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Zoo keeper education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a zoo keeper. Zoo keepers usually study biology, zoology, or psychology. 67% of zoo keepers hold a bachelor's degree, and 12% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 416 real zoo keeper resumes to see exactly what zoo keeper education sections show.
The most common colleges for zoo keepers are the Texas A&M; University and the Texas A&M; University.
There are also many online zoo keeper courses to help get the education required to be a zoo keeper.
What education do you need to become a zoo keeper?
What degree do you need to be a zoo keeper?
- Bachelor's, 67%
- Associate, 12%
- High School Diploma, 12%
- Diploma, 3%
- Other Degrees, 6%
What should I major in to become a zoo keeper?
- Biology, 31%
- Zoology, 14%
- Psychology, 10%
- Other Majors, 38%
Most common colleges for zoo keepers
| Zoo keeper common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Texas A&M University | 13.11% |
| Santa Fe College | 11.48% |
| University of Massachusetts Boston | 9.84% |
| University of California - Davis | 6.56% |
| Humboldt State University | 4.92% |
Best majors for zoo keepers
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Biology | 30.7% |
| 2 | Zoology | 14.0% |
| 3 | Psychology | 10.1% |
| 4 | Ecology, Population Biology, And Epidemiology | 6.7% |
| 5 | Animal Science | 6.7% |
Best colleges for zoo keepers
The best colleges for zoo keepers are Northwestern University, Cornell University, and Johns Hopkins University.
A zoo keeper with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for zoo keepers. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become zoo keepers.
1. Cornell University
Ithaca, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$55,188
Enrollment
15,105
2. Ohio State University
Columbus, OH • Private
In-state tuition
$10,726
Enrollment
45,769
3. Pennsylvania State University
University Park, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$18,454
Enrollment
40,108
4. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,381
Enrollment
34,564
5. University of Vermont
Burlington, VT • Private
In-state tuition
$18,276
Enrollment
10,612
6. University of Maryland - College Park
College Park, MD • Private
In-state tuition
$10,595
Enrollment
30,184
7. University of Connecticut
Storrs, CT • Private
In-state tuition
$15,730
Enrollment
18,830
8. University of New Hampshire
Durham, NH • Private
In-state tuition
$18,499
Enrollment
12,668
9. University of Minnesota - Twin Cities
Minneapolis, MN • Private
In-state tuition
$14,760
Enrollment
31,451
10. North Dakota State University
Fargo, ND • Private
In-state tuition
$9,414
Enrollment
11,182
20 best online courses for zoo keepers
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Top 10 most affordable universities for zoo keepers
The most affordable schools for zoo keepers are University of Florida, hunter college of the city university of new york, and california state university - bakersfield.
If the best universities for zoo keepers are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for zoo keepers.
1. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,381
Cost of attendance
21,034
2. Hunter College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,182
Cost of attendance
13,998
3. California State University - Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,309
Cost of attendance
16,714
4. Baruch College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,262
Cost of attendance
14,046
5. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
6. California State University - Fresno
Fresno, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,587
Cost of attendance
16,915
7. California State Polytechnic University, Pomona
Pomona, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,353
Cost of attendance
21,302
8. University of Puerto Rico - Mayaguez
Mayaguez, PR • Private
In-state tuition
$4,094
Cost of attendance
14,302
9. SUNY Farmingdale
Farmingdale, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$8,306
Cost of attendance
16,091
10. Purdue University
West Lafayette, IN • Private
In-state tuition
$9,992
Cost of attendance
22,430
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for zoo keepers
The hardest universities for zoo keepers to get into are Northwestern University, Cornell University, and Johns Hopkins University.
Some great schools for zoo keepers are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for zoo keepers based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.
1. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,508
2. Cornell University
Ithaca, NY • Private
Admissions rate
11%
SAT average
1,471
3. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
Admissions rate
11%
SAT average
1,513
4. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
Admissions rate
4%
SAT average
1,497
5. Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN • Private
Admissions rate
10%
SAT average
1,514
6. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
13%
SAT average
1,445
7. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
Admissions rate
5%
SAT average
1,520
8. New York University
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
20%
SAT average
1,419
9. Duke University
Durham, NC • Private
Admissions rate
9%
SAT average
1,516
10. Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
Admissions rate
17%
SAT average
1,507
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for zoo keepers
The easiest schools for zoo keepers to get into are AdventHealth University, barry university, and notre dame de namur university.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a zoo keeper without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for zoo keepers.
1. AdventHealth University
Orlando, FL • Private
Admissions rate
87%
SAT average
1,016
2. Barry University
Miami, FL • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,006
3. Notre Dame de Namur University
Belmont, CA • Private
Admissions rate
82%
SAT average
983
4. Notre Dame College
Cleveland, OH • Private
Admissions rate
90%
SAT average
994
5. University of the Incarnate Word
San Antonio, TX • Private
Admissions rate
88%
SAT average
1,044
6. Texas A&M University - Kingsville
Kingsville, TX • Private
Admissions rate
89%
SAT average
1,035
7. Cardinal Stritch University
Milwaukee, WI • Private
Admissions rate
71%
SAT average
1,035
8. Our Lady of the Lake University
San Antonio, TX • Private
Admissions rate
93%
SAT average
1,002
9. D'Youville College
Buffalo, NY • Private
Admissions rate
100%
SAT average
1,072
10. Centenary University
Hackettstown, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
67%
SAT average
987
Average zoo keeper salary by education level
| Zoo keeper education level | Zoo keeper salary |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or Less | $32,520 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $36,131 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $34,374 |
Zoo keeper education FAQs
Have more questions? See all answers to common personal care and attendants questions.
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025