Zoologists and Wildlife Biologists Salary
In Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX, zoologists and wildlife biologists earn $73,280 at the median, or about $35.23 an hour. The range runs from $47K at the entry level to $107K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 98.07), that's roughly $74,722 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,852/month, about 36.4% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $73K get you in Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos’s Regional Price Parity (98.07). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About zoologists and wildlife biologists
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos
Zoologists and wildlife biologists pay in Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos tracks closely to the national median, $73K locally vs. $77K nationwide, a 5% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,852/month, which is 37.1% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 98.07) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for zoologists and wildlife biologists in metros near Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington | $49K | $48K |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands | $48K | $49K |
| Oklahoma City | $61K | $68K |
| Albuquerque | $68K | $71K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX
Entry-level zoologists and wildlife biologists (10th percentile) start around $47K. Mid-career wages sit at $73K. Top earners bring in $107K or more, a $61K spread from bottom to top.
Zoologists and Wildlife Biologists pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Zoologists and Wildlife Biologists salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maryland | $108K | +40% | 250 |
| District of Columbia | $107K | +39% | 140 |
| California | $99K | +28% | 2,210 |
| Alaska | $90K | +18% | 650 |
| Mississippi | $89K | +16% | 110 |
| Louisiana | $87K | +14% | 50 |
| Oregon | $85K | +11% | 1,010 |
| Hawaii | $85K | +11% | 170 |
| Massachusetts | $84K | +10% | 470 |
| Washington | $84K | +9% | 1,840 |
| Colorado | $83K | +8% | 730 |
| New Jersey | $83K | +8% | 90 |
| Iowa | $83K | +8% | 90 |
| New York | $83K | +8% | 370 |
| North Dakota | $81K | +6% | 100 |
| Illinois | $80K | +4% | 250 |
| Vermont | $80K | +4% | 70 |
| Michigan | $79K | +3% | 330 |
| Montana | $79K | +3% | 430 |
| Pennsylvania | $79K | +2% | 200 |
| Connecticut | $77K | +1% | 110 |
| Missouri | $76K | -0% | 120 |
| Nevada | $75K | -2% | 190 |
| Ohio | $75K | -3% | 220 |
| Maine | $74K | -3% | 330 |
| Alabama | $74K | -3% | 290 |
| Wyoming | $74K | -3% | 320 |
| Utah | $74K | -4% | 370 |
| Tennessee | $74K | -4% | 310 |
| New Hampshire | $74K | -4% | 40 |
| Idaho | $73K | -4% | 380 |
| Virginia | $72K | -6% | 290 |
| Minnesota | $69K | -11% | 720 |
| Wisconsin | $68K | -11% | 360 |
| New Mexico | $68K | -11% | 170 |
| Arizona | $67K | -13% | 410 |
| Kansas | $66K | -13% | 160 |
| Georgia | $66K | -14% | 200 |
| South Dakota | $66K | -14% | 170 |
| North Carolina | $65K | -16% | 350 |
| South Carolina | $64K | -17% | 250 |
| Oklahoma | $63K | -18% | 120 |
| Kentucky | $62K | -19% | 150 |
| Nebraska | $58K | -25% | 140 |
| Indiana | $55K | -29% | 120 |
| Florida | $53K | -31% | 1,400 |
| Texas | $49K | -36% | 580 |
Showing 1–10 of 47 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track zoologists and wildlife biologists salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos numbers change.
Related careers in Science
Frequently asked questions
Can a zoologists and wildlife biologist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $73K, rent takes 37.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,852/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,500/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for zoologists and wildlife biologists in Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new zoologists and wildlife biologists typically earn — is $47K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,814/month. At HUD’s $1,852/month FMR, rent would take 66% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is zoologists and wildlife biologist a high-paying job in Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $73K locally vs. $77K nationally, a 5% difference.
How does Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos compare to the national average for zoologists and wildlife biologists?
Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos pays $73K median vs. the U.S. average of $77K — that’s -5%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 98.07), the purchasing-power equivalent is $75K — below the national median.
How much do zoologists and wildlife biologists make in Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX?
The median is $73,280 a year, that works out to about $35 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $46,900, and experienced zoologists and wildlife biologists can clear $107,450. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $73K enough to live in Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,995/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,852/month, which eats 37.1% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a zoologists and wildlife biologists salary go in Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos?
Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos has a Regional Price Parity of 98.07 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median zoologists and wildlife biologists salary is worth about $74,722 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do zoologists and wildlife biologists get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.