Animal Scientists
Animal Scientists (SOC 19-1011) earn a median $68,940 a year ($33.14 an hour) in the United States, with 3,100 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is Texas.
What animal scientists do
Animal scientists study the genetics, nutrition, reproduction, growth, and development of domestic farm animals. Their research aims to make animal production more efficient and animals healthier. Typical tasks include studying the nutritional needs of animals and the feeding value of different feed materials, developing better practices for feeding, housing, sanitation, and control of parasites and disease, and advising producers on new products and techniques that could improve the quality or yield of what they raise. Animal scientists write up or present their findings to the scientific community, producers, and the public. The occupation is different from veterinarians, who diagnose and treat individual animals, from zoologists and wildlife biologists, who study wild species, and from agricultural workers, who tend animals rather than research them. They also study how management practices, processing methods, feed, and environmental conditions affect product quality, and they work on animal selection and breeding practices to raise production efficiency.
Typical entry: According to O*NET, the most commonly reported education level is a doctoral degree.
Also called: Animal Scientist, Animal Geneticist, Animal Nutrition Consultant, Animal Biologist, Animal Behaviorist.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $21.32 | $23.93 | $33.14 | $49.67 | $79.81 | $42.48 | 3,100 |
| Annual | $44,350 | $49,770 | $68,940 | $103,300 | $166,000 | $88,350 | ||
Employment per 1,000 jobs and the location quotient are area measures; they appear in the state and metro tables below. To see what a wage in this range leaves after tax, use FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Where animal scientists earn and work most
Five highest-paying states
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Texas | Hourly | $21.39 | $36.59 | $63.86 | $87.78 | $101.76 | $62.48 | 40 | 0.00 | 0.13 |
| Annual | $44,490 | $76,110 | $132,830 | $182,590 | $211,650 | $129,960 | ||||
| Minnesota | Hourly | $30.54 | $36.79 | $42.62 | $69.04 | $97.55 | $54.99 | 100 | 0.03 | 1.70 |
| Annual | $63,520 | $76,530 | $88,640 | $143,610 | $202,910 | $114,380 | ||||
| Wisconsin | Hourly | $27.60 | $33.73 | $40.54 | $48.22 | $73.83 | $44.90 | 280 | 0.10 | 4.75 |
| Annual | $57,400 | $70,150 | $84,310 | $100,300 | $153,570 | $93,390 | ||||
| Washington | Hourly | $30.64 | $30.64 | $39.98 | $45.78 | $54.06 | $41.56 | 40 | 0.01 | 0.50 |
| Annual | $63,730 | $63,730 | $83,160 | $95,220 | $112,450 | $86,440 | ||||
| Kansas | Hourly | $28.54 | $30.38 | $38.50 | $53.94 | $60.94 | $42.61 | ** | ** | ** |
| Annual | $59,370 | $63,200 | $80,090 | $112,190 | $126,760 | $88,630 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Wisconsin | Hourly | $27.60 | $33.73 | $40.54 | $48.22 | $73.83 | $44.90 | 280 | 0.10 | 4.75 |
| Annual | $57,400 | $70,150 | $84,310 | $100,300 | $153,570 | $93,390 | ||||
| Nebraska | Hourly | $23.15 | $23.43 | $26.59 | $47.51 | $57.20 | $34.27 | 210 | 0.21 | 10.49 |
| Annual | $48,150 | $48,730 | $55,300 | $98,820 | $118,980 | $71,280 | ||||
| Maryland | Hourly | $28.82 | $30.94 | $37.38 | $52.87 | $70.95 | $44.03 | 190 | 0.07 | 3.48 |
| Annual | $59,950 | $64,350 | $77,750 | $109,970 | $147,580 | $91,580 | ||||
| California | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 140 | 0.01 | 0.37 |
| Annual | * | * | * | * | * | * | ||||
| Minnesota | Hourly | $30.54 | $36.79 | $42.62 | $69.04 | $97.55 | $54.99 | 100 | 0.03 | 1.70 |
