Occupation overview

Animal Scientists Salary in the United States

The median annual wage for animal scientists is $68,940, or $33.14 per hour. About 3,100 people work in this occupation nationwide. Wages vary substantially by state — from $132,830 in Texas to $47,930 in Illinois.

Median annual
$68,940
Median hourly
$33.14
Entry level (P10)
$44,350
Top 10% (P90)
$166,000
Employment
3,100
States covered
13

Wage distribution nationwide

Earnings spread across all U.S. workers in this occupation.

10th percentile90th percentile
$44,350
$49,770
$68,940
$103,300
$44,350$68,940$166,000
Annual wage distribution. Highlighted segment contains the median of $68,940.

Salary by state

All 13 states with published data, ranked by median annual wage.

#StateMedian annual Median hourlyEmployment Location quotient
1Texas$132,830$63.86400.13
2Minnesota$88,640$42.621001.70
3Wisconsin$84,310$40.542804.75
4Washington$83,160$39.98400.50
5Kansas$80,090$38.50——
6Maryland$77,750$37.381903.48
7Pennsylvania$77,660$37.34900.72
8South Dakota$77,300$37.16909.69
9Iowa$75,290$36.20602.04
10North Dakota$72,100$34.66405.04
11Michigan$60,010$28.85800.90
12Nebraska$55,300$26.5921010.49
13Illinois$47,930$23.05——

Related occupations

Same job family, ranked by national employment.

Frequently asked questions

How much do animal scientists make?

The median annual wage for animal scientists in the United States is $68,940, or $33.14 per hour. Entry-level workers (10th percentile) earn $44,350, and the top 10% earn $166,000.

How many animal scientists are employed in the U.S.?

About 3,100 people work as animal scientists nationwide.

Which state pays animal scientists the most?

Texas pays the most at a median of $132,830, followed by Minnesota ($88,640) and Wisconsin ($84,310).

Which state pays animal scientists the least?

Illinois has the lowest median at $47,930.

Where are animal scientists jobs most concentrated?

The location quotient measures employment concentration relative to the national average. The highest is Nebraska at 10.49×.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025. Retrieved 2026-10-26. bls.gov/oes