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Best states for a wildlife health specialist
Quoted expert
Halaevalu Ofahengaue Vakalahi
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Are you thinking of becoming a wildlife health specialist and really want to work at USDA? Turns out, your chances to become a wildlife health specialist are better in some states than others.Our research found that Ohio is the best state for wildlife health specialists, while Alaska and Maryland are ranked highest in terms of median salary. Ohio has a median salary of $51,125 and Alaska has the highest median salary among all 50 states for wildlife health specialists.
To do that, we looked at the most recent data we have available for the following criteria -- average annual wages, and availability of jobs for wildlife health specialists.Ohio is the best state, and Anchorage is the city with the highest pay for wildlife health specialists.
10 best states for wildlife health specialists in 2026
1. Ohio
Total wildlife health specialist jobs: 1,125 Average annual salary: $51,125 Lowest 10 percent earn: $34,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $76,000 Location Quotient: 1.52
2. Alaska
Total wildlife health specialist jobs: 42 Average annual salary: $66,509 Lowest 10 percent earn: $44,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $99,000 Location Quotient: 0.7
3. Maryland
Total wildlife health specialist jobs: 554 Average annual salary: $54,712 Lowest 10 percent earn: $35,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $84,000 Location Quotient: 1.21
4. Vermont
Total wildlife health specialist jobs: 106 Average annual salary: $49,664 Lowest 10 percent earn: $32,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $75,000 Location Quotient: 1.91
5. California
Total wildlife health specialist jobs: 2,886 Average annual salary: $54,072 Lowest 10 percent earn: $34,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $83,000 Location Quotient: 1.37
6. Massachusetts
Total wildlife health specialist jobs: 887 Average annual salary: $51,194 Lowest 10 percent earn: $33,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $78,000 Location Quotient: 1.34
7. Rhode Island
Total wildlife health specialist jobs: 86 Average annual salary: $51,273 Lowest 10 percent earn: $33,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $78,000 Location Quotient: 0.98
8. West Virginia
Total wildlife health specialist jobs: 42 Average annual salary: $51,134 Lowest 10 percent earn: $34,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $76,000 Location Quotient: 0.38
9. Maine
Total wildlife health specialist jobs: 19 Average annual salary: $52,056 Lowest 10 percent earn: $34,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $78,000 Location Quotient: 0.2
10. Missouri
Total wildlife health specialist jobs: 592 Average annual salary: $48,877 Lowest 10 percent earn: $33,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $70,000 Location Quotient: 1.4
Wildlife health specialist jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a wildlife health specialist
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a wildlife health specialist
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ohio | $51,125 | $34,000 | 11,658,609 | 1,125 |
| 2 | Alaska | $66,509 | $44,000 | 739,795 | 42 |
| 3 | Maryland | $54,712 | $35,000 | 6,052,177 | 554 |
| 4 | Vermont | $49,664 | $32,000 | 623,657 | 106 |
| 5 | California | $54,072 | $34,000 | 39,536,653 | 2,886 |
| 6 | Massachusetts | $51,194 | $33,000 | 6,859,819 | 887 |
| 7 | Rhode Island | $51,273 | $33,000 | 1,059,639 | 86 |
| 8 | West Virginia | $51,134 | $34,000 | 1,815,857 | 42 |
| 9 | Maine | $52,056 | $34,000 | 1,335,907 | 19 |
| 10 | Missouri | $48,877 | $33,000 | 6,113,532 | 592 |
| 11 | Oregon | $53,185 | $34,000 | 4,142,776 | 78 |
| 12 | North Dakota | $48,511 | $33,000 | 755,393 | 75 |
| 13 | Mississippi | $48,315 | $33,000 | 2,984,100 | 174 |
| 14 | New Hampshire | $50,763 | $33,000 | 1,342,795 | 100 |
| 15 | Nebraska | $48,986 | $33,000 | 1,920,076 | 159 |
| 16 | Pennsylvania | $50,433 | $32,000 | 12,805,537 | 145 |
| 17 | Kentucky | $46,943 | $32,000 | 4,454,189 | 350 |
| 18 | Washington | $51,119 | $33,000 | 7,405,743 | 155 |
