Zoology / Animal Biology degree: salary, jobs & colleges
Bachelor's graduates in zoology / animal biology earn a median $44,201 four years after finishing, across 52 U.S. colleges. At ages 25-34, people whose degree is in zoology earn $42,771, $19,278 less than all bachelor's holders. The most common job is animal caretakers (8%).
Median across 52 colleges; middle half $41,343–$54,030.
College Scorecard field of study (graduates who received federal aid)
Middle half $27,930–$60,915. 396 survey respondents.
Census ACS 2020-2024 microdata; field "Zoology"; EducationGuide calculation
- All bachelor's, 25-34$62,049
- High school, 25-34$35,638
- This degree vs high school+$7,133/yr
Census ACS 2020-2024 microdata, workers not in school
Median across colleges reporting.
College Scorecard field of study
Jobs zoology / animal biology graduates hold
What employed 25-34-year-olds whose bachelor's is in zoology actually do, with U.S. wages and the outlook for each job. The first column comes from the Census survey; wages and growth from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
| Job | Share of graduates | U.S. median wage | Jobs growth 2025-35 | Typical entry | Interests |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Animal Caretakers | 8% | $35,360 | +12.1% | High school diploma or equivalent | RSC |
| Veterinary Technologists And Technicians | 7% | $47,380 | +9.4% | Associate's degree | RIC |
| Veterinary Assistants And Laboratory Animal Caretakers | 4% | $38,150 | +9.1% | High school diploma or equivalent | RIC |
| Clinical Laboratory Technologists And Technicians | 3% | $62,930 | +2.7% | Bachelor's degree | — |
| Other Life, Physical, And Social Science Technicians | 3% | — | — | — | — |
| Biological Scientists | 3% | $99,760 | +6.7% | — | — |
| Other Managers | 2% | — | — | — | — |
| Waiters And Waitresses | 2% | $35,230 | +2.0% | No formal educational credential | CSR |
These 8 jobs account for 32% of employed graduates: people with this degree spread across many kinds of work.
Census ACS 2020-2024 microdata (ages 25-34, bachelor's as highest degree, employed); BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025; BLS Employment Projections 2025-35; O*NET 31.0 interest codes (R realistic, I investigative, A artistic, S social, E enterprising, C conventional).
Zoology / Animal Biology earnings by state
Two views of pay: recent graduates of the state's colleges four years out (College Scorecard), and everyone ages 25-34 living in the state with this field of degree (Census). States show a figure only with at least 3 colleges or 100 survey respondents.
| State | Graduates, 4 yrs (colleges) | Ages 25-34 (respondents) |
|---|---|---|
| California | $45,722 (3) | — |
| Connecticut | $69,471 (5) | — |
| Maine | $39,302 (3) | — |
| New York | $40,755 (3) | — |
| Ohio | $55,352 (9) | — |
| Texas | $43,943 (3) | — |
College Scorecard field of study (median of each college's graduates); Census ACS 2020-2024 microdata; EducationGuide calculations.
Colleges where zoology / animal biology graduates earn the most
In the states we cover so far (Florida, Virginia, California): 3 in Florida, 1 in Virginia, 9 in California offer this major. Open a college to see cost to finish and payback for your income.
| # | College | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of California-Santa BarbaraCA | $53,727 | — |
| 2 | San Francisco State UniversityCA | $45,722 | $11,000 |
| 3 | University of FloridaFL | $41,961 | $20,625 |
| 4 | Liberty UniversityVA | $41,103 | $24,393 |
| 5 | California State Polytechnic University-HumboldtCA | $38,495 | $20,690 |
College Scorecard field of study. Colleges meeting our core-data standard; online campuses left out.
Related degrees
Zoology / Animal Biology degree questions
How much do Zoology / Animal Biology graduates make?
Zoology / Animal Biology graduates earn a median $44,201 four years after finishing, across 52 U.S. colleges that report it (the middle half of colleges: $41,343 to $54,030; College Scorecard, graduates who received federal aid). Among all workers ages 25-34 whose bachelor's degree is in zoology, the median is $42,771 (Census ACS 2020-2024).
Is a Zoology / Animal Biology degree worth it?
At ages 25-34, people with a bachelor's in zoology earn a median $42,771: $19,278 less than all bachelor's degree holders ($62,049) and $7,133 more than high school graduates ($35,638). EducationGuide calculation from Census ACS 2020-2024 microdata, workers not in school.
What jobs do Zoology / Animal Biology graduates get?
Among employed 25-34-year-olds whose bachelor's is in zoology, the most common jobs are animal caretakers (8%), veterinary technologists and technicians (7%), veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers (4%). Animal Caretakers earn a U.S. median $35,360.
Sources: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard; U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey microdata; Bureau of Labor Statistics; O*NET 31.0 (U.S. Department of Labor, CC BY 4.0). Method
Data: JSON · Markdown · all degrees
Cite this: “Zoology / Animal Biology degree: salary, jobs and colleges,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/degrees/zoology-animal-biology.