Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
Wildlife technician salary
Average wildlife technician salary
$16.09
Understanding Wildlife Technician Salaries
The average salary for a wildlife technician in the United States is approximately $33,462 per year, translating to about $16.09 per hour. However, salaries can vary widely based on a variety of factors, including experience level, geographic location, and specific job responsibilities. Entry-level positions may start lower, while those with several years of experience can expect higher compensation.
Where Do Wildlife Technicians Earn More?
State and region play a significant role in salary discrepancies. For instance, states like California and Florida often offer higher pay due to demand and living costs. Understanding these dynamics can help aspiring wildlife technicians make informed career choices. Additionally, specific job roles, such as those involving field research or management responsibilities, may offer increased earning potential.
Job Opportunities and Career Growth
Beyond salary, wildlife technicians enjoy diverse job opportunities within government agencies, private organizations, and non-profits focused on conservation. Many positions provide avenues for career advancement and specialization, making this a fulfilling choice for those passionate about wildlife and ecological preservation.
Let Zippia find your next wildlife technician job
Let Zippia find your next wildlife technician job
Where can a Wildlife Technician earn more?
Wildlife technician salaries by experience level
Wildlife technician salary estimates from across the web
Average wildlife technician salary by state
The highest-paying states for wildlife technicians are New Hampshire, Massachusetts, and Connecticut. The lowest average wildlife technician salary states are Tennessee, Indiana, and South Dakota.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for wildlife technicians
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Massachusetts | $41,644 | $20.02 |
| 2 | Connecticut | $40,487 | $19.46 |
| 3 | Wisconsin | $33,620 | $16.16 |
| 4 | Rhode Island | $36,136 | $17.37 |
| 5 | New Hampshire | $41,948 | $20.17 |
| 6 | New Jersey | $38,847 | $18.68 |
| 7 | New York | $35,834 | $17.23 |
| 8 | Minnesota | $35,415 | $17.03 |
| 9 | Maine | $32,775 | $15.76 |
| 10 | Illinois | $33,244 | $15.98 |
| 11 | Michigan | $31,908 | $15.34 |
| 12 | Wyoming | $32,167 | $15.46 |
| 13 | Colorado | $32,146 | $15.45 |
| 14 | Arkansas | $30,836 | $14.82 |
| 15 | Ohio | $32,506 | $15.63 |
| 16 | New Mexico | $32,209 | $15.49 |
| 17 | Oklahoma | $32,052 | $15.41 |
| 18 | Oregon | $35,168 | $16.91 |
| 19 | Washington | $32,198 | $15.48 |
| 20 | Missouri | $29,478 | $14.17 |
| 21 | Alaska | $29,566 | $14.21 |
| 22 | Delaware | $29,650 | $14.25 |
| 23 | Iowa | $30,370 | $14.60 |
| 24 | Florida | $29,467 | $14.17 |
| 25 | Vermont | $29,312 | $14.09 |
| 26 | California | $35,005 | $16.83 |
| 27 | West Virginia | $27,838 | $13.38 |
| 28 | Nebraska | $29,150 | $14.01 |
| 29 | Maryland | $30,801 | $14.81 |
| 30 | Utah | $29,890 | $14.37 |
| 31 | Virginia | $29,864 | $14.36 |
| 32 | Pennsylvania | $27,339 | $13.14 |
| 33 | District of Columbia | $32,072 | $15.42 |
| 34 | Mississippi | $27,358 | $13.15 |
| 35 | North Carolina | $25,989 | $12.49 |
| 36 | Hawaii | $30,040 | $14.44 |
| 37 | Louisiana | $27,253 | $13.10 |
| 38 | South Carolina | $26,250 | $12.62 |
| 39 | Idaho | $26,362 | $12.67 |
| 40 | Texas | $26,484 | $12.73 |
| 41 | Arizona | $24,580 | $11.82 |
| 42 | Kansas | $25,691 | $12.35 |
| 43 | Georgia | $25,674 | $12.34 |
| 44 | Tennessee | $23,684 | $11.39 |
| 45 | Alabama | $22,581 | $10.86 |
| 46 | Indiana | $23,626 | $11.36 |
| 47 | Nevada | $24,887 | $11.96 |
| 48 | North Dakota | $24,148 | $11.61 |
| 49 | South Dakota | $23,306 | $11.20 |
| 50 | Kentucky | $22,076 | $10.61 |
| 51 | Montana | $23,267 | $11.19 |
Highest paying cities for wildlife technicians
The highest-paying cities for wildlife technicians are Springfield, MA, Trenton, NJ, and Albany, NY.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Springfield, MA | $41,355 | $19.88 |
| 2 | Trenton, NJ | $38,413 | $18.47 |
| 3 | Albany, NY | $37,381 | $17.97 |
| 4 | Saint Cloud, MN | $35,599 | $17.11 |
| 5 | Beaverton, OR | $35,043 | $16.85 |
| 6 | Eau Claire, WI | $34,006 | $16.35 |
| 7 | Chicago, IL | $33,384 | $16.05 |
| 8 | Youngstown, OH | $33,276 | $16.00 |
| 9 | Boulder, CO | $32,187 | $15.47 |
| 10 | Gillette, WY | $32,182 | $15.47 |
| 11 | Baltimore, MD | $30,886 | $14.85 |
| 12 | Fort Smith, AR | $30,876 | $14.84 |
| 13 | Cedar Rapids, IA | $30,606 | $14.71 |
| 14 | Richmond, VA | $29,812 | $14.33 |
| 15 | West Palm Beach, FL | $29,562 | $14.21 |
| 16 | Philadelphia, PA | $27,410 | $13.18 |
| 17 | Jackson, MS | $27,282 | $13.12 |
| 18 | Austin, TX | $26,610 | $12.79 |
| 19 | Raleigh, NC | $26,190 | $12.59 |
| 20 | Atlanta, GA | $25,642 | $12.33 |
Wildlife technician salary details
A wildlife technician's salary ranges from $25,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $44,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a wildlife technician's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $44,000 | $3,667 | $21 |
| 75th Percentile | $38,000 | $3,167 | $18 |
| Average | $33,462 | $2,789 | $16 |
| 25th Percentile | $28,000 | $2,333 | $13 |
| 10th Percentile | $25,000 | $2,083 | $12 |
Highest paying wildlife technician jobs
The highest paying types of wildlife technicians are research and development technician, environmental scientist, and pilot plant technician.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Laboratory Internship | $35,305 | $2,942 | $16.97 | 90,970 |
| Laboratory Researcher | $27,760 | $2,313 | $13.35 | 57,359 |
| Environmental Scientist | $60,208 | $5,017 | $28.95 | 56,425 |
| Research And Development Technician | $83,552 | $6,963 | $40.17 | 111,268 |
| Research Laboratory Technician | $38,308 | $3,192 | $18.42 | 86,476 |
| Microbiological Laboratory Technician | $38,713 | $3,226 | $18.61 | 44,567 |
How would you rate the starting salaries for wildlife technicians, as well as the prospects for salary advancement?
