Animal Behavior and Ethology

Types of Degrees Animal Behavior and Ethology Majors Are Getting

The following table lists how many animal behavior & ethology graduations there were for each degree level during the last year for which data was available.

Education Level	Number of Grads
Master’s Degree	23
Doctor’s Degree	9

What Animal Behavior and Ethology Majors Need to Know

In an O*NET survey, animal behavior and ethology majors were asked to rate what knowledge areas, skills, and abilities were important in their occupations. These answers were weighted on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being the most important.

Knowledge Areas for Animal Behavior and Ethology Majors

According to O*NET survey takers, a major in animal behavior and ethology should prepare you for careers in which you will need to be knowledgeable in the following areas:

• Biology - Knowledge of plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, interdependencies, and interactions with each other and the environment.
• English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
• Law and Government - Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.
• Mathematics - Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
• Geography - Knowledge of principles and methods for describing the features of land, sea, and air masses, including their physical characteristics, locations, interrelationships, and distribution of plant, animal, and human life.

Skills for Animal Behavior and Ethology Majors

The following list of skills has been highlighted as some of the most essential for careers related to animal behavior and ethology:

• Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
• 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.
• Science - Using scientific rules and methods to solve problems.
• Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
• Writing - Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.

Abilities for Animal Behavior and Ethology Majors

Some of the most crucial abilities to master while a animal behavior and ethology student include the following:

• Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
• Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
• Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
• Written Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
• Deductive Reasoning - The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.

What Can You Do With a Animal Behavior and Ethology Major?

Below is a list of occupations associated with animal behavior and ethology:

Job Title	Job Growth Rate	Median Salary
Zoologists and Wildlife Biologists	7.7%	$63,420

Who Is Getting a Master’s Degree in Animal Behavior and Ethology?

This major is dominated by women with about 83% of recent graduates being female.

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the countrywide level, the racial-ethnic distribution of animal behavior and ethology majors is as follows:

Race/Ethnicity	Number of Grads
Asian	0
Black or African American	1
Hispanic or Latino	0
White	20
International Students	1
Other Races/Ethnicities	1

Geographic Diversity

Americans aren’t the only ones with an interest in Animal Behavior and Ethology. About 4.3% of those with this major are international students.

Amount of Education Required for Careers Related to Animal Behavior and Ethology

Some degrees associated with animal behavior and ethology may require an advanced degree, while others may not even require a bachelor’s in the field. In general, the more advanced your degree the more career options will open up to you. However, there is significant time and money that needs to be invested into your education so weigh the pros and cons.

How much schooling do you really need to compete in today’s job market? People currently working in careers related to animal behavior and ethology have obtained the following education levels.

Education Level	Percentage of Workers
High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)	1.0%
Bachelor’s Degree	42.5%
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.	4.2%
Master’s Degree	34.9%
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.	4.2%
Doctoral Degree	12.7%
Post-Doctoral Training	0.7%

Online Animal Behavior and Ethology Programs

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)	0	0
Certificate (2-4 Years)	0	0
Associate’s Degree	0	0
Bachelor’s Degree	0	0
Post-Baccalaureate	0	0
Master’s Degree	5	1
Post-Master’s	0	0
Doctor’s Degree (Research)	2	0
Doctor’s Degree (Professional Practice)	0	0
Doctor’s Degree (Other)	0	0

Majors Related to Animal Behavior and Ethology

You may also be interested in one of the following majors related to animal behavior and ethology.

Major	Number of Grads
Zoology/Animal Biology	1,744
Wildlife Biology	617
Entomology	454
Animal Physiology	160
Other Zoology/Animal Biology	26

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.