Biologists: Career Overview
Research or study basic principles of plant and animal life, such as origin, relationship, development, anatomy, and functions.
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What Tasks Do Biologists Take On?
The day-to-day responsibilities of biologists span:
- Program and use computers to store, process, and analyze data.
- Prepare technical and research reports, such as environmental impact reports, and communicate the results to individuals in industry, government, or the general public.
- Supervise biological technicians and technologists and other scientists.
- Develop and maintain liaisons and effective working relations with groups and individuals, agencies, and the public to encourage cooperative management strategies or to develop information and interpret findings.
- Identify, classify, and study structure, behavior, ecology, physiology, nutrition, culture, and distribution of plant and animal species.
- Study basic principles of plant and animal life, such as origin, relationship, development, anatomy, and function.
- Collect and analyze biological data about relationships among and between organisms and their environment.
- Review reports and proposals, such as those relating to land use classifications and recreational development, for accuracy, adequacy, or adherence to policies, regulations, or scientific standards.
Skills and Knowledge
Effective biologists combine a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Top Skills
The competencies most central to this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Top Knowledge Areas
Types of Biologists Jobs
People in this occupation may also be known by titles such as:
- Aquatic Biologist
- Aquatic Scientist
- Bioanalytical Scientist
- Biological Operations Scientist (Biological Ops Scientist)
- Biological Scientist
- Biologist
- Biology Scientist
- Botanist
Employment and Demand
There are about 123,062 biologists working in the United States today. Employment is projected to decline by -3.6% over the projection horizon.
How Much Do Biologists Make?
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $54,070 |
| Hourly median | $26.00 |
| 10th percentile | $30,148 |
| 25th percentile | $42,109 |
| 75th percentile | $66,032 |
| 90th percentile | $77,993 |
Wages vary widely based on experience, location, and industry.
Pay by State
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| Connecticut | $120,880 |
| Maryland | $115,710 |
| California | $112,010 |
| New Jersey | $102,760 |
| Massachusetts | $101,140 |
| Rhode Island | $98,990 |
| Alaska | $98,220 |
| North Carolina | $97,020 |
| Colorado | $96,680 |
| Washington | $96,120 |
| Pennsylvania | $95,640 |
| Hawaii | $94,700 |
| New York | $93,070 |
| Georgia | $91,890 |
| Utah | $89,860 |
| Arizona | $88,610 |
| Indiana | $87,050 |
| Wyoming | $87,050 |
| South Carolina | $86,940 |
| Oregon | $85,840 |
| Montana | $84,640 |
| Mississippi | $84,610 |
| Maine | $84,550 |
| Virginia | $83,370 |
| District of Columbia | $82,760 |
| West Virginia | $82,760 |
| New Hampshire | $82,450 |
| Kansas | $81,780 |
| Michigan | $81,200 |
| Texas | $81,020 |
| Alabama | $80,230 |
| Puerto Rico | $79,790 |
| Idaho | $79,790 |
| Iowa | $79,170 |
| Illinois | $78,600 |
| New Mexico | $78,190 |
| Ohio | $78,170 |
| Minnesota | $77,650 |
| Wisconsin | $77,520 |
| Delaware | $76,970 |
| Oklahoma | $76,670 |
| Vermont | $76,340 |
| Nebraska | $75,670 |
| Guam | $74,960 |
| Arkansas | $74,960 |
| Kentucky | $74,960 |
| North Dakota | $74,960 |
| Nevada | $74,050 |
| Tennessee | $72,550 |
| Louisiana | $69,950 |
| South Dakota | $67,180 |
| Florida | $65,060 |
| Missouri | $63,290 |
Where Biologists Earn the Most
Compensation for biologists differ across the country. The following regions pay the most:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Far Western US | $107,160 | 27.4% | 1.72 |
| Middle Atlantic | $103,177 | 20.0% | 2.80 |
| New England | $99,652 | 5.8% | 1.45 |
| Rocky Mountains | $89,061 | 4.4% | 1.38 |
| Southeast | $82,733 | 19.5% | 0.99 |
| Southwest | $81,496 | 6.7% | 0.64 |
| Great Lakes | $80,619 | 6.9% | 0.55 |
| Other U.S. Territories | $78,927 | 0.5% | 0.89 |
Highest-Paying Metro Areas for Biologists
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boulder, CO | CO | $137,940 | 180 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | CA | $132,670 | 4,320 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | CA | $132,630 | 730 |
| Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI | MI | $131,250 | 70 |
| New Haven, CT | CT | $124,400 | 120 |
| Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT | CT | $123,080 | 40 |
| Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH | OH | $119,450 | 80 |
| Vallejo, CA | CA | $111,840 | 50 |
Top Industries Employing Biologists
The largest employers of biologists are concentrated in the following sectors:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 21,620 | $97,840 |
| Educational Services | 5,590 | $63,290 |
| Manufacturing | 4,180 | $108,160 |
| Health Care and Social Assistance | 2,440 | $91,830 |
| Wholesale Trade | 1,200 | $103,890 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 900 | $92,020 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | 550 | $122,580 |
| Other Services (except Public Administration) | 200 | $64,090 |
Biologists work in the following industries:
Tools and Technology
- Graphics or photo imaging software: Adobe Photoshop (hot technology)
- Object or component oriented development software: C++ (hot technology)
- Geographic information system: ESRI ArcGIS software (hot technology)
- Analytical or scientific software: IBM SPSS Statistics (hot technology)
- Operating system software: Linux (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)
- Object or component oriented development software: Oracle Java (hot technology)
- Object or component oriented development software: Perl (hot technology)
Work Environment
The on-the-job environment of biologists tends to involve the following characteristics:
- Determine Tasks, Priorities and Goals
- Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team
- Freedom to Make Decisions
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
How to Become Biologists
Entry-level biologists positions require a doctoral or professional degree as the typical entry-level education. This occupation sits in Extensive Preparation Needed (Job Zone 5), reflecting the level of preparation typically expected.
Other Careers to Consider
Similar Occupations
- Natural Sciences Managers (Primary-Long)
- Bioengineers and Biomedical Engineers (Supplemental)
- Soil and Plant Scientists (Primary-Long)
- Biochemists and Biophysicists (Primary-Long)
- Microbiologists (Primary-Short)
- Zoologists and Wildlife Biologists (Primary-Short)
- Bioinformatics Scientists (Supplemental)
- Molecular and Cellular Biologists (Primary-Short)
Top Programs to Study For This Career
Students preparing for biologists commonly pursue programs in:
Biological and Biomedical Sciences
59 programs across 14 majors
- General Biology
- Neurobiology & Neurosciences
- Cell Biology & Anatomical Sciences
- Ecology & Systematics Biology
- Other Biological Sciences
- Biotechnology
- Biochemistry & Biophysics
- Biomathematics & Bioinformatics
- Microbiology Science & Immunology
- Genetics
- Botany/Plant Biology
- Pharmacology & Toxicology
- Zoology
- Physiology & Pathology Sciences
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies
3 programs across 3 majors
Psychology
1 programs across 1 majors
Mathematics and Statistics
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: 19-1029.04 (Biological Scientists, All Other).
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