Wildlife Disease Biologist

Also called: Wildlife Health Biologist, Wildlife Disease Ecologist

Tracks and fights diseases spreading among wild animals.

A day in the life

Collects samples from deer to test for chronic wasting disease, swabs bats for white-nose syndrome, and monitors bird flu in wild ducks before it spreads to farms.

Pay over a career

Starting

$50k

Typical

$72k

High

$100k

Estimate based on BLS zoologists and wildlife biologists.

Approximate: anchored on Bureau of Labor Statistics data for a broader job group.

Training

Master's degree, about 6 years after high school. Master's in wildlife biology, ecology, or epidemiology.

Ways in: 4-year college, Graduate school. Training cost: $60k – $150k.

Majors to look at: Wildlife Biology, Biology.

Outlook

Growing about average. Growing concern over wildlife-to-human disease.

Will it last? Our AI estimate

Low risk for 10 years. AI helps model outbreaks and sort lab data; capturing and sampling animals in the field and lab work stay human.

Start now, in high school

Classes: AP Biology, AP Chemistry, AP Statistics, AP Environmental Science.

• Join Science Olympiad (Disease Detectives)
• Do a wildlife disease science fair project
• Volunteer at a wildlife rehabilitation center

Official data: O*NET occupation 19-1023.

More Wildlife & Conservation Biology careers

• Wildlife Veterinarian
• Research Wildlife Biologist
• Endangered Species Program Manager
• Conservation Organization Director
• Wildlife Biologist
• Fish & Game Warden
• Wildlife Forensic Scientist
• Ornithologist
• Wildlife Refuge Manager
• Wildlife GIS Analyst
• Wildlife Damage Management Specialist
• Wildlife Technician
• Interpretive Park Ranger
• Wildlife Removal Specialist
• Hunting & Fishing Guide
• Wildlife Photographer
• Wildlife Special Agent
• Bat Biologist
• Wildlife Capture Specialist
• Camera Trap Technician
• Bear Management Technician
• Game Bird Farmer
• Chronic Wasting Disease Sampling Technician

Career Universe is an early version. Pay, training and AI-risk figures are estimates to start your own research, not verified facts. The research was written with AI research assistants, checked by validation scripts and spot-checked by hand. Check anything important with schools, employers and official sources. How the numbers work.