Occupation salary profile

Zoologists and Wildlife Biologists

SOC 19-1023 BLS OEWS May 2025 H-1B LCAs, last 12 months

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 median · BLS
$76,780
▲ +5.38% YoY
H-1B sponsor median
$72,987
▲ +5.5% YoY · 33 LCAs
Average salary · BLS
$83,020
Mean annual wage
U.S. employment
18,120
Jobs (BLS)
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Enter your pay and a location to see where you stand against BLS and H-1B pay, your estimated take-home pay, and your purchasing power.

Pay range for Zoologists and Wildlife Biologists

Annual base pay at each percentile. BLS covers all U.S. workers in this occupation; H-1B covers 33 certified Labor Condition Applications filed by sponsoring employers in the last 12 months.

Percentile All U.S. workers (BLS) H-1B sponsored
10th — entry pay$49,100$59,292
25th$61,180$64,834
Median (50th)$76,780$72,987
75th$96,100$84,841
90th — top pay$126,440$115,418
H-1B sponsors pay a median of $72,987 for Zoologists and Wildlife Biologists — 4.9% below the BLS national median of $76,780.

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Based on hrs/week × weeks/year = 2,080 hrs
Projections 2025–2035

Job outlook for Zoologists and Wildlife Biologists

BLS projects employment of zoologists and wildlife biologists to grow 3.6% from 2025 to 2035, about the same as the 3.5% average for all occupations. About 1,400 openings are projected each year, on average, from new jobs and from replacing workers who retire or move to other occupations.

Jobs 2025 → 2035
19,500 → 20,200
+700 jobs
Projected change
+3.6%
All occupations: +3.5%
Openings per year
1,400
Average, 2025–2035
Typical entry education
Bachelor's degree
No related experience required
Self-employed
0.9% of workers (2025)
Preparation needed (O*NET Job Zone 4)
Considerable Preparation Needed. Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
Fastest-growing jobs → Best-paying jobs that need a bachelor's degree →

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2025–2035 · BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook →

H-1B sponsored pay

Pay by H-1B wage level

Employers assign every H-1B filing a Department of Labor prevailing-wage level, from Level I (entry) to Level IV (fully competent). Pay rises steeply with level.

H-1B median $72,987
Change vs prior year +5.5%
After inflation (CPI-U) +2.3%
Skills & tools

Skills needed for Zoologists and Wildlife Biologists

How important each skill and knowledge area is for this job, rated by O*NET on a 1–5 scale from surveys of workers and occupational analysts.

Top skills
  • Active Listening4.0
  • Complex Problem Solving4.0
  • Judgment and Decision Making4.0
  • Reading Comprehension4.0
  • Science4.0
  • Speaking4.0
  • Writing4.0
  • Active Learning3.9
  • Critical Thinking3.9
  • Coordination3.8
Top knowledge areas
  • Biology4.7
  • English Language4.1
  • Geography3.8
  • Mathematics3.7
  • Law and Government3.7
  • Administration and Management3.1
  • Computers and Electronics3.0
  • Administrative2.9
Software and technology used
ESRI ArcGIS softwareMicrosoft ExcelMicrosoft Office softwareMicrosoft OutlookMicrosoft PowerPointMicrosoft WordMicrosoft AccessMicrosoft Active Server Pages ASPMicrosoft ProjectPythonRSalesforce softwareSASComputer modeling softwareCorel WordPerfect Office SuiteDatabase management softwareEmail softwareESRI ArcView

Highlighted = in demand: frequently listed in employer job postings for this occupation (O*NET).

Source: 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.

About the job

What zoologists and wildlife biologists do

  • Inventory or estimate plant and wildlife populations.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • Study animals in their natural habitats, assessing effects of environment and industry on animals, interpreting findings and recommending alternative operating conditions for industry.
  • Study characteristics of animals, such as origin, interrelationships, classification, life histories, diseases, development, genetics, and distribution.
  • 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.
  • Conduct literature reviews.
Also called
Conservation BiologistFish and Wildlife BiologistFisheries BiologistWildlife BiologistAquatic BiologistFisheries and Wildlife Biological ScientistHabitat BiologistMigratory Game Bird BiologistWildlife Refuge SpecialistZoologist
More job titles for this occupation (21)
AquaristCryptozoologistDolphin ResearcherEthologistField NaturalistFish BiologistFish CulturistFisheries Management BiologistFishery BiologistHerpetologistIchthyologistLepidopteristLimnologistMammalogistMarine BiologistOrnithologistProtozoologistShark BiologistWetland EcologistWildlife ConservationistWildlife Specialist

Source: O*NET 31.0 (USDOL/ETA, CC BY 4.0). These are general job titles, not H-1B filings; for titles employers actually filed, see “Job titles” above.