Zoologists and Wildlife Biologists Salary
In Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA, zoologists and wildlife biologists earn $122,170 at the median, or about $58.74 an hour. The range runs from $76K at the entry level to $190K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 109.9), so that salary is closer to $111,165 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $4,214/month, about 58.4% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $122K get you in Santa Cruz-Watsonville?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Santa Cruz-Watsonville’s Regional Price Parity (109.9). 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 Santa Cruz-Watsonville
Santa Cruz-Watsonville sits well above the national pay line for zoologists and wildlife biologists, local pay runs about 59% higher than the U.S. median of $77K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $4,214/month, which is 58.3% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost-of-living overall is 10% above the national average (BEA RPP 109.9), so groceries and services cost more too. The pay premium is real, but so are the offsets.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for zoologists and wildlife biologists in metros near Santa Cruz-Watsonville, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim | $83K | $74K |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario | $82K | $77K |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont | $99K | $86K |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | $94K | $84K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA
Entry-level zoologists and wildlife biologists (10th percentile) start around $76K. Mid-career wages sit at $122K. Top earners bring in $190K or more, a $114K 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
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 Santa Cruz-Watsonville numbers change.
Related careers in Science
Frequently asked questions
Can a zoologists and wildlife biologist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Santa Cruz-Watsonville?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $122K, rent takes 58.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $4,214/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $2,200/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 Santa Cruz-Watsonville?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new zoologists and wildlife biologists typically earn — is $76K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,530/month. At HUD’s $4,214/month FMR, rent would take 93% 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 Santa Cruz-Watsonville?
Local pay is 59% above the national median — $122K here vs. $77K nationally. Keep in mind cost of living here is 10% above the national average, which offsets some of that premium.
How does Santa Cruz-Watsonville compare to the national average for zoologists and wildlife biologists?
Santa Cruz-Watsonville pays $122K median vs. the U.S. average of $77K — that’s +59%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 109.9), the purchasing-power equivalent is $111K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do zoologists and wildlife biologists make in Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA?
The median is $122,170 a year, that works out to about $59 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $75,500, and experienced zoologists and wildlife biologists can clear $189,820. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $122K enough to live in Santa Cruz-Watsonville?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $7,230/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $4,214/month, which eats 58.3% 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 Santa Cruz-Watsonville?
Santa Cruz-Watsonville has a Regional Price Parity of 109.9 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median zoologists and wildlife biologists salary is worth about $111,165 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.