Zoology
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Types of Degrees Zoology Majors Are Getting
The following table lists how many zoology graduations there were in 2020-2021 for each degree level.
Education Level | Number of Grads |
---|---|
Master’s Degree | 298 |
Doctor’s Degree | 187 |
Graduate Certificate | 4 |
What Zoology Majors Need to Know
O*NET surveyed people in occupations related to zoology and asked them what knowledge areas, skills, and abilities were important for their jobs. The responses were rated on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being most important.
Knowledge Areas for Zoology Majors
Zoology majors often go into careers in which the following knowledge areas are important:
- English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
- Biology - Knowledge of plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, interdependencies, and interactions with each other and the environment.
- Mathematics - Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
- Administration and Management - Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
- Computers and Electronics - Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
Skills for Zoology Majors
The following list of skills has been highlighted as some of the most essential for careers related to zoology:
- Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
- Writing - Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
- Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
- Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
- Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Abilities for Zoology Majors
A major in zoology will prepare for your careers in which the following abilities are important:
- Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
- Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
- Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
- Inductive Reasoning - The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
- Written Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
What Can You Do With a Zoology Major?
Below is a list of occupations associated with zoology:
Job Title | Job Growth Rate | Median Salary |
---|---|---|
Biological Science Professors | 15.1% | $82,550 |
Clinical Research Coordinators | 9.9% | $123,860 |
Molecular and Cellular Biologists | 8.0% | $79,590 |
Natural Sciences Managers | 9.9% | $123,860 |
Water Resource Specialists | 9.9% | $123,860 |
Zoologists and Wildlife Biologists | 7.7% | $63,420 |
Who Is Getting a Master’s Degree in Zoology?
Racial-Ethnic Diversity
At the countrywide level, the racial-ethnic distribution of zoology majors is as follows:
Race/Ethnicity | Number of Grads |
---|---|
Asian | 11 |
Black or African American | 5 |
Hispanic or Latino | 26 |
White | 213 |
International Students | 24 |
Other Races/Ethnicities | 19 |
Geographic Diversity
Zoology appeals to people across the globe. About 8.1% of those with this major are international students. The most popular countries for students from outside the country are:
- China
- India
- Nepal
- Canada
- Brazil
How Much Do Zoology Majors Make?
Master’s Degree Starting Salary
The U.S. Department of Education found that students who graduated in 2017-2019 with a master’s degree in zoology made a median starting salary of $30,757 per year. During this timeframe, most salaries fell between $28,143 (25th percentile) and $33,372 (75th percentile).
It is possible that some of these people may have taken positions that were not related to zoology.
Salaries According to BLS
Average salaries range from $67,760 to $97,340 (25th to 75th percentile) for careers related to zoology. This range includes all degree levels, so the salary for a person with just a bachelor’s degree may be a little less and the one for a person with an advanced degree may be a little more.
To put that into context, according to BLS data from the first quarter of 2020, the typical high school graduate makes between $30,000 and $57,900 a year (25th through 75th percentile). The average person with a bachelor’s degree (any field) makes between $45,600 and $99,000. Advanced degree holders make the most with salaries between $55,600 and $125,400.
Amount of Education Required for Careers Related to Zoology
Some careers associated with zoology require an advanced degree while some may not even require a bachelor’s. Whatever the case may be, pursuing more education usually means that more career options will be available to you.
Find out what the typical degree level is for zoology careers below.
Education Level | Percentage of Workers |
---|---|
Less than a High School Diploma | 0.5% |
High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED) | 1.5% |
Post-Secondary Certificate - awarded for training completed after high school (for example, in agriculture or natural resources, computer services, personal or culinary services, engineering technologies, healthcare, construction trades, mechanic and repair technologies, or precision production) | 1.3% |
Associate’s Degree (or other 2-year degree) | 1.8% |
Bachelor’s Degree | 37.3% |
Post-Baccalaureate Certificate - awarded for completion of an organized program of study; designed for people who have completed a Baccalaureate degree but do not meet the requirements of academic degrees carrying the title of Master. | 2.6% |
Master’s Degree | 22.7% |
Post-Master’s Certificate - awarded for completion of an organized program of study; designed for people who have completed a Master’s degree but do not meet the requirements of academic degrees at the doctoral level. | 1.0% |
Doctoral Degree | 18.2% |
Post-Doctoral Training | 13.1% |
Online Zoology Programs
In 2020-2021, 118 schools offered a zoology program of some type. The following table lists the number of programs by degree level, along with how many schools offered online courses in the field.
Degree Level | Colleges Offering Programs | Colleges Offering Online Classes |
---|---|---|
Certificate (Less Than 1 Year) | 0 | 0 |
Certificate (1-2 years) | 2 | 0 |
Certificate (2-4 Years) | 0 | 0 |
Associate’s Degree | 10 | 1 |
Bachelor’s Degree | 3 | 0 |
Post-Baccalaureate | 0 | 0 |
Master’s Degree | 81 | 3 |
Post-Master’s | 1 | 0 |
Doctor’s Degree (Research) | 75 | 0 |
Doctor’s Degree (Professional Practice) | 1 | 0 |
Doctor’s Degree (Other) | 0 | 0 |
Is a Degree in Zoology Worth It?
The median salary for a zoology grad is $83,600 per year. This is based on the weighted average of the most common careers associated with the major.
This is 110% more than the average salary for an individual holding a high school degree. This adds up to a gain of about $874,000 after 20 years!
Top Ranking Lists for Zoology
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Majors Related to Zoology
You may also be interested in one of the following majors related to zoology.
Major | Number of Grads |
---|---|
General Biology | 8,920 |
Ecology, Evolution & Systematics Biology | 3,221 |
Physiology & Pathology Sciences | 2,488 |
Biomathematics & Bioinformatics | 2,290 |
Biochemistry, Biophysics & Molecular Biology | 1,964 |
Biological & Biomedical Sciences (Other) | 1,922 |
Biotechnology | 1,567 |
Cell Biology & Anatomical Sciences | 1,509 |
Microbiological Sciences & Immunology | 1,244 |
Neurobiology & Neurosciences | 1,241 |
Pharmacology & Toxicology | 825 |
Genetics | 717 |
Botany/Plant Biology | 371 |
Molecular Medicine | 83 |
References
*The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students, international students, and students whose race/ethnicity was unknown. This number is then divided by the total number of students at the school to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.
- College Factual
- College Scorecard
- National Center for Education Statistics
- O*NET Online
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
- Usual Weekly Earnings of Wage and Salary Workers First Quarter 2020
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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