| 19 | Indiana | $43,899 | $29,000 | 6,666,818 | 852 |
| 20 | New York | $51,409 | $33,000 | 19,849,399 | 144 |
| 21 | Idaho | $45,060 | $29,000 | 1,716,943 | 182 |
| 22 | Utah | $47,574 | $31,000 | 3,101,833 | 204 |
| 23 | South Dakota | $45,726 | $31,000 | 869,666 | 79 |
| 24 | Connecticut | $50,811 | $32,000 | 3,588,184 | 31 |
| 25 | Louisiana | $44,666 | $30,000 | 4,684,333 | 319 |
| 26 | Virginia | $47,468 | $31,000 | 8,470,020 | 754 |
| 27 | New Jersey | $51,133 | $32,000 | 9,005,644 | 53 |
| 28 | Delaware | $47,617 | $30,000 | 961,939 | 92 |
| 29 | Montana | $46,867 | $31,000 | 1,050,493 | 18 |
| 30 | Minnesota | $42,021 | $28,000 | 5,576,606 | 760 |
| 31 | Arizona | $41,196 | $27,000 | 7,016,270 | 670 |
| 32 | Colorado | $45,964 | $31,000 | 5,607,154 | 412 |
| 33 | District of Columbia | $45,499 | $29,000 | 693,972 | 133 |
| 34 | Wisconsin | $39,186 | $26,000 | 5,795,483 | 613 |
| 35 | Wyoming | $39,482 | $26,000 | 579,315 | 64 |
| 36 | Texas | $42,314 | $28,000 | 28,304,596 | 1,527 |
| 37 | Nevada | $42,757 | $27,000 | 2,998,039 | 145 |
| 38 | Iowa | $39,521 | $27,000 | 3,145,711 | 312 |
| 39 | New Mexico | $43,306 | $29,000 | 2,088,070 | 31 |
| 40 | Oklahoma | $38,387 | $26,000 | 3,930,864 | 322 |
| 41 | Alabama | $38,205 | $26,000 | 4,874,747 | 456 |
| 42 | Arkansas | $30,681 | $21,000 | 3,004,279 | 341 |
| 43 | Tennessee | $31,094 | $21,000 | 6,715,984 | 687 |
| 44 | North Carolina | $35,812 | $24,000 | 10,273,419 | 1,020 |
| 45 | Hawaii | $36,318 | $27,000 | 1,427,538 | 75 |
| 46 | Kansas | $38,113 | $26,000 | 2,913,123 | 219 |
| 47 | South Carolina | $27,935 | $19,000 | 5,024,369 | 562 |
| 48 | Illinois | $41,047 | $28,000 | 12,802,023 | 101 |
| 49 | Florida | $27,503 | $18,000 | 20,984,400 | 1,719 |
| 50 | Michigan | $35,861 | $24,000 | 9,962,311 | 70 |
| 51 | Georgia | $30,857 | $21,000 | 10,429,379 | 96 |
Highest paying states for wildlife health specialists
| Rank | State | Avg. Wildlife Health Specialist Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ohio | $51,125 |
| 2 | Alaska | $66,509 |
| 3 | Maryland | $54,712 |
| 4 | Vermont | $49,664 |
| 5 | California | $54,072 |
| 6 | Massachusetts | $51,194 |
| 7 | Rhode Island | $51,273 |
| 8 | West Virginia | $51,134 |
| 9 | Maine | $52,056 |
| 10 | Missouri | $48,877 |
| 11 | Oregon | $53,185 |
| 12 | North Dakota | $48,511 |
| 13 | Mississippi | $48,315 |
| 14 | New Hampshire | $50,763 |
| 15 | Nebraska | $48,986 |
| 16 | Pennsylvania | $50,433 |
| 17 | Kentucky | $46,943 |
| 18 | Washington | $51,119 |
| 19 | Indiana | $43,899 |
| 20 | New York | $51,409 |
| 21 | Idaho | $45,060 |
| 22 | Utah | $47,574 |
| 23 | South Dakota | $45,726 |
| 24 | Connecticut | $50,811 |
| 25 | Louisiana | $44,666 |
| 26 | Virginia | $47,468 |
| 27 | New Jersey | $51,133 |
| 28 | Delaware | $47,617 |
| 29 | Montana | $46,867 |
| 30 | Minnesota | $42,021 |
| 31 | Arizona | $41,196 |
| 32 | Colorado | $45,964 |
| 33 | District of Columbia | $45,499 |
| 34 | Wisconsin | $39,186 |
| 35 | Wyoming | $39,482 |
| 36 | Texas | $42,314 |
| 37 | Nevada | $42,757 |
| 38 | Iowa | $39,521 |
| 39 | New Mexico | $43,306 |
| 40 | Oklahoma | $38,387 |
| 41 | Alabama | $38,205 |
| 42 | Arkansas | $30,681 |
| 43 | Tennessee | $31,094 |
| 44 | North Carolina | $35,812 |
| 45 | Hawaii | $36,318 |
| 46 | Kansas | $38,113 |
| 47 | South Carolina | $27,935 |
| 48 | Illinois | $41,047 |
| 49 | Florida | $27,503 |
| 50 | Michigan | $35,861 |
| 51 | Georgia | $30,857 |
Expert opinions on the best states for wildlife health specialists
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for wildlife health specialists to find work opportunities?
Halaevalu Ofahengaue Vakalahi
Dean and Professor, Hawai'i Pacific University
The aftermath of COVID, and the recovery phase, will yield increased employment opportunities in social work across the country and the globe. Social work is a rich and broad field, as our curriculum educates students in practice, policy, research, theory, and the signature pedagogy of field education/practicum. You can't go wrong with that span of the knowledge base. It is a versatile degree for any career of interest.
Wildlife health specialist best states FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025