Animal Scientists (2026 stats)
TL;DR
The national workforce is about 2,470 animal scientists. Projections imply about 8.8% annual growth; much hiring sits in educational services.
Key Statistics
Animal Scientists: what the data shows
Common questions about animal scientists careers, answered from BLS OEWS and O*NET in this repository.
What is a animal scientists?
Animal Scientists is tracked by the Bureau of Labor Statistics under SOC 19-1011.
U.S. employment in our OEWS extract is about 2,470 workers.
What does a animal scientists do?
O*NET work activities rated highest for this occupation include Analyzing Data or Information, Working with Computers, Making Decisions and Solving Problems, Getting Information, Processing Information, Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others, and related tasks. See Work Activities for the full list.
How much does a animal scientists make?
BLS national median annual wage: $79,120 (May 2024 in our extract).
What education do you need?
For Animal Scientists, O*NET incumbent surveys in our extract most often report: Some college (29%), High School or Equivalent (27%), Bachelors Degree (22%).
These are education levels of current workers, not minimum legal requirements.
What skills do you need?
O*NET ratings for this occupation emphasize skills such as Reading Comprehension, Writing, Judgment and Decision Making, Complex Problem Solving, Critical Thinking, Science, and knowledge areas including Biology, Mathematics, English Language, Chemistry. See Education & Skills for detail.
Is animal scientists in demand?
Historical employment trend in our series implies about 8.8% annual growth (compound rate in the extract).
Five-year projected employment change: 52.3%.
Ten-year projected employment change: 132.1%.
Current U.S. headcount: 2,470.
We report federal series only—compare wages, growth, and openings against your target market.
Where do animal scientistss work?
Top industries by employment share in our OEWS industry extract:
| Industry | Employment | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Cross-industry | 2,470 | 17.9% |
| Cross-industry, Private Ownership only | 1,760 | 12.7% |
| Educational Services | 1,280 | 9.3% |
| Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools | 1,240 | 9.0% |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 810 | 5.9% |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 810 | 5.9% |
See Industry for charts.
What degrees lead to this career?
Common majors for Animal Scientists in O*NET:
See Related degrees.
What careers are related?
Other occupations linked through shared degree pathways in our mapping:
| Occupation | U.S. employment | Median wage |
|---|---|---|
| Biological Scientists, All Other | 59,710 | $93,330 |
| Soil and Plant Scientists | 16,600 | $71,410 |
| Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health | 84,930 | $80,060 |
| Conservation Scientists | 25,590 | $67,950 |
| Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers | 22,510 | $99,240 |
| Environmental Engineers | 37,950 | $104,170 |
| Agricultural Equipment Operators | 30,940 | $42,580 |
Employment
Employment and salary information for the Animal Scientists workforce.
Employment Over Time
2,470 Workforce in 2023
The Animal Scientists workforce has been growing over time.
Historical employment trends for Animal Scientists.
Yearly Wage Ranking
$N/A Average Wage
In 2023, Animal Scientists earned an average of $N/A.
Wage ranking compared to other occupations.
Wage Distribution
This chart shows the distribution of average salaries by income buckets for Animal Scientists.
Salary distribution for Animal Scientists.
Employment Growth Projections
8.8% Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR)
396 Projected Employment (5 years)
Projected growth: 52.3%
603 Projected Employment (10 years)
Projected growth: 132.1%
This occupation is projected to grow at 8.8% annually, indicating strong future demand.
Historical employment trends and future projections for Animal Scientists.
Industry
Information on the industries that employ Animal Scientists and on wages for those in the field.
Occupations by Industries
This graphic shows the share of Animal Scientists employed by various industries.
Industry distribution for Animal Scientists.
Wage Trends by Industry
Wage trend data by industry is not available for this occupation.
Historical wage growth trends by industry for Animal Scientists.
Geographic Distribution
Employment and wage information by geographic location for Animal Scientists.
State employment and wages are from the U.S. BLS OEWS May 2024 state extract. Metropolitan areas use the national MSA file when available.
