Zoologists and Wildlife Biologists Salary
In Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX, zoologists and wildlife biologists earn $48,130 at the median, or about $23.14 an hour. The range runs from $40K at the entry level to $102K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 98.63), that's roughly $48,799 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,573/month, about 45.4% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $48K get you in Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands’s Regional Price Parity (98.63). 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 Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands
Pay for zoologists and wildlife biologists in Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands runs about 37% below the U.S. median of $77K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,573/month, which is 46.4% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 98.63) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for zoologists and wildlife biologistss.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for zoologists and wildlife biologists in metros near Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington | $49K | $48K |
| Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos | $73K | $75K |
| 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, Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX
Entry-level zoologists and wildlife biologists (10th percentile) start around $40K. Mid-career wages sit at $48K. Top earners bring in $102K or more, a $62K 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 Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a zoologists and wildlife biologist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $48K, rent takes 46.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,573/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,000/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 Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new zoologists and wildlife biologists typically earn — is $40K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,419/month. At HUD’s $1,573/month FMR, rent would take 65% 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 Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands?
Local pay runs 37% below the national median — $48K here vs. $77K nationally.
How does Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands compare to the national average for zoologists and wildlife biologists?
Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands pays $48K median vs. the U.S. average of $77K — that’s -37%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 98.63), the purchasing-power equivalent is $49K — below the national median.
How much do zoologists and wildlife biologists make in Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX?
The median is $48,130 a year, that works out to about $23 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $40,320, and experienced zoologists and wildlife biologists can clear $102,480. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $48K enough to live in Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,393/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,573/month, which eats 46.4% 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 Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands?
Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands has a Regional Price Parity of 98.63 (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 $48,799 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.