Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between biologists and naturalists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 6-8 years to become a biologist, becoming a naturalist takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, a biologist has an average salary of $65,158, which is higher than the $42,363 average annual salary of a naturalist.
The top three skills for a biologist include data collection, GPS and renewable energy. The most important skills for a naturalist are nature programs, cultural history, and CPR.
| Biologist | Naturalist | |
| Yearly salary | $65,158 | $42,363 |
| Hourly rate | $31.33 | $20.37 |
| Growth rate | 1% | 5% |
| Number of jobs | 5,741 | 6,913 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 78% | Bachelor's Degree, 80% |
| Average age | 40 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 8 | 2 |
A biologist is a specialized scientist focusing on studying living organisms and their relationship to the existing ecosystem. Biologists spend lots of time doing research and validating theories to support the complexity of the living matter. In some cases, biologists could also be out in the field rather than staying in a laboratory to collect biological specimens to justify their findings and create reports from their scientific investigations. Biologists also often communicate with government entities and private industries to provide recommendations on preserving the ecosystem and wildlife habitat.
Naturalists are people who educate the public on environmental-related matters. The core responsibilities of this position are preserving, restoring, maintaining, and protecting natural habitat. Other duties performed by a naturalist are; guide work, conducting field studies of local and natural habitats, educating and providing the general public with recreational activities, assisting with administrative tasks that relate to parking admission, and leading and offering guidance during trips and nature walks for both adults and children.
Biologists and naturalists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Biologist | Naturalist | |
| Average salary | $65,158 | $42,363 |
| Salary range | Between $46,000 And $91,000 | Between $24,000 And $73,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Las Vegas, NV |
| Highest paying state | New York | Rhode Island |
| Best paying company | PSEA | |
| Best paying industry | Pharmaceutical | - |
There are a few differences between a biologist and a naturalist in terms of educational background:
| Biologist | Naturalist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 78% | Bachelor's Degree, 80% |
| Most common major | Biology | Environmental Science |
| Most common college | University of California, Berkeley | University of California, Berkeley |
Here are the differences between biologists' and naturalists' demographics:
| Biologist | Naturalist | |
| Average age | 40 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 51.4% Female, 48.6% | Male, 35.7% Female, 64.3% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 3.1% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 8.7% Asian, 10.4% White, 71.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% | Black or African American, 0.7% Unknown, 2.9% Hispanic or Latino, 2.4% Asian, 1.4% White, 91.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 10% | 8% |