Chris Stockdale
Lead National Recruiter, Forest Service
Top companies hiring wildlife technicians now:
Which companies pay wildlife technicians the most?
Wildlife technician salaries at Boulder County and ICF are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average wildlife technician salary at companies like New York State Restaurant Association and Stantec are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Boulder County | $43,407 | $20.87 |
| 2 | ICF | $43,098 | $20.72 |
| 3 | New York State Restaurant Association | $38,468 | $18.49 |
| 4 | Stantec | $38,252 | $18.39 |
| 5 | HDR | $36,184 | $17.40 |
| 6 | The State of Oregon | $35,369 | $17.00 |
| 7 | Colorado State Express | $35,057 | $16.85 |
| 8 | Plunkett's Pest Control | $35,041 | $16.85 |
| 9 | Port of Portland | $34,550 | $16.61 |
| 10 | My Florida Regional Mls | $34,367 | $16.52 |
| 11 | State of Nevada Employees' Association Inc | $34,362 | $16.52 |
| 12 | University of Wisconsin System | $33,611 | $16.16 |
| 13 | Terminix | $32,530 | $15.64 |
| 14 | University of Pennsylvania | $32,397 | $15.58 |
| 15 | State Of South Dakota | $31,024 | $14.92 |
| 16 | Rollins | $30,858 | $14.84 |
| 17 | State of West Virginia | $30,242 | $14.54 |
| 18 | State of Arizona | $30,175 | $14.51 |
| 19 | State Of Florida | $30,025 | $14.44 |
| 20 | Wyoming | $29,394 | $14.13 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Wildlife Technician salary by industry
The average wildlife technician salary varies across industries:
- The average wildlife technician salary in the manufacturing industry is $37,047, the highest of any industry.
- The average wildlife technician salary in the finance industry is $35,271.
- Wildlife technicians in the education industry earn an average salary of $30,122, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for wildlife technicians
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Manufacturing | $37,047 | $17.81 |
| 2 | Government | $35,271 | $16.96 |
| 3 | Professional | $33,797 | $16.25 |
| 4 | Education | $30,122 | $14.48 |
High paying wildlife technician jobs
Wildlife technician salary trends
The average wildlife technician salary has risen by $4,953 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average wildlife technician earned $28,509 annually, but today, they earn $33,462 a year. That works out to a 9% change in pay for wildlife technicians over the last decade.
Compare wildlife technician salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average wildlife technician salary over time
Compare wildlife technician salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Wildlife technician salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $33,500 | $16.09 | +1.0% |
| 2024 | $33,100 | $15.92 | +3.0% |
| 2023 | $32,100 | $15.45 | +1.6% |
| 2022 | $31,600 | $15.21 | +2.9% |
| 2021 | $30,700 | $14.76 | +2.0% |
Recently added wildlife technician salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Critter Control | Wildlife Exclusion Technician | Yarmouth, MA | 06/29/2025 | $48,001 |
| Cape Wildlife Services Inc. | Wildlife Technician | Yarmouth, MA | 06/29/2025 | $48,001 |
| Thomas Pest Services | Wildlife and Exclusion Technician | Schenectady, NY | 06/27/2025 | $45,000 |
| Texas A&M Agrilife Extension Service | Wildlife Damage Management Technician | Pampa, TX | 06/27/2025 | $31,446 |
| Meridian Bird Removal | Wildlife Technician | Clarksville, TN | 06/26/2025 | $12,000 |
| Texas A&M Agrilife Extension | Wildlife Damage Management Technician | Pampa, TX | 06/26/2025 | $31,446 |
| Meridian Bird Removal | Wildlife Technician | Green Bay, WI | 06/26/2025 | $12,000 |
| Meridian Bird Removal | Wildlife Technician | Rochester, MN | 06/26/2025 | $12,000 |
| Meridian Bird Removal | Wildlife Technician | Catskill, NY | 06/26/2025 | $12,000 |
| Confederated Tribes and Bands of The Yakama Nation | Wildlife Technician III (Spotted OWL) (2) Positions | Toppenish, WA | 06/19/2025 | $34,498 |
Wildlife technician salary FAQs
Search for wildlife technician jobs