Zoologists and wildlife biologists
SOC Code: 19-1023
Zoologists and wildlife biologists carries a 38% AI exposure score (Medium automation risk), with a median annual wage of $72,860 and +1.6% projected employment growth from 2024 to 2034 (BLS), affecting approximately 18,200 workers. Full task breakdown, skills, and employer data are below.
Proportion of tasks susceptible to AI automation (O*NET analysis)
At 38% AI exposure, Zoologists and wildlife biologists sits 1 points above the 37.2% average across 832 U.S. occupations - more exposed than 63% of them. Most of its core tasks still require human judgment.
Career outlook score
50/100
Zoologists and wildlife biologists, weighted across 3 of 3 tracked dimensions
A weighted composite of median wage, projected growth, and AI-automation security (inverted exposure), each benchmarked against every other tracked occupation. It describes this occupation's standing across those three dimensions, not a guarantee of future outcomes.
- Median wage B- $72,860
Annual median wage, percentile rank vs all tracked occupations
- Projected growth D +1.6%
Projected employment change, 2024-2034, BLS Employment Projections
- AI exposure (inverted) F 38% exposure
Lower O*NET task-automability scores lower risk; this dimension scores security, not exposure
Home health and personal care aides is #1 of 832 occupations by employment (4.3M, AI exposure rank #392 at 35%) vs. Bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks #1 by AI task exposure (95%, employment rank #17 at 1.6M).
Automation-risk inventory
Exclusive cut of 832 occupations by PlainWorkforce automation-risk band. Orthogonal to the continuous AI-exposure distribution chart below and to this occupation's single risk badge, this is the corpus band mix, with Zoologists and wildlife biologists in the Medium band.
Credential × growth standing
Bachelor's band with mid-pack BLS pace
Zoologists and wildlife biologists shares the Bachelor's gate with 178 peer occupations and lands in Slow growth (245 of 832). Neither the rarest nor the most crowded growth shelf - use wage and AI desks on this page for the differentiator.
Where Zoologists and wildlife biologists sits among all occupations
AI-exposure score distribution across 832 U.S. occupations (O*NET task analysis). This occupation is marked in rose.
Where Zoologists and wildlife biologists sits by AI exposure
AI-exposure score distribution across U.S. occupations (O*NET task analysis)
38% Around the middle lower than 37% of 832 occupations
Occupations, banded by AI-exposure score
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more occupations. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count and share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source O*NET task data (U.S. Department of Labor) · BLS 2024–2034
Source: O*NET task data (U.S. Department of Labor); AI-exposure scores are PlainWorkforce's analysis. As of BLS 2024–2034.
Zoologists and wildlife biologists vs. its occupational neighbors
AI exposure (horizontal) vs projected 2024–2034 growth (vertical) for occupations in the same SOC group. Zoologists and wildlife biologists is marked in rose; the top-left corner is the most future-proof.
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034 (growth) and O*NET (AI-exposure analysis by PlainWorkforce).
Employment Projections
Where This Score Comes From
Zoologists and wildlife biologists's Medium automation-risk tier is computed from O*NET Database 30.0 task-level analysis, where each documented task the occupation performs is evaluated against current generative AI, robotic process automation, and machine-learning capabilities. A score below 40% reflects tasks anchored in physical dexterity, unstructured environments, or high-touch human interaction that current AI cannot reliably replicate.
The employment, wage, and education figures above come from a second, separate federal source: BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034, matched to the O*NET task data by Standard Occupational Classification (SOC 19-1023) code, with the wage figure cross-validated against the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) May 2024 survey. BLS figures are presented exactly as published, with no adjustment on our part; the SOC-code match is what lets Zoologists and wildlife biologists be compared directly against every other tracked occupation on the same basis, not just roles that happen to share a job title.
For career planners, this profile should be read alongside the task, skill, and knowledge breakdowns below and the list of employers whose workforce composition includes Zoologists and wildlife biologists. Adjacent occupations shown further down offer lateral moves that preserve industry knowledge while potentially reducing exposure.
Education & Entry Requirements
Top Tasks (O*NET)
- 1. Develop, or make recommendations on, management systems and plans for wildlife populations and habitat, consulting with stakeholders and the public at large to explore options.
- 2. Inventory or estimate plant and wildlife populations.
- 3. Inform and respond to public regarding wildlife and conservation issues, such as plant identification, hunting ordinances, and nuisance wildlife.
- 4. Organize and conduct experimental studies with live animals in controlled or natural surroundings.
