Post job

What is a wildlife rehabilitator and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
2 min read
There is more than meets the eye when it comes to being a wildlife rehabilitator. For example, did you know that they make an average of $18.23 an hour? That's $37,928 a year! Between 2018 and 2028, the career is expected to grow 28% and produce 101,200 job opportunities across the U.S.
ScoreWildlife RehabilitatorUS Average
Salary
3.0

Avg. Salary $37,928

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level
6.7

Growth rate 28%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity
1.1
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.49%

Asian 2.66%

Black or African American 4.39%

Hispanic or Latino 18.29%

Unknown 6.47%

White 67.70%

Gender

female 79.69%

male 20.31%

Age - 29
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 29
Stress level
6.7

Stress level is high

7.1 - high

Complexity level
8.0

Complexity level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work life balance
8.1

Work life balance is good

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become a wildlife rehabilitator

  1. Explore wildlife rehabilitator education requirements

    Most common wildlife rehabilitator degrees

    Bachelor's

    68.7 %

    Associate

    22.9 %

    High School Diploma

    3.6 %
  2. Start to develop specific wildlife rehabilitator skills

    SkillsPercentages
    Wild Animals37.00%
    Rehabilitation29.96%
    Diet Preparation17.46%
    Acute Medical Care10.67%
    Educational Programs4.91%
  3. Complete relevant wildlife rehabilitator training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of 1-3 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New wildlife rehabilitators learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a wildlife rehabilitator based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real wildlife rehabilitator resumes.
  4. Research wildlife rehabilitator duties and responsibilities

    • Organize volunteers for capture or pickup of wild injure raptor species.
    • Deal mostly with feeding and cleaning of songbird habitats, but occasionally help to handle raptor and mammal subjects.
    • Provide nursing care for temporary and permanent resident animals at accredit rehabilitation facility.
    • Aid in vaccinations, wind treatment, artificial insemination procedures, castrations, tagging and tattoos.
  5. Prepare your wildlife rehabilitator resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your wildlife rehabilitator resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a wildlife rehabilitator resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose from 10+ customizable wildlife rehabilitator resume templates

    Build a professional wildlife rehabilitator resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your wildlife rehabilitator resume.
    Wildlife Rehabilitator Resume
    Wildlife Rehabilitator Resume
    Wildlife Rehabilitator Resume
    Wildlife Rehabilitator Resume
    Wildlife Rehabilitator Resume
    Wildlife Rehabilitator Resume
    Wildlife Rehabilitator Resume
    Wildlife Rehabilitator Resume
    Wildlife Rehabilitator Resume
  6. Apply for wildlife rehabilitator jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a wildlife rehabilitator job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How did you land your first wildlife rehabilitator job

Zippi

Are you a wildlife rehabilitator?

Share your story for a free salary report.

Average wildlife rehabilitator salary

The average wildlife rehabilitator salary in the United States is $37,928 per year or $18 per hour. Wildlife rehabilitator salaries range between $26,000 and $53,000 per year.

Average wildlife rehabilitator salary
$37,928 Yearly
$18.23 hourly

What am I worth?

salary-calculator

How do wildlife rehabilitators rate their job?

Working as a wildlife rehabilitator? Share your experience anonymously.
Overall rating*
Career growth
Work/Life balance
Pay/Salary

Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

Browse personal care and attendants jobs