19
Zoologists and Wildlife Biologists is a notable career in the 19 category. This page provides verified data from BLS OEWS 2024 + O*NET 29.0 (2024), helping you compare Zoologists and Wildlife Biologists against similar careers and make data-driven decisions.
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11
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13
| soc | 19-1023 |
| title | Zoologists and Wildlife Biologists |
| onet code | 19-1023.00 |
| description | 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. |
| job zone | 4 |
| major group | 19 |
| tot emp | 16,920 |
| a mean | 77,920 |
| a median | 72,860 |
| a pct10 | 48,240 |
| a pct25 | 58,360 |
| a pct75 | 90,590 |
| a pct90 | 113,350 |
| h mean | 37 |
| h median | 35 |
The day-to-day work of a zoologists and wildlife biologists typically centers on 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. Every task listed below is classified as Core in O*NET — they collectively define the role. Task descriptions below are quoted from the U.S. Department of Labor's O*NET 29.0 occupation profile.
Workers in this occupation rely most on Reading Comprehension, Judgment and Decision Making, and Active Listening. Across the top 10 skills, the average O*NET importance score is 3.91 out of 5 — highly rated for this role. Importance reflects how essential each skill is for adequate job performance.
Among working zoologists and wildlife biologists, the most common entry qualification is a Bachelor's Degree (57.2%). Bachelor's-degree-or-higher credentials are reported by 100% of incumbents. This is a degree-heavy profession — most incumbents hold a four-year degree or beyond.
Median annual pay is highest in Rhode Island at $97,050 and lowest in Texas at $50,610 — a 1.9× spread. The top five states (Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Louisiana, Oregon) average $88,728. Figures reflect BLS OEWS May 2024 state-level wage estimates; percentiles shown are for full-time wage-earners in each state.
| State | Median | Mean | 10th % | 90th % | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rhode Island | $97,050 | $97,070 | $71,430 | $115,770 | 50 |
| Massachusetts | $88,550 | $98,390 | $64,060 | $151,470 | 320 |
| Mississippi | $87,050 | $94,330 | $52,140 | $146,620 | 120 |
| Louisiana | $85,840 | $87,260 | $61,950 | $117,190 | 50 |
| Oregon | $85,150 | $84,550 | $54,020 | $113,030 | 970 |
| Alaska | $84,640 | $86,060 | $55,660 | $119,590 | 690 |
| California | $82,620 | $91,460 | $51,010 | $136,970 | 1,580 |
| Maryland | $82,600 | $95,790 | $57,660 | $162,160 | 270 |
| North Dakota | $82,150 | $80,440 | $56,820 | $102,340 | 100 |
| Washington | $82,050 | $90,370 | $59,950 | $127,300 | 1,800 |
| Iowa | $80,590 | $82,770 | $62,550 | $96,350 | 100 |
| Michigan | $79,020 | $79,550 | $52,430 | $106,310 | 320 |
| Illinois | $78,620 | $80,240 | $48,680 | $108,120 | 160 |
| Missouri | $77,380 | $82,200 | $55,070 | $110,140 | 150 |
| New Jersey | $77,380 | $86,480 | $57,410 | $122,570 | 90 |
| Colorado | $77,320 | $82,340 | $56,020 | $114,790 | 780 |
| Vermont | $75,370 | $77,050 | $58,760 | $94,310 | 70 |
| Ohio | $75,030 | $74,870 | $45,800 | $97,520 | 310 |
| Hawaii | $74,110 | $84,060 | $63,000 | $114,520 | 200 |
| Wyoming | $74,060 | $70,200 | $48,900 | $88,800 | 400 |
| West Virginia | $73,780 | $75,380 | $54,200 | $109,120 | 100 |
| Idaho | $72,760 | $74,970 | $55,540 | $94,950 | 310 |
| Connecticut | $72,030 | $76,850 | $48,210 | $107,550 | 110 |
| Arkansas | $71,690 | $73,040 | $61,430 | $94,310 | 120 |
| Pennsylvania | $70,550 | $72,360 | $48,580 | $100,420 | 210 |
| Minnesota | $70,510 | $72,870 | $49,810 | $91,890 | 490 |
| Arizona | $70,370 | $73,840 | $49,500 | $101,440 | 410 |
| Utah | $69,990 | $70,090 | $48,780 | $94,310 | 350 |
| New Hampshire | $69,430 | $69,960 | $45,930 | $89,950 | 90 |
| Maine | $66,910 | $72,160 | $47,390 | $106,820 | 280 |
| Virginia | $66,550 | $71,720 | $47,810 | $102,860 | 370 |
| New Mexico | $66,480 | $71,990 | $49,000 | $95,310 | 170 |
| Wisconsin | $65,960 | $68,840 | $42,100 | $93,070 | 400 |
| Alabama | $64,860 | $66,520 | $44,810 | $91,260 | 310 |
| Montana | $64,060 | $75,210 | $50,230 | $94,310 | 370 |
| Georgia | $63,530 | $70,690 | $50,060 | $102,490 | 200 |
| Kansas | $63,270 | $64,560 | $52,250 | $73,630 | 160 |
| South Dakota | $62,200 | $65,880 | $51,810 | $81,080 | 200 |
| North Carolina | $61,930 | $69,550 | $49,120 | $108,140 | 350 |
| South Carolina | $61,490 | $65,600 | $46,990 | $87,050 | 230 |
| Nevada | $60,650 | $64,230 | $47,610 | $91,890 | 180 |
| Tennessee | $59,950 | $65,370 | $39,120 | $99,330 | 210 |
| Oklahoma | $57,400 | $60,150 | $47,190 | $82,220 | 110 |
| Kentucky | $56,700 | $60,010 | $43,450 | $77,380 | 150 |
| Nebraska | $55,080 | $59,920 | $47,660 | $82,570 | 160 |
| Indiana | $53,190 | $56,540 | $44,180 | $72,590 | 130 |
| Florida | $51,420 | $59,600 | $40,000 | $92,180 | 1,210 |
| Texas | $50,610 | $62,310 | $37,700 | $91,500 | 550 |
Recruiters and job boards use several alternate titles for zoologists and wildlife biologists. Knowing these variants widens your job search — listings for Animal Behaviorist or Animal Biologist frequently describe the same role. The list below is a sample of the most common industry variants.
This data helps you understand how Zoologists and Wildlife Biologists compares to others in the 19 category. Use it to make informed decisions based on verified data from BLS OEWS 2024 + O*NET 29.0.
careers with the closest data values to Zoologists and Wildlife Biologists
The CertifyWize editorial team aggregates and verifies careers data from BLS OEWS 2024 + O*NET 29.0. Every statistic on this site is cross-referenced against the official source before publication, with quarterly re-verification cycles.
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