Wildlife biologist vs biologist

The differences between wildlife biologists and biologists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-2 years to become a wildlife biologist, becoming a biologist takes usually requires 6-8 years. Additionally, a biologist has an average salary of $65,158, which is higher than the $51,084 average annual salary of a wildlife biologist.

The top three skills for a wildlife biologist include USDA, wildlife species and GIS. The most important skills for a biologist are data collection, GPS, and renewable energy.

Wildlife biologist vs biologist overview

	Wildlife Biologist	Biologist
Yearly salary	$51,084	$65,158
Hourly rate	$24.56	$31.33
Growth rate	1%	1%
Number of jobs	5,376	5,741
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 81%	Bachelor's Degree, 78%
Average age	40	40
Years of experience	2	8

What does a wildlife biologist do?

A wildlife biologist specializes in studying and observing animals and plants in their habitats, mainly for research and scientific purposes. Their responsibilities typically revolve around gathering samples and data, performing analysis through various laboratory and scientific processes, conducting experiments, and creating reports and presentations. A wildlife biologist may use their findings to develop programs and strategies, release research papers, contribute to publications, and promote public awareness. Furthermore, a wildlife biologist may coordinate with other scientists, reviewing findings for accurate reports.

What does a biologist do?

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.

Wildlife biologist vs biologist salary

Wildlife biologists and biologists have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Wildlife Biologist	Biologist
Average salary	$51,084	$65,158
Salary range	Between $34,000 And $75,000	Between $46,000 And $91,000
Highest paying City	Anchorage, AK	San Francisco, CA
Highest paying state	Alaska	New York
Best paying company	Idaho National Lab	Google
Best paying industry	Technology	Pharmaceutical

Differences between wildlife biologist and biologist education

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

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

Wildlife biologist vs biologist demographics

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

	Wildlife Biologist	Biologist
Average age	40	40
Gender ratio	Male, 62.8% Female, 37.2%	Male, 51.4% Female, 48.6%
Race ratio	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%	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%
LGBT Percentage	10%	10%

Differences between wildlife biologist and biologist duties and responsibilities

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.

Biologist example responsibilities.

Train for GLP compliance - manage transition of department to GLP/GCP compliance for CRO accreditation.
Work closely with other project leads to make sure sampling protocols for Chinook, chum and steelhead are followed.
Manage detailed GLP laboratory manual daily.
Create and manage multidisciplinary, interagency research teams.
Conduct data analysis for mark-recapture studies of juvenile Chinook salmon and steelhead trout abundance.
Train ODA staff in GIS data management and model development, providing document protocols for future GIS use.

Wildlife biologist vs biologist skills

Common wildlife biologist skills

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

Common biologist skills

Data Collection, 7%
GPS, 6%
Renewable Energy, 6%
Cell Culture, 5%
GIS, 4%
Technical Reports, 4%

Wildlife Biologist vs. similar jobs

Wildlife Biologist related careers

Wildlife Biologist related jobs

What similar roles do

Zippia Careers
Life, Physical, and Social Science Industry
Wildlife Biologist
Wildlife Biologist vs Biologist

Updated January 8, 2025

Browse life, physical, and social science jobs