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Animal scientist salary
Average animal scientist salary
$66,653
Average Animal Scientist Salary
As of October 2025, the average salary for an animal scientist in the United States is approximately $66,653 per year, or about $32 per hour. This figure reflects the growing demand for professionals in the field, driven by increased interest in animal health and agricultural productivity.
Factors Influencing Salary
Several factors can impact an animal scientist's salary:
- Experience: Entry-level positions typically offer lower salaries, while experienced professionals command higher compensation.
- Location: Salaries vary significantly by state; for instance, states like California and Texas often provide higher wages compared to other regions.
- Industry: Working in research versus agriculture can also lead to pay discrepancies.
Where Can You Earn More?
Animal scientists can find higher-paying opportunities in states such as California, Texas, and Florida. Additionally, roles in government agencies or research institutions often offer competitive salaries. Understanding the nuances of salary dynamics in animal science can help job seekers make informed career choices.
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Where can an Animal Scientist earn more?
Animal scientist salary estimates from across the web
Average animal scientist salary by state
The average animal scientist salary in Rhode Island, Connecticut, and Massachusetts are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average animal scientist salary states are Texas, Hawaii, and North Dakota.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for animal scientists
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Delaware | $90,160 | $43.35 |
| 2 | Connecticut | $93,775 | $45.08 |
| 3 | Rhode Island | $94,263 | $45.32 |
| 4 | Maryland | $88,287 | $42.45 |
| 5 | New Hampshire | $90,313 | $43.42 |
| 6 | Vermont | $84,276 | $40.52 |
| 7 | Massachusetts | $92,651 | $44.54 |
| 8 | New Jersey | $69,792 | $33.55 |
| 9 | Nevada | $89,805 | $43.18 |
| 10 | Virginia | $69,955 | $33.63 |
| 11 | Pennsylvania | $66,428 | $31.94 |
| 12 | North Carolina | $64,711 | $31.11 |
| 13 | Indiana | $71,245 | $34.25 |
| 14 | Kansas | $65,232 | $31.36 |
| 15 | New Mexico | $58,641 | $28.19 |
| 16 | Wisconsin | $61,174 | $29.41 |
| 17 | District of Columbia | $87,610 | $42.12 |
| 18 | California | $79,817 | $38.37 |
| 19 | Maine | $60,224 | $28.95 |
| 20 | New York | $59,820 | $28.76 |
| 21 | Oregon | $61,965 | $29.79 |
| 22 | Wyoming | $55,755 | $26.81 |
| 23 | Tennessee | $59,306 | $28.51 |
| 24 | Illinois | $56,667 | $27.24 |
| 25 | Michigan | $57,978 | $27.87 |
| 26 | Alabama | $55,885 | $26.87 |
| 27 | Iowa | $54,410 | $26.16 |
| 28 | Missouri | $53,190 | $25.57 |
| 29 | Utah | $52,251 | $25.12 |
| 30 | Idaho | $52,620 | $25.30 |
| 31 | Georgia | $55,340 | $26.61 |
| 32 | Oklahoma | $56,016 | $26.93 |
| 33 | Florida | $54,824 | $26.36 |
| 34 | Minnesota | $51,975 | $24.99 |
| 35 | Kentucky | $54,070 | $26.00 |
| 36 | South Dakota | $44,836 | $21.56 |
| 37 | Arkansas | $53,934 | $25.93 |
| 38 | Nebraska | $50,868 | $24.46 |
| 39 | Hawaii | $44,205 | $21.25 |
| 40 | Arizona | $52,802 | $25.39 |
| 41 | North Dakota | $44,014 | $21.16 |
| 42 | Alaska | $42,239 | $20.31 |
| 43 | Ohio | $49,096 | $23.60 |
| 44 | Washington | $52,836 | $25.40 |
| 45 | Montana | $41,124 | $19.77 |
| 46 | South Carolina | $47,934 | $23.05 |
| 47 | Mississippi | $50,250 | $24.16 |
| 48 | Louisiana | $50,788 | $24.42 |
| 49 | West Virginia | $44,709 | $21.49 |
| 50 | Texas | $44,407 | $21.35 |
| 51 | Colorado | $39,533 | $19.01 |
Highest paying cities for animal scientists
The highest-paying cities for animal scientists are Lodi, CA, Hendersonville, TN, and Clovis, NM.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lodi, CA | $85,296 | $41.01 |
| 2 | Hendersonville, TN | $59,551 | $28.63 |
| 3 | Clovis, NM | $57,677 | $27.73 |
| 4 | Hialeah, FL | $54,351 | $26.13 |
| 5 | Omaha, NE | $50,996 | $24.52 |
Animal scientist salary details
An animal scientist's salary ranges from $41,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $106,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is an animal scientist's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $106,000 | $8,833 | $51 |
| 75th Percentile | $85,000 | $7,083 | $41 |
| Average | $66,653 | $5,554 | $32 |
| 25th Percentile | $51,000 | $4,250 | $25 |
| 10th Percentile | $41,000 | $3,417 | $20 |
Highest paying animal scientist jobs
The highest paying types of animal scientists are scientist, associate scientist, and dairy consultant.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scientist | $97,344 | $8,112 | $46.80 | 62,467 |
Top companies hiring animal scientists now:
Which companies pay animal scientists the most?
