The average salary for a zoologist in California is around $98,530 per year.
Avg Salary
Zoologists earn an average yearly salary of $98,530.
Wages typically start from $58,380 and go up to $177,760.
37% above national average Updated in 2025
Zoologist earnings by seniority
90th percentile
Top-level zoologist earnings begin at:
$85.46 per hour
$177,760 per year
75th percentile
Senior-level zoologist earnings begin at:
$80.85 per hour
$168,170 per year
50th percentile
Mid-level zoologist earnings begin at:
$47.37 per hour
$98,530 per year
25th percentile
Junior-level zoologist earnings begin at:
$36.18 per hour
$75,250 per year
10th percentile
Starting level zoologist earnings begin at:
$28.07 per hour
$58,380 per year
Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.
Zoologist salary by state
| State Name | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| California | $98,530 |
| Alaska | $90,370 |
| Mississippi | $88,710 |
| Louisiana | $87,460 |
| Oregon | $85,150 |
| Hawaii | $84,910 |
| Massachusetts | $84,350 |
| Washington | $83,780 |
| Colorado | $83,300 |
| New Jersey | $83,030 |
| Iowa | $83,000 |
| New York | $82,640 |
| North Dakota | $81,330 |
| Illinois | $79,780 |
| Vermont | $79,620 |
| Michigan | $79,150 |
| Montana | $78,850 |
| Pennsylvania | $78,540 |
| Connecticut | $77,300 |
| Missouri | $76,400 |
| Nevada | $75,180 |
| Ohio | $74,550 |
| Maine | $74,490 |
| Alabama | $74,290 |
| Wyoming | $74,150 |
| Utah | $73,920 |
| Tennessee | $73,570 |
| New Hampshire | $73,560 |
| Idaho | $73,360 |
| Virginia | $72,340 |
| Minnesota | $68,620 |
| Wisconsin | $68,370 |
| New Mexico | $68,220 |
| Arizona | $66,880 |
| Kansas | $66,440 |
| Georgia | $66,210 |
| South Dakota | $65,890 |
| North Carolina | $64,620 |
| South Carolina | $64,090 |
| Oklahoma | $62,730 |
| Rhode Island | $62,280 |
| Kentucky | $61,950 |
| Arkansas | $60,550 |
| Nebraska | $57,890 |
| Indiana | $54,670 |
| Florida | $52,750 |
| Texas | $49,100 |
| West Virginia | $38,760 |
| Puerto Rico | $37,350 |
| Maryland | $107,500 |
| District of Columbia | $107,050 |
How do zoologist salaries compare to similar careers?
Zoologists earn about the same as related careers in California. On average, they make less than aquacultural managers but more than soil and plant scientists.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Aquacultural manager salary | $109K |
| Epidemiologist salary | $111K |
| Microbiologist salary | $109K |
| Geographer salary | $114K |
| Industrial ecologist salary | $107K |
| Zoologist salary | $99K |
| Geodesist salary | $105K |
| Geologist salary | $106K |
| Forensic science technician salary | $102K |
| Soil and plant scientist salary | $92K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)