Zoologists and Wildlife Biologists

What Zoologists and Wildlife Biologists Do

Study the origins, behavior, diseases, genetics, and life processes of animals and wildlife. May specialize in wildlife research and management. May collect and analyze biological data to determine the environmental effects of present and potential use of land and water habitats.

Career Outlook

National employment outlook, 2024–2034.

Related work experience

None

On-the-job training

None

Self-employed

0.5%

Source: BLS Employment Projections — 2024-2034.

Key Knowledge Areas

Subject-matter areas this occupation draws on most, per O*NET.

• Biologyimportance 4.8/5
• English Languageimportance 3.8/5
• Customer and Personal Serviceimportance 3.7/5
• Mathematicsimportance 3.4/5
• Geographyimportance 3.4/5
• Law and Governmentimportance 3.3/5
• Administration and Managementimportance 3.3/5
• Communications and Mediaimportance 3.0/5

Work Environment

What the day-to-day work setting is like, per O*NET.

• E-Mail4.9/5
• Telephone Conversations4.6/5
• Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams4.5/5
• Contact With Others4.4/5
• Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team4.3/5
• Indoors, Environmentally Controlled4.3/5

Related Careers

• Biological Scientists, All Other
• Conservation Scientists
• Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health
• Fish and Game Wardens
• Soil and Plant Scientists
• Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers
• Animal Scientists
• Foresters

Careers With Similar Skills

Occupations whose Transferable Skills profile most closely matches this one — a mathematical comparison, not observed data about people actually moving between these careers.

• Conservation Scientists97% skill match
• Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers97% skill match
• Fire Inspectors and Investigators97% skill match
• Environmental Engineers96% skill match
• Health and Safety Engineers, Except Mining Safety Engineers and Inspectors96% skill match
• Animal Scientists96% skill match
• Compliance Officers96% skill match
• Residential Advisors95% skill match

Transferable Skills

Cross-functional skills this occupation draws on most, per O*NET — the kind that carry over to other careers.

• Complex Problem Solvingimportance 4.0/5
• Judgment and Decision Makingimportance 4.0/5
• Coordinationimportance 3.8/5
• Time Managementimportance 3.4/5
• Social Perceptivenessimportance 3.3/5
• Systems Analysisimportance 3.3/5
• Persuasionimportance 3.1/5
• Negotiationimportance 3.1/5

Software & Technologies

Tools and software used in this occupation, per O*NET.

Work Style

Personal work characteristics that matter most for this occupation, per O*NET.

• Intellectual Curiosity
• Dependability
• Attention to Detail
• Innovation
• Integrity
• Perseverance
• Achievement Orientation

Career Interests

This occupation’s RIASEC interest profile, per O*NET — how strongly it fits each of the six Holland interest types.

• InvestigativeHigh
• RealisticHigh
• ConventionalMedium
• SocialLow
• EnterprisingLow
• ArtisticLow

Where This Career Is Most Concentrated

Metro areas where zoologists and wildlife biologists make up the largest share of local employment, relative to the national average (BLS location quotient).

1. 1Fairbanks-College, AK22.94× national avg
2. 2Corvallis, OR18.16× national avg
3. 3Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA16.56× national avg
4. 4Barnstable Town, MA13.62× national avg
5. 5Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA13.02× national avg

Possible Career Moves

A computed starting point, not observed job-change data — see the full list for why each one might fit.

• Conservation ScientistsLateral Move
• Animal ScientistsLateral Move
• MicrobiologistsLateral Move
• Health and Safety Engineers, Except Mining Safety Engineers and InspectorsCareer Change

See the full career path from Zoologists and Wildlife Biologists →

Related Education Programs

Schools that offer related fields of study, based on the NCES CIP-SOC crosswalk — not a guarantee that graduates enter this specific career.