Animal scientist salaries at Cargill and XBiotech are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average animal scientist salary at companies like CTC and Allen Institute are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cargill | $92,270 | $44.36 |
| 2 | XBiotech | $83,893 | $40.33 |
| 3 | CTC | $80,019 | $38.47 |
| 4 | Allen Institute | $75,910 | $36.50 |
| 5 | US Meat Animal Research Center | $74,063 | $35.61 |
| 6 | Aurora Organic Dairy | $70,396 | $33.84 |
| 7 | Hunter | $69,690 | $33.50 |
| 8 | Panamerican Consultants | $68,326 | $32.85 |
| 9 | Alltech | $67,180 | $32.30 |
| 10 | Parelli Natural Horsemanship | $66,948 | $32.19 |
| 11 | AVMA | $66,296 | $31.87 |
| 12 | Irish Dairy Board Inc | $66,105 | $31.78 |
| 13 | PIC (Pig Improvement Company) | $65,950 | $31.71 |
| 14 | Your Pet's Pal | $65,868 | $31.67 |
| 15 | The Barrington | $65,868 | $31.67 |
| 16 | Cumberland Valley Analytical | $65,824 | $31.65 |
| 17 | Santa Cruz Biotechnology | $65,616 | $31.55 |
| 18 | Riverview | $65,304 | $31.40 |
| 19 | Spring Valley Farm | $64,717 | $31.11 |
| 20 | AVS | $64,655 | $31.08 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Animal scientist salary trends
The average animal scientist salary has risen by $2,373 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average animal scientist earned $64,280 annually, but today, they earn $66,653 a year. That works out to a 5% change in pay for animal scientists over the last decade.
Compare animal scientist salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average animal scientist salary over time
Compare animal scientist salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Animal scientist salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $66,700 | $32.04 | +5.0% |
| 2024 | $63,300 | $30.43 | +3.2% |
| 2023 | $61,300 | $29.47 | -4.1% |
| 2022 | $63,800 | $30.67 | +0.7% |
| 2021 | $63,300 | $30.45 | -0.1% |
Recently added animal scientist salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Performance Equine Veterinary Services, LLC | Animal Scientist | Ocala, FL | 03/18/2025 | $55,000 |
| Performance Equine Veterinary Services, LLC | Animal Scientist | Ocala, FL | 03/18/2025 | $55,000 |
| Reproduction Specialty Group, Inc. | Animal Scientist | Lebanon, IN | 03/03/2025 | $68,994 |
| Kettelsen Consulting LLC | Poultry Production/Animal Scientist | Elizabethtown, KY | 02/19/2025 | $34,227 |
| General Dynamics Information Technology | Bacteriologist/Animal Scientist (Preclinical Research) | Silver Spring, MD | 01/18/2025 | $57,500 |
| NES Associates | Bacteriologist/Animal Scientist (Preclinical Research) | Silver Spring, MD | 01/18/2025 | $52,270 |
| GD Information Technology | Bacteriologist/Animal Scientist (Preclinical Research) | Silver Spring, MD | 01/18/2025 | $52,270 |
| MCA Racing Stable LLC | Animal Scientist | Laurel, MD | 12/11/2024 | $58,415 |
| Altano Oklahoma Interstate, LLC | Animal Scientist | Goldsby, OK | 12/03/2024 | $48,919 |
| Department of Agriculture | Research Animal Scientist (Dairy) | Madison, WI | 11/27/2024 | $72,553 |
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