Also called: Ethologist
Studies why animals act the way they do—courtship, communication, learning, and fear.
Films honeybees doing their 'waggle dance' and decodes the directions they're giving each other, or advises a zoo on keeping elephants mentally healthy.
Estimate.
Approximate: anchored on Bureau of Labor Statistics data for a broader job group.
Doctorate (PhD), about 10 years after high school. PhD in animal behavior, biology, or psychology; certified applied animal behaviorists need a PhD.
Ways in: 4-year college, Graduate school, Certification. Training cost: $15k – $60k.
Majors to look at: Biology, Psychology, Zoology.
Growing about average (about 3% over 10 years). Estimate.
Low risk for 10 years. AI tracking software codes animal videos, but designing studies and advising zoos and owners stay human.
Classes: AP Psychology, AP Biology, Statistics.
Official data: O*NET occupation 19-1023.
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.