Wildlife biologist vs fisheries biologist

The differences between wildlife biologists and fisheries biologists 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 fisheries biologist. Additionally, a wildlife biologist has an average salary of $51,084, which is higher than the $47,758 average annual salary of a fisheries biologist.

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

Wildlife biologist vs fisheries biologist overview

	Wildlife Biologist	Fisheries Biologist
Yearly salary	$51,084	$47,758
Hourly rate	$24.56	$22.96
Growth rate	1%	1%
Number of jobs	5,376	3,648
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 81%	Bachelor's Degree, 78%
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 a fisheries biologist do?

A fisheries biologist is a scientist who studies fishes and their respective habitats. Fisheries biologists gather data on fish and track their number in a certain body of water. They study the migration of fish and other activities. Some biologists concentrate on one fish species on a lake or river. They learn the aquatic ecosystems for the identification of population dynamics and their impact on fishes. Typically, they work in a conservation center, commercial sector, or non-profit organization or government.

Wildlife biologist vs fisheries biologist salary

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

	Wildlife Biologist	Fisheries Biologist
Average salary	$51,084	$47,758
Salary range	Between $34,000 And $75,000	Between $31,000 And $71,000
Highest paying City	Anchorage, AK	Portland, OR
Highest paying state	Alaska	Oregon
Best paying company	Idaho National Lab	AECOM
Best paying industry	Technology	Government

Differences between wildlife biologist and fisheries biologist education

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

	Wildlife Biologist	Fisheries 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 - Davis

Wildlife biologist vs fisheries biologist demographics

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

	Wildlife Biologist	Fisheries Biologist
Average age	40	40
Gender ratio	Male, 62.8% Female, 37.2%	Male, 65.7% Female, 34.3%
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, 3.2% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 9.1% Asian, 10.2% White, 71.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%
LGBT Percentage	10%	10%

Differences between wildlife biologist and fisheries 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.

Fisheries biologist example responsibilities.

Manage detailed GLP laboratory manual daily.
Experience extracting GPS metadata from photos using the Exiftool (freeware).
Fix various equipment throughout field season boats, rafts, generators, and office equipment.
Supervise seasonal staff, oversee the field portion of the budget and preform maintenance on equipment and boats.
Project require review of existing environmental data, identification of permitting requirements, wetland identification/delineation and sensitive and endanger species issues.
Authore key wildlife portions of BLM planning documents.

Wildlife biologist vs fisheries biologist skills

Common wildlife biologist skills

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

Common fisheries biologist skills

Fish Species, 8%
GIS, 8%
Data Collection, 7%
Harvest, 6%
Steelhead, 6%
Water Quality, 5%

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Wildlife Biologist vs Fisheries Biologist

Updated January 8, 2025

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