Animal biologist vs wildlife biologist

The differences between animal biologists and wildlife biologists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become an animal biologist, becoming a wildlife biologist takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, an animal biologist has an average salary of $62,366, which is higher than the $51,084 average annual salary of a wildlife biologist.

The top three skills for an animal biologist include genotyping, sops and lab equipment. The most important skills for a wildlife biologist are USDA, wildlife species, and GIS.

Animal biologist vs wildlife biologist overview

	Animal Biologist	Wildlife Biologist
Yearly salary	$62,366	$51,084
Hourly rate	$29.98	$24.56
Growth rate	9%	1%
Number of jobs	13,114	5,376
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 78%	Bachelor's Degree, 81%
Average age	40	40
Years of experience	4	2

Animal biologist vs wildlife biologist salary

Animal biologists and wildlife biologists have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Animal Biologist	Wildlife Biologist
Average salary	$62,366	$51,084
Salary range	Between $41,000 And $93,000	Between $34,000 And $75,000
Highest paying City	-	Anchorage, AK
Highest paying state	-	Alaska
Best paying company	-	Idaho National Lab
Best paying industry	-	Technology

Differences between animal biologist and wildlife biologist education

There are a few differences between an animal biologist and a wildlife biologist in terms of educational background:

	Animal Biologist	Wildlife Biologist
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 78%	Bachelor's Degree, 81%
Most common major	Biology	Biology
Most common college	Stanford University	University of California - Davis

Animal biologist vs wildlife biologist demographics

Here are the differences between animal biologists' and wildlife biologists' demographics:

	Animal Biologist	Wildlife Biologist
Average age	40	40
Gender ratio	Male, 46.2% Female, 53.8%	Male, 62.8% Female, 37.2%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 9.1% Unknown, 5.9% Hispanic or Latino, 10.6% Asian, 13.5% White, 58.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.2%	Black or African American, 3.0% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 8.6% Asian, 10.4% White, 72.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%
LGBT Percentage	6%	10%

Differences between animal biologist and wildlife biologist duties and responsibilities

Animal biologist example responsibilities.

Manage detailed GLP laboratory manual daily.
Project require review of existing environmental data, identification of permitting requirements, wetland identification/delineation and sensitive and endanger species issues.
Perform research in immunology and virology as a part of the vaccine development division; develop and validate bioassays.

Wildlife biologist example responsibilities.

Utilize ArcGIS to create navigational maps, as well as uploading, managing and analyzing data for habitat suitability.
Create and manage multidisciplinary, interagency research teams.
Perform nuisance wildlife removal for animals such as squirrels, bats, raccoons, opossums, snakes, and skunks.
Complete regulatory compliance and permitting documentation for projects requiring ESA consultations including preparation of biological opinions.
Assist with prescribe burns on DNR land.
Supervise and participate in the annual raptor nest survey.

Animal biologist vs wildlife biologist skills

Common animal biologist skills

Genotyping, 44%
Sops, 35%
Lab Equipment, 16%
Animal Studies, 6%

Common wildlife biologist skills

USDA, 13%
Wildlife Species, 9%
GIS, 7%
Harvest, 6%
GPS, 5%
Natural Resources, 5%

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Animal Biologist
Animal Biologist vs Wildlife Biologist

Updated January 8, 2025

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