| Annual | $63,520 | $76,530 | $88,640 | $143,610 | $202,910 | $114,380 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR | Hourly | $90.00 | $106.68 | $115.56 | $115.56 | $115.56 | $108.31 | 40 | 0.13 | 6.53 |
| Annual | $187,190 | $221,880 | $240,370 | $240,370 | $240,370 | $225,270 | ||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | $35.07 | $38.98 | $49.30 | $54.57 | $62.94 | $49.65 | ** | ** | ** |
| Annual | $72,940 | $81,070 | $102,540 | $113,500 | $130,910 | $103,270 | ||||
| Madison, WI | Hourly | $27.60 | $33.73 | $40.54 | $48.22 | $81.95 | $46.13 | 220 | 0.54 | 27.22 |
| Annual | $57,400 | $70,150 | $84,310 | $100,300 | $170,450 | $95,940 | ||||
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | Hourly | $30.94 | $31.20 | $39.81 | $52.87 | $73.81 | $46.18 | 160 | 0.05 | 2.56 |
| Annual | $64,350 | $64,890 | $82,810 | $109,970 | $153,520 | $96,050 | ||||
| Lincoln, NE | Hourly | $23.93 | $25.44 | $38.18 | $48.08 | $57.20 | $39.07 | 100 | 0.53 | 26.44 |
| Annual | $49,770 | $52,920 | $79,410 | $100,010 | $118,980 | $81,260 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Madison, WI | Hourly | $27.60 | $33.73 | $40.54 | $48.22 | $81.95 | $46.13 | 220 | 0.54 | 27.22 |
| Annual | $57,400 | $70,150 | $84,310 | $100,300 | $170,450 | $95,940 | ||||
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | Hourly | $30.94 | $31.20 | $39.81 | $52.87 | $73.81 | $46.18 | 160 | 0.05 | 2.56 |
| Annual | $64,350 | $64,890 | $82,810 | $109,970 | $153,520 | $96,050 | ||||
| Lincoln, NE | Hourly | $23.93 | $25.44 | $38.18 | $48.08 | $57.20 | $39.07 | 100 | 0.53 | 26.44 |
| Annual | $49,770 | $52,920 | $79,410 | $100,010 | $118,980 | $81,260 | ||||
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | Hourly | $26.49 | $31.58 | $37.44 | $39.31 | $49.35 | $39.73 | 60 | 0.02 | 1.06 |
| Annual | $55,100 | $65,680 | $77,880 | $81,760 | $102,650 | $82,630 | ||||
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | Hourly | $26.66 | $28.76 | $30.64 | $37.01 | $54.96 | $36.18 | 40 | 0.03 | 1.60 |
| Annual | $55,460 | $59,820 | $63,740 | $76,980 | $114,310 | $75,250 | ||||
Top industries employing animal scientists
Scientific Research and Development Services employ 19.4% of animal scientists nationally (600 jobs) at a median $77,960 a year ($37.48 an hour), followed by Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (18.1%) and Support Activities for Animal Production (7.1%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scientific Research and Development Services NAICS 541700 | 600 | 19.4% | $77,960 | $37.48 |
| Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools NAICS 611300 | 560 | 18.1% | $67,040 | $32.23 |
| Support Activities for Animal Production NAICS 115200 | 220 | 7.1% | $64,610 | $31.06 |
| Animal Food Manufacturing NAICS 311100 | 170 | 5.5% | $124,850 | $60.03 |
| Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods (4241, 4247, and 4249 only) NAICS 4240A3 | 150 | 4.8% | $106,660 | $51.28 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (3,100). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $65,090 for animal scientists in May 2021 and $68,940 in May 2025, with employment of 2,790 and 3,100.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $65,090 | $31.29 | 2,790 |
| May 2022 | $69,390 | $33.36 | 2,520 |
| May 2023 | $70,140 | $33.72 | 2,460 |
| May 2024 | $79,120 | $38.04 | 2,470 |
| May 2025 | $68,940 | $33.14 | 3,100 |
BLS does not design OEWS as a time series: each release pools three years of samples, and occupational classifications, area definitions and estimation methods change between releases, so a difference between two releases is not a measure of change over time. The figures are shown as published, side by side, and nothing is computed from them. See how often OEWS is updated.
