Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2022

19-1023 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.

National estimates for Zoologists and Wildlife Biologists
Industry profile for Zoologists and Wildlife Biologists
Geographic profile for Zoologists and Wildlife Biologists

National estimates for Zoologists and Wildlife Biologists:

Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for Zoologists and Wildlife Biologists:

Employment (1)	Employment RSE (3)	Mean hourly wage	Mean annual wage (2)	Wage RSE (3)
17,410	2.7 %	$ 34.91	$ 72,610	0.9 %

Percentile wage estimates for Zoologists and Wildlife Biologists:

Percentile	10%	25%	50% (Median)	75%	90%
Hourly Wage	$ 21.45	$ 25.46	$ 32.42	$ 39.94	$ 50.36
Annual Wage (2)	$ 44,610	$ 52,960	$ 67,430	$ 83,070	$ 104,750

Industry profile for Zoologists and Wildlife Biologists:

Industries with the highest published employment and wages for Zoologists and Wildlife Biologists are provided. For a list of all industries with employment in Zoologists and Wildlife Biologists, see the Create Customized Tables function.

Industries with the highest levels of employment in Zoologists and Wildlife Biologists:

Industry	Employment (1)	Percent of industry employment	Hourly mean wage	Annual mean wage (2)
State Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OEWS Designation)	7,050	0.33	$ 30.59	$ 63,630
Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation)	3,750	0.18	$ 43.84	$ 91,180
Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services	1,580	0.09	$ 35.98	$ 74,840
Social Advocacy Organizations	1,180	0.50	$ 28.78	$ 59,860
Scientific Research and Development Services	1,010	0.12	$ 33.31	$ 69,280

Industries with the highest concentration of employment in Zoologists and Wildlife Biologists:

Industry	Employment (1)	Percent of industry employment	Hourly mean wage	Annual mean wage (2)
Social Advocacy Organizations	1,180	0.50	$ 28.78	$ 59,860
State Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OEWS Designation)	7,050	0.33	$ 30.59	$ 63,630
Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions	380	0.25	$ 24.76	$ 51,500
Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation)	3,750	0.18	$ 43.84	$ 91,180
Scientific Research and Development Services	1,010	0.12	$ 33.31	$ 69,280

Top paying industries for Zoologists and Wildlife Biologists:

Industry	Employment (1)	Percent of industry employment	Hourly mean wage	Annual mean wage (2)
Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services	510	0.03	$ 52.35	$ 108,890
Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation)	3,750	0.18	$ 43.84	$ 91,180
Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services	1,580	0.09	$ 35.98	$ 74,840
Local Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OEWS Designation)	960	0.02	$ 35.81	$ 74,480
Scientific Research and Development Services	1,010	0.12	$ 33.31	$ 69,280

Geographic profile for Zoologists and Wildlife Biologists:

States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for Zoologists and Wildlife Biologists are provided. For a list of all areas with employment in Zoologists and Wildlife Biologists, see the Create Customized Tables function.

Map of employment of zoologists and wildlife biologists by state, May 2022

States with the highest employment level in Zoologists and Wildlife Biologists:

State	Employment (1)	Employment per thousand jobs	Location quotient (9)	Hourly mean wage	Annual mean wage (2)
Washington	2,280	0.67	5.69	$ 39.04	$ 81,210
California	1,750	0.10	0.84	$ 41.92	$ 87,190
Florida	1,460	0.16	1.35	$ 25.78	$ 53,630
Oregon	1,040	0.55	4.65	$ 38.46	$ 80,010
Alaska	740	2.43	20.67	$ 39.09	$ 81,320

Map of location quotient of zoologists and wildlife biologists by state, May 2022

States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Zoologists and Wildlife Biologists:

State	Employment (1)	Employment per thousand jobs	Location quotient (9)	Hourly mean wage	Annual mean wage (2)
Alaska	740	2.43	20.67	$ 39.09	$ 81,320
Wyoming	300	1.12	9.47	$ 31.43	$ 65,370
Montana	380	0.78	6.60	$ 32.19	$ 66,960
Washington	2,280	0.67	5.69	$ 39.04	$ 81,210
Oregon	1,040	0.55	4.65	$ 38.46	$ 80,010

Map of annual mean wages of zoologists and wildlife biologists by state, May 2022

Top paying states for Zoologists and Wildlife Biologists:

State	Employment (1)	Employment per thousand jobs	Location quotient (9)	Hourly mean wage	Annual mean wage (2)
Massachusetts	330	0.09	0.78	$ 44.65	$ 92,880
California	1,750	0.10	0.84	$ 41.92	$ 87,190
Maryland	330	0.13	1.06	$ 40.38	$ 84,000
New Jersey	90	0.02	0.19	$ 39.40	$ 81,960
Alaska	740	2.43	20.67	$ 39.09	$ 81,320

Map of employment of zoologists and wildlife biologists by area, May 2022

Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in Zoologists and Wildlife Biologists:

Metropolitan area	Employment (1)	Employment per thousand jobs	Location quotient (9)	Hourly mean wage	Annual mean wage (2)
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA	1,200	0.59	4.99	$ 41.40	$ 86,110
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA	380	0.32	2.70	$ 37.33	$ 77,650
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA	320	0.13	1.12	$ 49.78	$ 103,540
Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL	310	0.23	1.96	$ 25.04	$ 52,080
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI	310	0.17	1.41	$ 32.74	$ 68,100
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV	280	0.09	0.78	$ 50.31	$ 104,640
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA	270	0.04	0.38	$ 41.54	$ 86,410
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL	240	0.09	0.77	$ 31.57	$ 65,670
Olympia-Tumwater, WA	240	1.96	16.68	$ 36.13	$ 75,160
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA	200	0.02	0.18	$ 40.54	$ 84,310

