Zoologists and Wildlife Biologists Salary
In Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA, zoologists and wildlife biologists earn $86,670 at the median, or about $41.67 an hour. The range runs from $52K at the entry level to $137K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 107.78), so that salary is closer to $80,414 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,827/month, about 51.9% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $87K get you in Santa Rosa-Petaluma?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Santa Rosa-Petaluma’s Regional Price Parity (107.78). 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 Santa Rosa-Petaluma
Santa Rosa-Petaluma sits well above the national pay line for zoologists and wildlife biologists, local pay runs about 13% 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 $2,827/month, which is 52.1% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost-of-living overall is 8% above the national average (BEA RPP 107.78), 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 Rosa-Petaluma, 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 Rosa-Petaluma, CA
Entry-level zoologists and wildlife biologists (10th percentile) start around $52K. Mid-career wages sit at $87K. Top earners bring in $137K or more, a $85K 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
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Frequently asked questions
Can a zoologists and wildlife biologist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Santa Rosa-Petaluma?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $87K, rent takes 52.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,827/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,600/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 Rosa-Petaluma?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new zoologists and wildlife biologists typically earn — is $52K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,133/month. At HUD’s $2,827/month FMR, rent would take 90% 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 Rosa-Petaluma?
Local pay is 13% above the national median — $87K here vs. $77K nationally. Keep in mind cost of living here is 8% above the national average, which offsets some of that premium.
How does Santa Rosa-Petaluma compare to the national average for zoologists and wildlife biologists?
Santa Rosa-Petaluma pays $87K median vs. the U.S. average of $77K — that’s +13%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 107.78), the purchasing-power equivalent is $80K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do zoologists and wildlife biologists make in Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA?
The median is $86,670 a year, that works out to about $42 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $52,220, and experienced zoologists and wildlife biologists can clear $137,390. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $87K enough to live in Santa Rosa-Petaluma?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,430/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,827/month, which eats 52.1% 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 Santa Rosa-Petaluma?
Santa Rosa-Petaluma has a Regional Price Parity of 107.78 (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 $80,414 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.