Zoologists and Wildlife Biologists Salary
In Durham-Chapel Hill, NC, zoologists and wildlife biologists earn $80,360 at the median, or about $38.63 an hour. The range runs from $55K at the entry level to $113K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 97.57), that's roughly $82,361 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,711/month, about 33% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $80K get you in Durham-Chapel Hill?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Durham-Chapel Hill’s Regional Price Parity (97.57). 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
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What this looks like in Durham-Chapel Hill
Zoologists and wildlife biologists pay in Durham-Chapel Hill tracks closely to the national median, $80K locally vs. $77K nationwide, a 5% difference. Rent runs $1,711/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 33.5% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost of living (RPP 97.57) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for zoologists and wildlife biologists in metros near Durham-Chapel Hill, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Raleigh-Cary | $66K | $67K |
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk | $73K | $74K |
| Charleston-North Charleston | $58K | $58K |
| Knoxville | $63K | $68K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Durham-Chapel Hill, NC
Entry-level zoologists and wildlife biologists (10th percentile) start around $55K. Mid-career wages sit at $80K. Top earners bring in $113K or more, a $58K 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 Durham-Chapel Hill numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a zoologists and wildlife biologist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Durham-Chapel Hill?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $80K, rent takes 33.5% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,711/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 Durham-Chapel Hill?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new zoologists and wildlife biologists typically earn — is $55K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,321/month. At HUD’s $1,711/month FMR, rent would take 52% 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 Durham-Chapel Hill?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $80K locally vs. $77K nationally, a 5% difference.
How does Durham-Chapel Hill compare to the national average for zoologists and wildlife biologists?
Durham-Chapel Hill pays $80K median vs. the U.S. average of $77K — that’s +5%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 97.57), the purchasing-power equivalent is $82K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do zoologists and wildlife biologists make in Durham-Chapel Hill, NC?
The median is $80,360 a year, that works out to about $39 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $55,350, and experienced zoologists and wildlife biologists can clear $112,990. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $80K enough to live in Durham-Chapel Hill?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,109/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,711/month, which eats 33.5% 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 Durham-Chapel Hill?
Durham-Chapel Hill has a Regional Price Parity of 97.57 (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 $82,361 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.