Every state, by median wage
18 states and DC publish a row for this occupation. A linked state has its own page with the within-state metro table and comparison; the others appear here only.
| Rank | State | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Texas profile | $63.86 | $132,830 | $44,490 | $211,650 | 40 | 0.00 | 0.13 |
| 2 | Minnesota profile | $42.62 | $88,640 | $63,520 | $202,910 | 100 | 0.03 | 1.70 |
| 3 | Wisconsin profile | $40.54 | $84,310 | $57,400 | $153,570 | 280 | 0.10 | 4.75 |
| 4 | Washington profile | $39.98 | $83,160 | $63,730 | $112,450 | 40 | 0.01 | 0.50 |
| 5 | Kansas profile | $38.50 | $80,090 | $59,370 | $126,760 | ** | ** | ** |
| 6 | Maryland profile | $37.38 | $77,750 | $59,950 | $147,580 | 190 | 0.07 | 3.48 |
| 7 | Pennsylvania profile | $37.34 | $77,660 | $59,010 | $167,260 | 90 | 0.01 | 0.72 |
| 8 | South Dakota profile | $37.16 | $77,300 | $50,660 | $101,990 | 90 | 0.19 | 9.69 |
| 9 | Iowa profile | $36.20 | $75,290 | $50,580 | $186,390 | 60 | 0.04 | 2.04 |
| 10 | North Dakota profile | $34.66 | $72,100 | $51,320 | $153,500 | 40 | 0.10 | 5.04 |
| 11 | Michigan profile | $28.85 | $60,010 | $47,080 | $87,330 | 80 | 0.02 | 0.90 |
| 12 | Nebraska profile | $26.59 | $55,300 | $48,150 | $118,980 | 210 | 0.21 | 10.49 |
| 13 | Illinois profile | $23.05 | $47,930 | $39,630 | $66,510 | ** | ** | ** |
| – | Arkansas profile | * | * | * | * | 60 | 0.05 | 2.50 |
| – | California profile | * | * | * | * | 140 | 0.01 | 0.37 |
| – | Georgia profile | * | * | * | * | 60 | 0.01 | 0.60 |
| – | Kentucky profile | * | * | * | * | 30 | 0.02 | 0.84 |
| – | Ohio profile | * | * | * | * | 90 | 0.02 | 0.81 |
Related occupations
Occupations in the same SOC broad group (19-1010), with their national median annual wage.
Part of Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations. Compare any area in the wage explorer.
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS 19-1011 Animal Scientists.
*- Wage estimate not available.
**- Employment estimate not available.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.
- Top industries: nat4d_M2025_dl.xlsx in oesm25in4.zip (BLS OEWS May 2025, national, 4-digit NAICS, cross-ownership). Employment is the industry's rounded total for this occupation; industries whose employment BLS withheld (**) are not ranked.
- Published medians: national_M2021_dl.xlsx to national_M2024_dl.xlsx in oesm21nat.zip to oesm24nat.zip (BLS OEWS May 2021 to May 2024, national, cross-industry, all ownerships) and the May 2025 spine. Each release is shown as published; nothing is computed between them.
Sources
- BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018, definition of 19-1011, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 19-1011.00, National Center for O*NET Development, USDOL/ETA (CC BY 4.0).
- OEWS May 2025 national industry-specific estimates, 4-digit NAICS (oesm25in4.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2021 national estimates (oesm21nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2022 national estimates (oesm22nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2023 national estimates (oesm23nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2024 national estimates (oesm24nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2025 national estimates (oesm25nat.zip), the site's data spine, US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
Includes information from O*NET 30.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Description written 2026-10-17 in our own words from the sources above.