Wildlife biologist vs field naturalist

The differences between wildlife biologists and field naturalists 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 a field naturalist. Additionally, a wildlife biologist has an average salary of $51,084, which is higher than the $38,213 average annual salary of a field naturalist.

The top three skills for a wildlife biologist include USDA, wildlife species and GIS. The most important skills for a field naturalist are social science, native plants, and .

Wildlife biologist vs field naturalist overview

	Wildlife Biologist	Field Naturalist
Yearly salary	$51,084	$38,213
Hourly rate	$24.56	$18.37
Growth rate	1%	1%
Number of jobs	5,376	44,776
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 81%	Bachelor's Degree, 87%
Average age	40	40
Years of experience	2	2

Wildlife biologist vs field naturalist salary

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

	Wildlife Biologist	Field Naturalist
Average salary	$51,084	$38,213
Salary range	Between $34,000 And $75,000	Between $22,000 And $66,000
Highest paying City	Anchorage, AK	-
Highest paying state	Alaska	-
Best paying company	Idaho National Lab	-
Best paying industry	Technology	-

Differences between wildlife biologist and field naturalist education

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

	Wildlife Biologist	Field Naturalist
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 81%	Bachelor's Degree, 87%
Most common major	Biology	Environmental Science
Most common college	University of California - Davis	University of California - Davis

Wildlife biologist vs field naturalist demographics

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

	Wildlife Biologist	Field Naturalist
Average age	40	40
Gender ratio	Male, 62.8% Female, 37.2%	Male, 43.6% Female, 56.4%
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, 2.3% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 6.3% Asian, 11.1% White, 74.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6%
LGBT Percentage	10%	10%

Differences between wildlife biologist and field naturalist 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.

Field naturalist example responsibilities.

Lead tour groups on both bicycles and kayaks, man small retail/rental outlet as only staff person.
Handle an assortment of animals, such as rats and snakes.
Establish and maintain appropriate systems to monitor, evaluate and report on all operational activities including logistics and program implementation.
Advise area NGOs on policy implications base on preliminary research findings.

Wildlife biologist vs field naturalist skills

Common wildlife biologist skills

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

Common field naturalist skills

Social Science, 86%
Native Plants, 14%

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Wildlife Biologist
Wildlife Biologist vs Field Naturalist

Updated January 8, 2025

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