Careers / Animal Scientists

Animal Scientists — Career Decision Dashboard

United States

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Median annual wage

$68,940

United States, 2025

Employment

3,100

United States, 2025

Typical education

Doctoral Degree

Job Zone 5

Skills identified

35

10 related careers

Career overview

Conduct research in the genetics, nutrition, reproduction, growth, and development of domestic farm animals.

O*NET code
19-1011.00
Job zone
5
Experience required
Over 2 years, up to and including 4 years

Typical tasks

  • 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.
  • Determine genetic composition of animal populations and heritability of traits, using principles of genetics.

Choose a location

Salary analysis — United States

$44,350
10th
$49,770
25th
$68,940
Median
$103,300
75th
$166,000
90th

10th percentile

$44,350

25th percentile

$49,770

75th percentile

$103,300

90th percentile

$166,000

Most important skills

  • Reading Comprehension4.1
  • Complex Problem Solving4.0
  • Judgment and Decision Making4.0
  • Science4.0
  • Critical Thinking4.0
  • Writing4.0
  • Active Listening3.9
  • Active Learning3.9
  • Speaking3.9
  • Monitoring3.8
  • Systems Analysis3.8
  • Mathematics3.4

What skills do you need?

Select the skills you already have

Skills listed are those O*NET rates at importance 3.0 or above for this occupation. Set your own level on the same 0–7 O*NET scale.

Skill coverage

0%

0 of 22 identified skills

Matched

0

Missing

22

Your selected skills cover approximately 0% of the skills identified for this occupation in O*NET. This is a coverage measure of listed skills only — it is not a qualification, hiring or interview outcome.

Skills to develop

SkillImportanceRequired levelYour levelGap
Reading Comprehension4.14.9Not selected4.9
Judgment and Decision Making4.04.5Not selected4.5
Critical Thinking4.04.3Not selected4.3
Writing4.04.3Not selected4.3
Complex Problem Solving4.04.1Not selected4.1
Science4.04.0Not selected4.0
Speaking3.94.1Not selected4.1
Active Listening3.94.0Not selected4.0
Active Learning3.94.0Not selected4.0
Monitoring3.83.9Not selected3.9
Systems Analysis3.83.8Not selected3.8
Mathematics3.43.9Not selected3.9
Systems Evaluation3.33.9Not selected3.9
Time Management3.33.3Not selected3.3
Learning Strategies3.33.3Not selected3.3
Social Perceptiveness3.13.3Not selected3.3
Instructing3.03.3Not selected3.3
Coordination3.13.1Not selected3.1
Management of Personnel Resources3.03.1Not selected3.1
Persuasion3.03.1Not selected3.1
Negotiation3.03.0Not selected3.0
Service Orientation3.03.0Not selected3.0

Ordered by required level gap multiplied by O*NET importance. No prediction or recommendation is implied.

Related careers

How salary varies by location

LocationMedianEmploymentYear
Fayetteville, AR$240,370402025
TX$132,830402025
New York, NY$102,5402025
MN$88,6401002025
Madison, WI$84,3102202025
WI$84,3102802025
WA$83,160402025
Washington, DC$82,8101602025
KS$80,0902025
Lincoln, NE$79,4101002025
Philadelphia, PA$77,880602025
MD$77,7501902025
PA$77,660902025
SD$77,300902025
Minneapolis, MN$76,530402025
IA$75,290602025
Omaha, NE$73,740402025
ND$72,100402025
Baltimore, MD$63,740402025
Kansas City, MO$63,3002025
All locations with published data

Career transition paths

Compare the skills of a career you hold today with Animal Scientists to see shared skills, target-only skills and skill overlap.

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Career and skills data: O*NET 31.0.

Salary and employment data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS, 2025 (May 2025 release).

Figures are periodic published survey snapshots, not real-time market rates.