The average salary for an animal scientist in the United States is around $68,940 per year.
Avg Salary
Animal scientists earn an average yearly salary of $68,940.
Wages typically start from $44,350 and go up to $166,000.
28% above national average Updated in 2025
Animal scientist earnings by seniority
Top-level animal scientist earnings begin at:
$79.81 per hour
$166,000 per year
Senior-level animal scientist earnings begin at:
$49.67 per hour
$103,300 per year
Mid-level animal scientist earnings begin at:
$33.14 per hour
$68,940 per year
Junior-level animal scientist earnings begin at:
$23.93 per hour
$49,770 per year
Starting level animal scientist earnings begin at:
$21.32 per hour
$44,350 per year
Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.
Animal scientist salary by state
| State Name | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Minnesota | $88,640 |
| Wisconsin | $84,310 |
| Washington | $83,160 |
| Kansas | $80,090 |
| Kentucky | $78,780 |
| Maryland | $77,750 |
| Pennsylvania | $77,660 |
| South Dakota | $77,300 |
| Indiana | $77,030 |
| Iowa | $75,290 |
| North Carolina | $72,390 |
| North Dakota | $72,100 |
| Ohio | $68,530 |
| Michigan | $60,010 |
| Missouri | $59,820 |
| Florida | $59,000 |
| Colorado | $58,880 |
| Georgia | $57,570 |
| Massachusetts | $55,430 |
| Nebraska | $55,300 |
| Tennessee | $50,090 |
| Louisiana | $48,030 |
| Illinois | $47,930 |
| Oklahoma | $21,160 |
| California | $192,120 |
| Texas | $132,830 |
| New Jersey | $103,120 |
| New York | $101,560 |
How do animal scientist salaries compare to similar careers?
Animal scientists earn about the same as related careers in the United States. On average, they make less than aquacultural managers but more than forensic science technicians.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Aquacultural manager salary | $90K |
| Epidemiologist salary | $87K |
| Microbiologist salary | $88K |
| Food science technologist salary | $89K |
| Industrial ecologist salary | $82K |
| Animal scientist salary | $69K |
| Soil and plant scientist salary | $79K |
| Zoologist salary | $77K |
| Geodesist salary | $75K |
| Forensic science technician salary | $72K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)