Animal scientists salary
| Measure | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $44,350 | $21.32 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $68,940 | $33.14 |
| Mean (average) | $88,350 | $42.48 |
| 90th percentile | $166,000 | $79.81 |
These wages describe everyone employed in the occupation, from new entrants to experienced workers. They are not starting salaries and not earnings of graduates from any particular program. Verified data
Animal scientists pay by state and metro area
Table: median wage and employment for all 18 states and territories
| State | Median | 10th pct | 90th pct | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arkansas | Data unavailable | 60 | 2.5 | ||
| California | Data unavailable | 140 | 0.37 | ||
| Georgia | Data unavailable | 60 | 0.6 | ||
| Illinois | $47,930 | $39,630 | $66,510 | ||
| Iowa | $75,290 | $50,580 | $186,390 | 60 | 2.04 |
| Kansas | $80,090 | $59,370 | $126,760 | ||
| Kentucky | Data unavailable | 30 | 0.84 | ||
| Maryland | $77,750 | $59,950 | $147,580 | 190 | 3.48 |
| Michigan | $60,010 | $47,080 | $87,330 | 80 | 0.9 |
| Minnesota | $88,640 | $63,520 | $202,910 | 100 | 1.7 |
| Nebraska | $55,300 | $48,150 | $118,980 | 210 | 10.49 |
| North Dakota | $72,100 | $51,320 | $153,500 | 40 | 5.04 |
| Ohio | Data unavailable | 90 | 0.81 | ||
| Pennsylvania | $77,660 | $59,010 | $167,260 | 90 | 0.72 |
| South Dakota | $77,300 | $50,660 | $101,990 | 90 | 9.69 |
| Texas | $132,830 | $44,490 | $211,650 | 40 | 0.13 |
| Washington | $83,160 | $63,730 | $112,450 | 40 | 0.5 |
| Wisconsin | $84,310 | $57,400 | $153,570 | 280 | 4.75 |
A location quotient above 1 means the occupation is more concentrated in that state than in the nation overall.
Metro areas with the most jobs
Highest paying metro areas
Job outlook for animal scientists
- Average annual openings, 2025 to 2035: 200. Openings include new jobs plus replacement needs when workers retire or leave the occupation. Official projection
- Share of workers who are self-employed (2025): 4.6%.
- Read the official BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile.
These are official BLS projections. ConnectPrep does not alter them or present its own forecasts as official statistics.
Education and training for animal scientists
- Typical entry education
- Bachelor's degree
- Related work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- None
- O*NET Job Zone
- Job Zone Five: Extensive Preparation Needed
Highest education of people working in this occupation
O*NET describes this preparation level as: Most of these occupations require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree).
Degrees and programs that lead to this career
Programs officially mapped to this occupation in the NCES and BLS CIP to SOC crosswalk. A mapping means the program commonly prepares students for the occupation, not that every graduate works in it. Official crosswalk
- Agriculture, General CIP 01.0000
- Apiculture CIP 01.0310
- Animal Sciences, General CIP 01.0901
- Agricultural Animal Breeding CIP 01.0902
- Animal Health CIP 01.0903
- Animal Nutrition CIP 01.0904
- Dairy Science CIP 01.0905
- Poultry Science CIP 01.0907
- Animal Sciences, Other CIP 01.0999
- Range Science and Management CIP 01.1106
- Large Animal/Food Animal and Equine Surgery and Medicine CIP 01.8103
- Veterinary Anatomy CIP 01.8105
- Veterinary Infectious Diseases CIP 01.8106
- Veterinary Microbiology and Immunobiology CIP 01.8107
- Veterinary Pathology and Pathobiology CIP 01.8108
- Veterinary Physiology CIP 01.8109
- Veterinary Preventive Medicine, Epidemiology, and Public Health CIP 01.8110
- Veterinary Toxicology and Pharmacology CIP 01.8111
- Veterinary Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Other CIP 01.8199
- Anthrozoology CIP 30.3401
Skills, knowledge, and daily work
Most important skills
Most important knowledge areas
Typical tasks
- Study nutritional requirements of animals and nutritive values of animal feed materials.
- Write up or orally communicate research findings to the scientific community, producers, and the public.
- Develop improved practices in feeding, housing, sanitation, or parasite and disease control of animals.
- Advise producers about improved products and techniques that could enhance their animal production efforts.
- Conduct research concerning animal nutrition, breeding, or management to improve products or processes.
- Study effects of management practices, processing methods, feed, or environmental conditions on quality and quantity of animal products, such as eggs and milk.
- Research and control animal selection and breeding practices to increase production efficiency and improve animal quality.
Technology skills
- Autodesk AutoCAD (hot technology)
- ESRI ArcGIS software (hot technology)
- Microsoft Access (hot technology)
- Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Microsoft Word (hot technology)
- Oracle PeopleSoft (hot technology)
- SAS (hot technology)
- Structured query language SQL (hot technology)
- Tableau (hot technology)
- Best Linear Unbiased Prediction BLUP
- COWGAME
- Cowculator
- DAGRIS
- Database software
Transferable skills for career changers: Complex Problem Solving, Judgment and Decision Making, Systems Analysis, Systems Evaluation, Time Management, Social Perceptiveness.
Common job titles: Animal Nutrition Consultant, Animal Nutritionist, Animal Scientist, Beef Cattle Nutritionist, Beef Cattle Specialist, Companion Animal Nutritionist, Dairy Nutrition Consultant, Dairy Research Nutritionist, Research Scientist, Scientist.
Is it worth it? Model the cost of getting there
Use the ROI calculator to compare the cost of the education this career usually requires against staying on your current path. It starts from the official wage distribution above, and you can change every assumption.
Frequently asked questions
How much do animal scientists make?
The national median annual wage for animal scientists was $68,940 in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program. The lowest paid 10 percent earned less than $44,350 and the highest paid 10 percent earned more than $166,000. These figures cover all workers in the occupation, not only new entrants.
What education do animal scientists need?
BLS lists bachelor's degree as the typical education needed to enter this occupation, with none of related work experience and none on-the-job training typically needed to become competent.
Is animal scientists a growing career?
BLS projects employment of animal scientists to change +5.8% from 2025 to 2035, compared with +3.5% for all occupations. About 200 openings are projected each year on average, including openings from workers who retire or change occupations.
Which states pay animal scientists the most?
By median annual wage in May 2025, the highest paying states were Texas ($132,830), Minnesota ($88,640), Wisconsin ($84,310). Pay differences partly reflect differences in living costs.