Wildlife biologists can have a range of duties, from preserving wild animals' habitats to studying exotic plants. Read on for a career description, detailed salary information and job outlook data.
Wildlife Biologist Defined
As a wildlife biologist, you'll work to manage wildlife populations and preserve their natural habitats. Your job duties could include studying the behavior or life processes of animals or plant life. You might also study diseases or threats that affect animals and plants in a certain location. Wildlife biologists often assume research or consultant positions with universities or the government.
To become a wildlife biologist, you'll need at least a bachelor's degree. With experience, you may receive a promotion and higher responsibilities, though earning a master's degree can also prepare you for career advancement. If you're primarily interested in scholarly research, you'll need to earn a PhD to lead independent research teams.
<h3 id="section---ImportantFactsAboutWildlifeBiologists">Important Facts About Wildlife Biologists</h3><p></p><table border="1"><tr><td>Work Environment</td><td> Laboratory, office setting, outdoors</td></tr>
<tr><td>On-the-Job Training</td><td> None provided</td></tr>
<tr><td>Key Skills</td><td> Outdoor skills, observation, problem solving, emotional stability</td></tr>
<tr><td>Similar Occupations</td><td> Conservation scientist, food scientist, environmental scientist</td></tr>
</table><h3 id="section---SalaryInformation">Salary Information</h3><p>The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported that wildlife biologists and zoologists earned an average annual income of $70,300 as of May 2021 (<i>www.bls.gov</i>). The top ten percent of wage earners made a yearly income of $103,900 or more, and the lowest ten percent earned $42,420 or less per year.
</p><p>The Federal Executive Branch was the top-paying industry for wildlife biologists as of May 2021, offering workers a mean yearly salary of $89,080, according to the BLS. The Barnstable Town, MA region was the best-paying region for wildlife biologists, where workers earned a mean wage of $109,570 per year. The states that provided wildlife biologists with the highest average salaries were Massachusetts, New Jersey, District of Columbia, Alaska, Washington, and Maryland. Massachusetts offered an annual mean wage of $92,830, while wildlife biologists in New Jersey made a yearly mean income of $85,730. Alaska paid professionals in the field a mean salary of $82,450, and Maryland provided a slightly lower mean wage of $81,170 annually, all listed by the BLS.
</p><h3 id="section---JobOutlookInformation">Job Outlook Information</h3><p>The BLS reported that 17,100 zoologists and wildlife biologists were employed in the United States in 2021, and as of 2021, it predicted that around 100 more jobs would be created by 2031, which is an 1% increase in employment. The job growth is expected in this field due to the increasing concern for wildlife conservation in the face of human population growth and industrial development.
</p><p>Per the BLS, the five industries that had the highest levels of employment for wildlife biologists as of May 2021 were state government, federal executive branch, management, scientific, and technical consulting services, scientific research and development services and local government. If you want to work in one of the states with the highest concentrations of wildlife biologists, then you might want to apply for jobs in Washington, Florida, California, Oregon and Alaska.</p>