Map of location quotient of zoologists and wildlife biologists by area, May 2022

Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Zoologists and Wildlife Biologists:

Metropolitan area	Employment (1)	Employment per thousand jobs	Location quotient (9)	Hourly mean wage	Annual mean wage (2)
Corvallis, OR	140	3.70	31.45	$ 45.05	$ 93,700
Fairbanks, AK	90	2.73	23.15	$ 37.99	$ 79,030
Olympia-Tumwater, WA	240	1.96	16.68	$ 36.13	$ 75,160
Wenatchee, WA	70	1.54	13.10	$ 39.12	$ 81,370
Lewiston, ID-WA	30	1.19	10.08	$ 31.23	$ 64,950
Anchorage, AK	190	1.14	9.65	$ 38.00	$ 79,040
Auburn-Opelika, AL	60	1.03	8.76	$ 27.66	$ 57,540
Bangor, ME	60	0.94	7.98	$ 33.60	$ 69,890
Missoula, MT	60	0.90	7.62	$ 31.04	$ 64,570
Casper, WY	30	0.89	7.56	$ 31.51	$ 65,540

Map of annual mean wages of zoologists and wildlife biologists by area, May 2022

Top paying metropolitan areas for Zoologists and Wildlife Biologists:

Metropolitan area	Employment (1)	Employment per thousand jobs	Location quotient (9)	Hourly mean wage	Annual mean wage (2)
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA	90	0.08	0.67	$ 52.77	$ 109,760
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV	280	0.09	0.78	$ 50.31	$ 104,640
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA	320	0.13	1.12	$ 49.78	$ 103,540
San Diego-Carlsbad, CA	170	0.11	0.96	$ 47.87	$ 99,560
Corvallis, OR	140	3.70	31.45	$ 45.05	$ 93,700
Santa Rosa, CA	40	0.22	1.88	$ 43.38	$ 90,220
Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA	180	0.17	1.45	$ 42.98	$ 89,390
Salem, OR	70	0.42	3.55	$ 41.92	$ 87,190
Stockton-Lodi, CA	50	0.17	1.41	$ 41.69	$ 86,710
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA	270	0.04	0.38	$ 41.54	$ 86,410

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest employment in Zoologists and Wildlife Biologists:

Nonmetropolitan area	Employment (1)	Employment per thousand jobs	Location quotient (9)	Hourly mean wage	Annual mean wage (2)
Alaska nonmetropolitan area	460	4.50	38.20	$ 39.82	$ 82,830
Coast Oregon nonmetropolitan area	190	1.66	14.13	$ 40.43	$ 84,100
Western Wyoming nonmetropolitan area	150	1.54	13.08	$ 32.14	$ 66,860
Southwest Montana nonmetropolitan area	140	0.98	8.33	$ 32.95	$ 68,540
Northwest Minnesota nonmetropolitan area	140	0.72	6.16	$ 34.16	$ 71,050

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Zoologists and Wildlife Biologists:

Nonmetropolitan area	Employment (1)	Employment per thousand jobs	Location quotient (9)	Hourly mean wage	Annual mean wage (2)
Alaska nonmetropolitan area	460	4.50	38.20	$ 39.82	$ 82,830
Central Oregon nonmetropolitan area	130	2.07	17.55	$ 31.17	$ 64,840
Eastern Oregon nonmetropolitan area	130	1.83	15.55	$ 39.52	$ 82,200
Coast Oregon nonmetropolitan area	190	1.66	14.13	$ 40.43	$ 84,100
Western Wyoming nonmetropolitan area	150	1.54	13.08	$ 32.14	$ 66,860

Top paying nonmetropolitan areas for Zoologists and Wildlife Biologists:

Nonmetropolitan area	Employment (1)	Employment per thousand jobs	Location quotient (9)	Hourly mean wage	Annual mean wage (2)
Coast Oregon nonmetropolitan area	190	1.66	14.13	$ 40.43	$ 84,100
Alaska nonmetropolitan area	460	4.50	38.20	$ 39.82	$ 82,830
Eastern Oregon nonmetropolitan area	130	1.83	15.55	$ 39.52	$ 82,200
Northwest Mississippi nonmetropolitan area	40	0.42	3.58	$ 39.05	$ 81,210
Upper Peninsula of Michigan nonmetropolitan area	50	0.47	3.99	$ 37.31	$ 77,600

About May 2022 National, State, Metropolitan, and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

These estimates are calculated with data collected from employers in all industry sectors, all metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas, and all states and the District of Columbia. The top employment and wage figures are provided above. The complete list is available in the downloadable XLS files.

The percentile wage estimate is the value of a wage below which a certain percent of workers fall. The median wage is the 50th percentile wage estimate—50 percent of workers earn less than the median and 50 percent of workers earn more than the median. More about percentile wages.

(1) Estimates for detailed occupations do not sum to the totals because the totals include occupations not shown separately. Estimates do not include self-employed workers.

(2) Annual wages have been calculated by multiplying the hourly mean wage by a "year-round, full-time" hours figure of 2,080 hours; for those occupations where there is not an hourly wage published, the annual wage has been directly calculated from the reported survey data.

(3) The relative standard error (RSE) is a measure of the reliability of a survey statistic. The smaller the relative standard error, the more precise the estimate.

(9) The location quotient is the ratio of the area concentration of occupational employment to the national average concentration. A location quotient greater than one indicates the occupation has a higher share of employment than average, and a location quotient less than one indicates the occupation is less prevalent in the area than average.

Other OEWS estimates and related information:

May 2022 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2022 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2022 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2022 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2022 Occupation Profiles

Technical Notes

Last Modified Date: April 25, 2023