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Wildlife biologist salary
Average wildlife biologist salary
$51,084
Understanding Wildlife Biologist Salaries
The average salary for a wildlife biologist is approximately $51,084 annually, translating to about $25 per hour. Salaries can vary significantly based on several factors including geographic location, years of experience, and specific roles within the field. For instance, wildlife biologists employed by government agencies may earn differently compared to those in consultancy roles.
Salary Variations by State
Wildlife biologists can find opportunities across the United States, with certain states offering higher salaries. States with rich biodiversity or significant conservation efforts, such as California and Florida, tend to provide more lucrative positions. Additionally, the cost of living in these areas should be considered when evaluating salary offers.
Future Prospects
As environmental concerns grow, the demand for wildlife biologists is expected to increase. This trend suggests that salaries may also rise, particularly for those with specialized skills in data analysis and field research. Staying informed about industry trends will aid aspiring wildlife biologists in making informed career decisions.
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Where can a Wildlife Biologist earn more?
Wildlife biologist salary estimates from across the web
Average wildlife biologist salary by state
The average wildlife biologist salary in Alaska, Oregon, and Washington are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average wildlife biologist salary states are Michigan, Florida, and Tennessee.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for wildlife biologists
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alaska | $69,621 | $33.47 |
| 2 | Maine | $59,917 | $28.81 |
| 3 | Oregon | $68,197 | $32.79 |
| 4 | Nebraska | $56,464 | $27.15 |
| 5 | West Virginia | $56,513 | $27.17 |
| 6 | Washington | $62,983 | $30.28 |
| 7 | Maryland | $60,741 | $29.20 |
| 8 | Massachusetts | $58,471 | $28.11 |
| 9 | Rhode Island | $58,520 | $28.13 |
| 10 | California | $60,665 | $29.17 |
| 11 | Ohio | $57,271 | $27.53 |
| 12 | Missouri | $55,472 | $26.67 |
| 13 | Pennsylvania | $56,643 | $27.23 |
| 14 | Utah | $58,487 | $28.12 |
| 15 | New York | $58,058 | $27.91 |
| 16 | Mississippi | $54,603 | $26.25 |
| 17 | Montana | $53,572 | $25.76 |
| 18 | Vermont | $56,621 | $27.22 |
| 19 | New Hampshire | $58,237 | $28.00 |
| 20 | Idaho | $53,056 | $25.51 |
| 21 | North Dakota | $53,006 | $25.48 |
| 22 | South Dakota | $51,578 | $24.80 |
| 23 | Connecticut | $57,603 | $27.69 |
| 24 | Nevada | $52,319 | $25.15 |
| 25 | Wisconsin | $51,208 | $24.62 |
| 26 | Kentucky | $52,368 | $25.18 |
| 27 | New Mexico | $50,870 | $24.46 |
| 28 | New Jersey | $57,586 | $27.69 |
| 29 | Colorado | $50,402 | $24.23 |
| 30 | Wyoming | $46,102 | $22.16 |
| 31 | Delaware | $53,200 | $25.58 |
| 32 | Indiana | $49,410 | $23.75 |
| 33 | Louisiana | $51,041 | $24.54 |
| 34 | Arizona | $47,212 | $22.70 |
| 35 | District of Columbia | $50,368 | $24.22 |
| 36 | Minnesota | $46,820 | $22.51 |
| 37 | Illinois | $46,400 | $22.31 |
| 38 | Virginia | $43,655 | $20.99 |
| 39 | Alabama | $42,679 | $20.52 |
| 40 | Arkansas | $46,085 | $22.16 |
| 41 | Hawaii | $32,691 | $15.72 |
| 42 | Texas | $43,487 | $20.91 |
| 43 | North Carolina | $44,879 | $21.58 |
| 44 | Iowa | $44,945 | $21.61 |
| 45 | Oklahoma | $44,098 | $21.20 |
| 46 | Kansas | $43,602 | $20.96 |
| 47 | Michigan | $40,644 | $19.54 |
| 48 | Georgia | $34,218 | $16.45 |
| 49 | South Carolina | $30,660 | $14.74 |
| 50 | Florida | $36,421 | $17.51 |
| 51 | Tennessee | $34,544 | $16.61 |
Highest paying cities for wildlife biologists
The highest-paying cities for wildlife biologists are Anchorage, AK, San Francisco, CA, and Portland, OR.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Anchorage, AK | $71,123 | $34.19 |
| 2 | San Francisco, CA | $68,476 | $32.92 |
| 3 | Portland, OR | $67,417 | $32.41 |
| 4 | Seattle, WA | $63,630 | $30.59 |
| 5 | Silver Spring, MD | $60,143 | $28.91 |
| 6 | Salt Lake City, UT | $58,331 | $28.04 |
| 7 | New York, NY | $58,063 | $27.91 |
| 8 | Lincoln, NE | $56,449 | $27.14 |
| 9 | Harrisburg, PA | $55,659 | $26.76 |
| 10 | Eagle, ID | $54,219 | $26.07 |
| 11 | Bismarck, ND | $52,321 | $25.15 |
| 12 | Rapid City, SD | $51,173 | $24.60 |
| 13 | Lakewood, CO | $50,476 | $24.27 |
| 14 | Phoenix, AZ | $47,289 | $22.74 |
