The median annual wage of zoologists and wildlife biologists was $57,430 in May 2010. The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $35,660, and the top 10 percent earned more than $93,450.
Median annual wages in the industries employing the largest numbers of zoologists and wildlife biologists in May 2010 were:
| Federal government, excluding postal service | $71,110 |
| Research and development in the physical, engineering, and life sciences | 63,740 |
| State government, excluding education and hospitals | 52,360 |
| Management, scientific, and technical consulting services | 50,040 |
Most zoologists and wildlife biologists work full time. They may work long or irregular hours when doing fieldwork.
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2012-13 Edition