Zoologists and Wildlife Biologists
Study the origins, behavior, diseases, genetics, and life processes of animals and wildlife. May specialize in wildlife research and management, including the collection and analysis of biological data to determine the environmental effects of present and potential use of land and water areas.
Salary distribution (US)
Real salary data from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The p10–p90 spread tells you more than the median alone.
Top skills
Knowledge you'll build
- Biology
- English Language
- Geography
- Mathematics
- Law and Government
- Chemistry
- Education and Training
- Computers and Electronics
A day in the life
Dawn starts with a hike into the field—setting camera traps along a mountain trail, netting fish in a stream for population surveys, or tracking GPS-collared wolves to map their territory. By midday you are back at a field station entering data, identifying species from trail-cam photos, and running population models to predict how a habitat corridor would help an endangered species recover. Afternoons might involve writing a management plan for a state wildlife agency, presenting research at a conservation conference, or teaching a college biology lab. The work is physically demanding and often remote, but few jobs let you spend your career protecting the animals and wild places you love.
Is Zoologists and Wildlife Biologists right for you?
Take the Holland test + Big-5 to see how well this career matches your profile.
Get personalised fit →