Earnings

• The average earnings for zoologists in the United States were $61,660 a year as of 2010, reports the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Wages started at less than $35,660 in the 10th percentile and exceeded $93,450 in the 90th percentile. The median income for zoologists was $57,430 annually.
  
  

Industry

• Zoologists working for state governments earned an average of $53,100 a year and those working for local governments earned an average of $58,710 as of 2010, reports the bureau. Wages were highest for zoologists working for the federal executive branch at an average of $77,030 a year. Zoologists providing scientific consulting services earned an average of $55,130 a year, and those working in scientific research and development earned an average of $72,410. Museums, historical sites and similar institutions also employed zoologists for average earnings of $49,130 annually.
  
  

Location

• The bureau names the District of Columbia as the top paying state for zoologists, with a salary average of $106,540, followed by Maryland with an average of $97,370 and Massachusetts with an average of $88,550. The highest paying urban area in the United States for zoologists was Barnstable Town, Massachusetts, with a salary average of $115,160 as of 2010, while the highest paying rural area was northern Vermont with an average of $74,310 a year.
  
  

Requirements

• Requirements for zoologists depend on the type of work they wish to do. Zoologists interested in teaching zoology in secondary schools may find work with a bachelor’s degree, while those interested in applied research, product development or inspection may find work with a bachelor’s or master’s degree. Those interested in conducting independent research in the field of zoology and/or advancing into administrative positions are typically required to obtain a Ph.D.