Animal Scientists: Job Description
Conduct research in the genetics, nutrition, reproduction, growth, and development of domestic farm animals.
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What Tasks Do Animal Scientists Take On?
Typical responsibilities of animal scientists include:
- Study nutritional requirements of animals and nutritive values of animal feed materials.
- Write up or orally communicate research findings to the scientific community, producers, and the public.
- Develop improved practices in feeding, housing, sanitation, or parasite and disease control of animals.
- Advise producers about improved products and techniques that could enhance their animal production efforts.
- Conduct research concerning animal nutrition, breeding, or management to improve products or processes.
- Study effects of management practices, processing methods, feed, or environmental conditions on quality and quantity of animal products, such as eggs and milk.
- Research and control animal selection and breeding practices to increase production efficiency and improve animal quality.
Skills and Knowledge
Top animal scientists draw on a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Top Skills
The competencies most important for this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Top Knowledge Areas
Types of Animal Scientists Jobs
Common job titles for this role include:
- Animal Anatomist
- Animal Behaviorist
- Animal Biologist
- Animal Geneticist
- Animal Nutrition Consultant
- Animal Nutritionist
- Animal Scientist
- Bacteriologist
Employment and Demand
There are roughly 78,475 animal scientists working in the United States today. Employment is projected to decline by -1.4% over the projection horizon.
How Much Do Animal Scientists Make?
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $93,823 |
| Hourly median | $45.11 |
| 10th percentile | $64,697 |
| 25th percentile | $79,260 |
| 75th percentile | $108,386 |
| 90th percentile | $122,949 |
Pay can vary substantially based on experience, location, and industry.
Animal Scientists Salary by State
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| Minnesota | $138,030 |
| Missouri | $119,110 |
| Georgia | $114,560 |
| Iowa | $95,680 |
| New York | $87,390 |
| Texas | $84,010 |
| Wisconsin | $79,750 |
| Washington | $78,660 |
| Pennsylvania | $77,130 |
| Maryland | $73,560 |
| Ohio | $61,650 |
| Illinois | $60,590 |
| Florida | $57,810 |
| South Dakota | $56,400 |
| Michigan | $51,290 |
| Nebraska | $51,270 |
Top-Paying U.S. Regions
Compensation for animal scientists vary by region. These regions lead on median pay:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Southeast | $91,860 | 6.7% | 0.55 |
| Southwest | $84,010 | 4.0% | 0.26 |
| Far Western US | $78,660 | 2.7% | 0.68 |
| Plains States | $76,029 | 30.7% | 8.25 |
| Middle Atlantic | $74,667 | 19.3% | 3.45 |
| Great Lakes | $66,650 | 36.7% | 2.93 |
Highest-Paying Metro Areas for Animal Scientists
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR | AR | $218,610 | |
| Madison, WI | WI | $81,330 | 190 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | DC | $78,800 | 150 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | PA | $76,560 | 80 |
| Lincoln, NE | NE | $62,380 | 60 |
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | MD | $60,290 | 50 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | IL | $59,900 | 40 |
| Omaha, NE-IA | NE | $54,260 |
Top Industries Employing Animal Scientists
The largest employers of animal scientists are concentrated in the following sectors:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 810 | $79,250 |
| Educational Services | 640 | $65,190 |
| Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 290 | $64,940 |
| Manufacturing | 250 | $119,640 |
| Wholesale Trade | 150 | $138,030 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | 70 | $124,940 |
| Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation | 60 | $49,350 |
| Other Services (except Public Administration) | 50 | $82,090 |
The table below shows some of the most common industries where those employed in this career field work.
Tech Stack
- Computer aided design CAD software: Autodesk AutoCAD (hot technology)
- Geographic information system: ESRI ArcGIS software (hot technology)
- Data base user interface and query software: Microsoft Access (hot technology)
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Presentation software: Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Word processing software: Microsoft Word (hot technology)
- Enterprise resource planning ERP software: Oracle PeopleSoft (hot technology)
- Analytical or scientific software: SAS (hot technology)
- Data base user interface and query software: Structured query language SQL (hot technology)
- Business intelligence and data analysis software: Tableau (hot technology)
The Day-to-Day Environment
The on-the-job environment of animal scientists tends to involve the following characteristics:
- Telephone Conversations
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Determine Tasks, Priorities and Goals
- Freedom to Make Decisions
Education and Training
The role falls in Extensive Preparation Needed (Job Zone 5), indicating the level of preparation typically expected.
Related Careers
Similar Occupations
- Farmers, Ranchers, and Other Agricultural Managers (Primary-Short)
- Food Scientists and Technologists (Primary-Short)
- Soil and Plant Scientists (Primary-Short)
- Biochemists and Biophysicists (Primary-Long)
- Microbiologists (Primary-Short)
- Zoologists and Wildlife Biologists (Primary-Long)
- Geneticists (Primary-Long)
- Biologists (Primary-Long)
Where to Study
Future animal scientists typically earn programs in:
Agriculture, Agriculture Operations, and Related Sciences
19 programs across 5 majors
- Animal Science
- General Agriculture
- Veterinary Biomedical and Clinical Sciences
- Plant Sciences
- Agricultural Production
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies
1 programs across 1 majors
Sources
Statistics shown above are sourced from the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 19-1011.00 (Animal Scientists).
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