| 15 | Overland Park, KS | $43,546 | $20.94 |
| 16 | Victoria, TX | $43,410 | $20.87 |
| 17 | Urban Honolulu, HI | $32,728 | $15.73 |
| 18 | Columbia, SC | $30,680 | $14.75 |
Wildlife biologist salary details
A wildlife biologist's salary ranges from $34,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $75,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a wildlife biologist's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $75,000 | $6,250 | $36 |
| 75th Percentile | $62,000 | $5,167 | $30 |
| Average | $51,084 | $4,257 | $25 |
| 25th Percentile | $41,000 | $3,417 | $20 |
| 10th Percentile | $34,000 | $2,833 | $16 |
Highest paying wildlife biologist jobs
The highest paying types of wildlife biologists are forest service wildlife program leader, marine scientist, and wildlife division manager.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Environmental Scientist | $60,208 | $5,017 | $28.95 | 56,425 |
| Ecologist | $50,369 | $4,197 | $24.22 | 7,026 |
| Biologist | $65,158 | $5,430 | $31.33 | 5,741 |
| Fisheries Biologist | $47,758 | $3,980 | $22.96 | 3,648 |
| Marine Biologist | $54,008 | $4,501 | $25.97 | 17,273 |
| Fish And Wildlife Biologist | $52,402 | $4,367 | $25.19 | 7,349 |
Top companies hiring wildlife biologists now:
Which companies pay wildlife biologists the most?
Wildlife biologist salaries at Idaho National Lab and Kleinfelder are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average wildlife biologist salary at companies like Smithsonian Institution and Forest are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Idaho National Lab | $70,172 | $33.74 |
| 2 | Kleinfelder | $68,395 | $32.88 |
| 3 | Smithsonian Institution | $67,377 | $32.39 |
| 4 | Forest Manufacturing Co | $66,812 | $32.12 |
| 5 | Woods Services | $64,066 | $30.80 |
| 6 | Stantec | $64,001 | $30.77 |
| 7 | Michigan State University | $59,587 | $28.65 |
| 8 | National Park Foundation | $58,737 | $28.24 |
| 9 | Wildlife Habitat Council | $58,286 | $28.02 |
| 10 | Bureau of Land Management | $57,347 | $27.57 |
| 11 | State of North Dakota | $53,804 | $25.87 |
| 12 | Environmental Science Associates | $53,767 | $25.85 |
| 13 | Amec Foster Wheeler | $53,767 | $25.85 |
| 14 | Pennsylvania State Treasurer | $53,767 | $25.85 |
| 15 | Port of Seattle | $53,256 | $25.60 |
| 16 | SWCA Environmental Consultants | $52,379 | $25.18 |
| 17 | Chambers Group | $50,239 | $24.15 |
| 18 | Natural Resources Conservation Service | $49,357 | $23.73 |
| 19 | PSEA | $48,964 | $23.54 |
| 20 | Columbia River Inter-tribal Fish Commission | $48,226 | $23.19 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Wildlife biologist salary trends
The average wildlife biologist salary has risen by $6,875 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average wildlife biologist earned $44,209 annually, but today, they earn $51,084 a year. That works out to a 10% change in pay for wildlife biologists over the last decade.
Compare wildlife biologist salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average wildlife biologist salary over time
Compare wildlife biologist salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Wildlife biologist salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $51,100 | $24.56 | +4.6% |
| 2024 | $48,700 | $23.42 | -0.2% |
| 2023 | $48,800 | $23.48 | +1.8% |
| 2022 | $48,000 | $23.06 | +2.8% |
| 2021 | $46,600 | $22.40 | +1.4% |
Recently added wildlife biologist salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ICF International, Inc. | Wildlife Biologist/Botanist Central Coast | Los Angeles, CA | 06/25/2025 | $60,663 |
| Erm | Consulting Associate, Wildlife Biologist | Elko, NV | 06/22/2025 | $61,299 |
| State of Wisconsin | LTE Wildlife Biologist | Janesville, WI | 06/22/2025 | $36,523 |
| WRA | Wildlife Biologist | San Francisco, CA | 06/21/2025 | $85,000 |
| ICF Jones and Stokes | Wildlife Biologist | Los Angeles, CA | 06/13/2025 | $60,663 |
| Rincon Consultants | As-Needed Wildlife Biologists and Botanists (Central Coast) | San Luis Obispo, CA | 06/10/2025 | $56,349 |
| ICF International, Inc. | Wildlife Biologist | San Francisco, CA | 05/30/2025 | $60,663 |
| Aecom | Wildlife Biologist-Desktop Focus | Oakland, CA | 05/29/2025 | $72,000 |
| Pheasants Forever | SD Farm Bill Wildlife Biologist I, II, or III | Mound City, SD | 05/25/2025 | $40,000 |
| ICF Jones and Stokes | Wildlife Biologist SAN Francisco/Bay Area | San Francisco, CA | 05/25/2025 | $73,403 |
Wildlife biologist salary FAQs
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