Top States by Employment
Top States by Employment:
- WI: 230 employees, $89,280 avg wage
- MD: 200 employees, $83,800 avg wage
- NE: 190 employees, $63,560 avg wage
- IL: 160 employees, $67,660 avg wage
- IA: 130 employees, $109,980 avg wage
- MI: 120 employees, $56,130 avg wage
- PA: 90 employees, $92,710 avg wage
- SD: 80 employees, $64,060 avg wage
- GA: 60 employees, $110,060 avg wage
- MN: 60 employees, $130,410 avg wage
Top 10 states by employment for Animal Scientists.
Top Metropolitan Areas
Top Metropolitan Areas:
- Madison, WI: 190 employees, $91,740 avg wage
- Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV: 150 employees, $87,390 avg wage
- Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD: 80 employees, $76,690 avg wage
- Lincoln, NE: 60 employees, $64,520 avg wage
- Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD: 50 employees, $73,390 avg wage
- Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN: 40 employees, $72,030 avg wage
Top 10 metropolitan statistical areas by employment for Animal Scientists.
Diversity
Demographic information on Animal Scientists in the US.
Gender and Age
The workforce of Animal Scientists in 2023 was 2,470 people, with 62.0% women and 38.0% men.
Gender and age distribution for Animal Scientists.
Races
Racial and ethnic shares when present in the career dataset. If the chart area shows a notice instead, occupational race/ethnicity fields are not yet populated for this extract.
Race and ethnicity distribution for Animal Scientists.
Education & Skills
Data on higher education choices and required skills for Animal Scientists.
Majors
The most common majors achieved by Animal Scientists in 2023 were Business Administration, Biology, Chemistry.
Common majors for Animal Scientists.
Education Levels
The main educational levels achieved by Animal Scientists workers.
Education level distribution for Animal Scientists.
Skills
Animal Scientists need many skills, but most especially Reading Comprehension, Writing, Judgment and Decision Making, Complex Problem Solving, Critical Thinking.
Required skills for Animal Scientists.
Knowledge & Abilities
Knowledge areas and abilities required for Animal Scientists.
Knowledge Areas
The most important knowledge areas for Animal Scientists include Biology, Mathematics, English Language, Chemistry, Food Production.
Knowledge areas required for Animal Scientists.
Abilities
Key abilities needed for Animal Scientists include Written Expression, Inductive Reasoning, Written Comprehension, Deductive Reasoning, Speech Clarity.
Required abilities for Animal Scientists.
Work Activities
Common work activities performed by Animal Scientists.
Daily Activities
Animal Scientists spend their time on activities such as Analyzing Data or Information, Working with Computers, Making Decisions and Solving Problems, Getting Information, Processing Information.
Most important work activities for Animal Scientists.
About
Animal Scientists
The average yearly wage for Animal Scientists was $N/A in 2023.
SOC Code
19-1011 - Animal Scientists
Insights and Analysis
Labor market presence: The current workforce is approximately 2,470 workers, indicating sustained demand.
Forward outlook: Projected annual growth is 8.8%, which should inform long-term career planning.
Data Sources
This page uses data from the following sources:
- College Scorecard - U.S. Department of Education
- Institutional characteristics, costs, completion rates, and earnings data
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: collegescorecard.ed.gov
- Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)
- Employment and wage data by occupation
- Latest data: May 2024
- Source: bls.gov/oes
- O*NET Online - U.S. Department of Labor
- Occupational skills, knowledge, abilities, and work activities
- Database version: 28.0 (August 2023)
- Source: onetcenter.org
- IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) - National Center for Education Statistics
- Institutional data, completions, enrollment, and financial aid
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: nces.ed.gov/ipeds
- Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS)
- Demographic and workforce data
- Latest data: 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates
- Source: census.gov/acs
Data Processing: All data has been processed, cleaned, and aggregated for presentation. Where specific data points are unavailable, estimates are based on available data and clearly marked.
Last Updated: Data reflects the most recent available information as of January 2025.
Methodology
Data for this profile is sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS), and O*NET Online.
All wage figures represent annual averages and may vary by location, industry, and experience level.