Salary Range & Percentiles
Pay distribution across experience levels
- 10th Percentile — Entry Level$44,350
- 25th Percentile — Junior$49,770
- 50th Percentile — Median$68,940
- 75th Percentile — Senior$103,300
- 90th Percentile — Top Earners$166,000
The top 10% of Animal Scientists earn $166,000 or more per year. Entry-level professionals can expect to start around $44,350, with significant growth over the first 5 years.
Salary by State
Geographic salary comparison
| State | Avg Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|
| Hawaii (est.) | $136,942 | +55.0% |
| District of Columbia (est.) | $134,292 | +52.0% |
| Texas | $129,960 | +47.1% |
| California (est.) | $125,457 | +42.0% |
| New York (est.) | $121,923 | +38.0% |
| Alaska (est.) | $116,622 | +32.0% |
| Massachusetts (est.) | $114,855 | +30.0% |
| Minnesota | $114,380 | +29.5% |
| New Jersey (est.) | $113,088 | +28.0% |
| Connecticut (est.) | $107,787 | +22.0% |
| Rhode Island (est.) | $101,602 | +15.0% |
| Iowa | $100,940 | +14.3% |
| New Hampshire (est.) | $100,719 | +14.0% |
| Oregon (est.) | $98,952 | +12.0% |
| Colorado (est.) | $97,185 | +10.0% |
| Virginia (est.) | $97,185 | +10.0% |
| Vermont (est.) | $95,418 | +8.0% |
| Wisconsin | $93,390 | +5.7% |
| Delaware (est.) | $92,768 | +5.0% |
| Maryland | $91,580 | +3.7% |
| Pennsylvania | $90,580 | +2.5% |
| Maine (est.) | $90,117 | +2.0% |
| Nevada (est.) | $90,117 | +2.0% |
| Kansas | $88,630 | +0.3% |
| Utah (est.) | $88,350 | +0.0% |
| Arizona (est.) | $87,466 | -1.0% |
| Florida (est.) | $86,583 | -2.0% |
| Washington | $86,440 | -2.2% |
| Montana (est.) | $83,932 | -5.0% |
| North Dakota | $82,190 | -7.0% |
| Georgia (est.) | $82,166 | -7.0% |
| Idaho (est.) | $82,166 | -7.0% |
| Wyoming (est.) | $82,166 | -7.0% |
| North Carolina (est.) | $80,398 | -9.0% |
| South Dakota | $79,940 | -9.5% |
| Louisiana (est.) | $77,748 | -12.0% |
| New Mexico (est.) | $77,748 | -12.0% |
| Ohio (est.) | $77,748 | -12.0% |
| South Carolina (est.) | $77,748 | -12.0% |
| Tennessee (est.) | $77,748 | -12.0% |
| Alabama (est.) | $76,864 | -13.0% |
| Missouri (est.) | $76,864 | -13.0% |
| Indiana (est.) | $75,098 | -15.0% |
| Oklahoma (est.) | $74,214 | -16.0% |
| Arkansas (est.) | $73,330 | -17.0% |
| Kentucky (est.) | $73,330 | -17.0% |
| Nebraska | $71,280 | -19.3% |
| Mississippi (est.) | $70,680 | -20.0% |
| West Virginia (est.) | $68,913 | -22.0% |
| Michigan | $60,600 | -31.4% |
| Illinois | $50,640 | -42.7% |
What Factors Affect Animal Scientists Salary?
Key factors affecting compensation
Pay for Animal Scientists is influenced by geographic location, years of experience, employer type, and educational background. Location alone is a large factor: Texas pays an average of $129,960, while Illinois pays $50,640 — a gap of $79,320 per year.
The middle half of Animal Scientists earn between $49,770 and $103,300 per year. The lowest-paid 10% earn under $44,350, while the top 10% earn more than $166,000.
These figures are the wages employers report to BLS: base pay plus commissions, production bonuses and tips. They exclude overtime pay, shift differentials, year-end bonuses, benefits and self-employed workers, so total compensation can be higher than the numbers shown.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OES) · May 2025
Compare with Similar Jobs
Related career salary benchmarks
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- Conservation Scientists $77,130/yr United States 12.7% vs this role
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Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about this salary
What is the average salary for Animal Scientists?
The average salary for Animal Scientists in the United States is $88,350 per year, with a median of $68,940.
What is the starting salary for Animal Scientists?
Entry-level Animal Scientists typically earn between $44,350 and $49,770 per year depending on location and employer.
What state pays Animal Scientists the most?
Texas pays Animal Scientists the most at $129,960 per year on average, followed by Minnesota ($114,380) and Iowa ($100,940).
How much do Animal Scientists make per hour?
Based on the average annual salary of $88,350, Animal Scientists earn approximately $42.48 per hour (based on 2,080 working hours/year).
Is Animal Scientists a good career in 2026?
BLS counts 3,100 Animal Scientists jobs in the United States, with a mean annual wage of $88,350 and a median of $68,940 (OEWS May 2025). This site does not publish job-growth projections; the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook covers the outlook for each occupation.
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