- 5. Study animals in their natural habitats, assessing effects of environment and industry on animals, interpreting findings and recommending alternative operating conditions for industry.
- 6. Disseminate information by writing reports and scientific papers or journal articles, and by making presentations and giving talks for schools, clubs, interest groups and park interpretive programs.
- 7. Study characteristics of animals, such as origin, interrelationships, classification, life histories, diseases, development, genetics, and distribution.
- 8. Perform administrative duties, such as fundraising, public relations, budgeting, and supervision of zoo staff.
- 9. Check for, and ensure compliance with, environmental laws, and notify law enforcement when violations are identified.
- 10. Analyze characteristics of animals to identify and classify them.
Key Skills Required
- Reading Comprehension
- Active Listening
- Speaking
- Critical Thinking
- Complex Problem Solving
- Judgment and Decision Making
- Writing
- Science
- Coordination
- Active Learning
Knowledge Areas
- Biology
- English Language
- Customer and Personal Service
- Mathematics
- Geography
- Law and Government
- Administration and Management
- Communications and Media
- Computers and Electronics
- Education and Training
Frequently Asked Questions
Will AI replace Zoologists and wildlife biologists?
Zoologists and wildlife biologists has an AI exposure score of 38%, indicating a medium level of automation risk. The majority of tasks in this role require human judgment, creativity, or physical presence that AI cannot easily replicate.
What is the job outlook for Zoologists and wildlife biologists?
According to BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034, Zoologists and wildlife biologists is projected to grow by 1.6% over the decade. Current employment stands at approximately 18,200 workers.
What skills are needed for Zoologists and wildlife biologists?
Key skills for Zoologists and wildlife biologists include Reading Comprehension, Active Listening, Speaking, and others. Typical entry-level education is Bachelor's degree.
How much do Zoologists and wildlife biologists earn?
The median annual wage for Zoologists and wildlife biologists is $72,860, according to BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2024). Actual earnings vary by location, experience, industry, and employer. The BLS publishes detailed wage percentiles by region in its Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program.
What education is required for Zoologists and wildlife biologists?
The typical entry-level education for Zoologists and wildlife biologists is Bachelor's degree. Employers generally expect None of related work experience. On-the-job training typically involves None. Requirements can vary by employer and specialization.
Which companies employ Zoologists and wildlife biologists?
Zoologists and wildlife biologists roles exist across many industries and employers. Workforce composition is estimated from BLS industry-occupation employment distributions matched to SEC-registered public companies.
AI Exposure Rating
Medium automation risk based on 10 analyzed tasks. Most tasks require human judgment and are resistant to automation.
Nationwide occupations with similar workforce profiles
Two data-derived peer sets for Zoologists and wildlife biologists: AI-exposure neighbors and BLS 2034 growth neighbors (distinct comparison neighborhoods, cross-occupation).
Similar AI exposure score
Nearest O*NET task-automability scores nationwide (38% here).
- Adhesive bonding machine operators and tenders · AI exposure 38%
- Coaches and scouts · AI exposure 38%
- Computer and information systems managers · AI exposure 38%
- Door-to-door sales workers, news and street vendors, and related workers · AI exposure 38%
Similar projected growth (2024–2034)
Nearest BLS employment change rates nationwide (+1.6% here).
- Automotive body and related repairers · growth +1.6%
- First-line supervisors of protective service workers, all other · growth +1.6%
- Plant and system operators, all other · growth +1.6%
- Rail-track laying and maintenance equipment operators · growth +1.6%
Peers are nearest-neighbor matches on published BLS + O*NET metrics among occupations with ≥10,000 workers in 2024; corpus ranks above sort the full tracked set.
Related Occupations
Showing 6 of 30 occupations with a comparable automation-risk profile.
What to do with this
Use Zoologists and wildlife biologists' numbers above to compare, not just read in isolation.
- Compare Zoologists and wildlife biologists side by side against another occupation on wage, growth, and AI exposure. Workforce comparison tool
- Understand how the AI exposure score above is actually calculated before treating it as a verdict. Reading AI exposure scores
- See the full ranked list of occupations with the lowest automation exposure nationwide. Safest occupations from AI
AI exposure scores estimate task automatability from O*NET data; they are not a certainty of job loss, and BLS growth projections are estimates, not guarantees.
Data sources: Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections 2024–2034 and O*NET Database 30.0. Employment figures are rounded. Wage data from BLS Occupational Employment Statistics (OES).