Wildlife biologist vs ecologist

The differences between wildlife biologists and ecologists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a wildlife biologist and an ecologist. Additionally, a wildlife biologist has an average salary of $51,084, which is higher than the $50,369 average annual salary of an ecologist.

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

Wildlife biologist vs ecologist overview

	Wildlife Biologist	Ecologist
Yearly salary	$51,084	$50,369
Hourly rate	$24.56	$24.22
Growth rate	1%	1%
Number of jobs	5,376	7,026
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 81%	Bachelor's Degree, 69%
Average age	40	40
Years of experience	2	2

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 an ecologist do?

An ecologist is responsible for studying the ecosystem components and the interaction between humans and nature. Ecologists analyze the organisms' roles within an environment to identify solutions in solving nature issues and environmental concerns. They conduct data analysis and field investigations to support their claims, writing methodological studies, and strategizing techniques in minimizing the impact of human activities on the stability of the ecosystem. An ecologist presents the findings on research colloquiums and conferences, highlighting conservation plans and project models for environmental sustainability.

Wildlife biologist vs ecologist salary

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

	Wildlife Biologist	Ecologist
Average salary	$51,084	$50,369
Salary range	Between $34,000 And $75,000	Between $33,000 And $76,000
Highest paying City	Anchorage, AK	Fresno, CA
Highest paying state	Alaska	Alaska
Best paying company	Idaho National Lab	Volkert
Best paying industry	Technology	Technology

Differences between wildlife biologist and ecologist education

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

	Wildlife Biologist	Ecologist
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 81%	Bachelor's Degree, 69%
Most common major	Biology	Biology
Most common college	University of California - Davis	University of California - Davis

Wildlife biologist vs ecologist demographics

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

	Wildlife Biologist	Ecologist
Average age	40	40
Gender ratio	Male, 62.8% Female, 37.2%	Male, 64.5% Female, 35.5%
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, 3.0% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 8.6% Asian, 10.4% White, 72.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%
LGBT Percentage	10%	10%

Differences between wildlife biologist and ecologist 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.

Ecologist example responsibilities.

Create and manage multidisciplinary, interagency research teams.
Perform surveys for target species including vascular and non-vascular plants, fungi, and lichens using BLM and USFS protocols.
Issue gas and oil drilling permits on BLM land.
Record and monitor nest locations using a marker system and GPS.
Navigate through surrounding desert and massive mountain ranges using GPS and aerial topographic maps.
Help with park events and or activities, occasionally put on patrol for the park

Wildlife biologist vs ecologist skills

Common wildlife biologist skills

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

Common ecologist skills

Data Collection, 10%
GPS, 10%
GIS, 6%
Technical Reports, 6%
Data Management, 5%
Data Entry, 5%

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 Ecologist

Updated January 8, 2025

Browse life, physical, and social science jobs