most work full time. Schedules can be irregular during fieldwork, and people who work with nocturnal animals may work at night[31].

Job outlook

BLS projects employment of zoologists and wildlife biologists to grow 3.6% from 2025 to 2035, from about 19,500 jobs to 20,200[2]. That is a gain of 700 jobs, and the counts include self-employed workers[2]. Employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5% over the same years[3]. The wage survey counted about 18,120 wage and salary jobs[32]. The projection count is larger because it includes self-employed workers[2].

About 1,400 openings are projected each year, on average[6]. Openings include jobs that come open when people retire or change occupations, as well as new jobs[6]. Each year, 1.6% of workers leave the labor force and 4.9% move to a different occupation[33].

Is it a good fit?

The median pay is well above the all-occupations median, and the range between the lower and upper percentiles is wide[1][5][4]. Entry typically takes a bachelor's degree, and higher level or research roles typically call for graduate study[7][19]. Growth is projected to be about the same as for all occupations[2][3]. Fieldwork can be remote and physically demanding, and schedules can be irregular[28][29][31]. Related fields include environmental scientists at a median of $82,220 and conservation scientists at $73,010[34].

Related occupations from O*NET, with BLS median pay and projected growth[34].

Frequently asked questions

How much does a zoologist make an hour?
The median for zoologists and wildlife biologists was $36.91 an hour in May 2025, and the average was $39.91 an hour[1][8].
What degree do you need to be a zoologist?
A bachelor's degree is the typical entry education. At least a master's degree is typically needed for higher level jobs, and a Ph.D. for independent research[7][19].
Is zoology in demand?
BLS projects 3.6% employment growth from 2025 to 2035, against 3.5% for all occupations, with about 1,400 openings a year[2][3][6].
What is the highest paying state for zoologists?
Maryland had the highest median at $107,500 in May 2025, followed by the District of Columbia at $107,050[13].
Who employs zoologists and wildlife biologists?
Government, excluding state and local education and hospitals, was the largest employer in 2025, at 66%[26].

Facts and sources

  1. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Zoologists and Wildlife Biologists in the US was $76,780 per year and $36.91 per hour. Half of workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  2. BLS Employment Projections: employment of Zoologists and Wildlife Biologists is projected to grow 3.6% from 2025 to 2035, from about 19,500 to 20,200 jobs (a change of +700). These counts include self-employed workers. BLS Employment Projections
  3. BLS Employment Projections: employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5% from 2025 to 2035. BLS Employment Projections
  4. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Zoologists and Wildlife Biologists: 10th percentile $49,100, 25th percentile $61,180, 75th percentile $96,100, 90th percentile $126,440. The 10th percentile means 10% of workers earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  5. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in the US was $50,980. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  6. BLS Employment Projections: about 1,400 openings for Zoologists and Wildlife Biologists are projected each year, on average, from 2025 to 2035. Openings include jobs that open when workers retire or move to other occupations, not only new jobs. BLS Employment Projections
  7. BLS Employment Projections, typical path into Zoologists and Wildlife Biologists: education needed for entry: Bachelor's degree; work experience in a related occupation: None; typical on-the-job training: None. BLS Employment Projections
  8. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Zoologists and Wildlife Biologists was $83,020 per year and $39.91 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  9. BLS OEWS, May 2025, hourly wage percentiles for Zoologists and Wildlife Biologists: 10th percentile $23.61, 25th percentile $29.41, 75th percentile $46.20, 90th percentile $60.79. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  10. BLS OEWS FAQ: a percentile wage is a boundary. The median (50th percentile) separates the highest-paid 50% from the lowest-paid 50% of workers in the occupation. OEWS publishes percentile wages, not a starting salary. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  11. BLS OEWS FAQ: OEWS covers part-time and full-time workers paid a wage or salary. It does not cover the self-employed, owners and partners in unincorporated firms, household workers or unpaid family workers. OEWS wages do not include nonproduction bonuses or employer costs of benefits such as health insurance or retirement contributions. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  12. BLS Employment Projections: 0.9% of Zoologists and Wildlife Biologists were self-employed in 2025. BLS Employment Projections
  13. Median annual wage for Zoologists and Wildlife Biologists in every state with published data, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  14. BLS OEWS, May 2025, states with the most Zoologists and Wildlife Biologists jobs: California 2,210; Washington 1,840; Florida 1,400; Oregon 1,010; Colorado 730. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  15. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the highest median annual wage for Zoologists and Wildlife Biologists (areas with at least 100 jobs): Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV $104,330; Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD $99,490; San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $99,230; Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA $96,450; San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA $93,500; Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA $89,880; Fairbanks-College, AK $88,740; Urban Honolulu, HI $88,240. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  16. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the most Zoologists and Wildlife Biologists jobs: Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA 720 (median $96,450); Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA 350 (median $89,880); Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI 310 (median $61,050); San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA 300 (median $99,230); Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL 300 (median $55,050); Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 270 (median $104,330). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  17. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Education. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  18. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Education. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  19. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Education. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  20. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Education. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  21. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Other Experience. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  22. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Advancement. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  23. O*NET description of Zoologists and Wildlife Biologists. O*NET OnLine
  24. O*NET task list for Zoologists and Wildlife Biologists. O*NET OnLine
  25. O*NET 19-1023.00 sample job titles reported by workers: Aquatic Biologist, Conservation Biologist, Fish and Wildlife Biologist, Fisheries and Wildlife Biological Scientist, Fisheries Biologist, Habitat Biologist, Migratory Game Bird Biologist, Wildlife Biologist. O*NET OnLine
  26. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, largest employers of zoologists and wildlife biologists in 2025: Government, excluding state and local education and hospitals 66%. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  27. Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  28. Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  29. Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  30. Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment: Injuries and Illnesses. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  31. Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment: Work Schedules. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  32. BLS OEWS, May 2025: about 18,120 people were employed as Zoologists and Wildlife Biologists in the US (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  33. BLS Employment Projections, 2025-35 annual average for Zoologists and Wildlife Biologists: 1.6% of workers leave the labor force each year and 4.9% move to a different occupation. BLS Employment Projections
  34. Related occupations (O*NET) with BLS pay, growth and entry education. O*NET OnLine

Notes are for reading the data only. They are not facts and cannot be cited: use the wage_scope and percentile_meaning facts instead. OEWS employment (jobs in May 2025) and Employment Projections employment (2025, includes self-employed) are different measures and can differ. O*NET education shares come from a small survey of workers in the occupation, not from all workers.

This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerFacts has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.