SOC 19-1023 · Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ metro

Zoologists and Wildlife Biologists Salary in Phoenix, AZ

The average salary for zoologists and wildlife biologists in Phoenix, Arizona is $71,610 a year ($34.43 an hour), according to BLS estimates for May 2025. The median is $67,970: half of the 180 people in this job in the Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ metro area earn more than that, half earn less. That average is 14% less than the U.S. average for this job ($83,020).

$71,610average per year

$34.43 / hourMedian $67,970Take-home ≈ $57,811

  • $50K10th
  • $52K25th
  • $68KMedian
  • $82K75th
  • $96K90th

median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it

180people in this job
-14%vs U.S. average
#2 of 3Arizona metros
103cost of living (U.S. = 100)
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Zoologists and Wildlife Biologists pay range in Phoenix

New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $49,970 a year or less, while the top 10% make $95,780 or more. The middle half of zoologists and wildlife biologists in Phoenix earn between $52,250 and $82,490.

  • $50K10th
  • $52K25th
  • $68KMedian
  • $82K75th
  • $96K90th

median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it

Pay levelPer yearPer monthPer hour*
Average$71,610$5,968$34.43
Median$67,970$5,664$32.68
Entry level (25th percentile)$52,250$4,354$25.12
Experienced (75th percentile)$82,490$6,874$39.66

*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.

Zoologists and Wildlife Biologists pay in Phoenix vs. Arizona and the U.S.

Zoologists and wildlife biologists in Phoenix earn about the same as the Arizona average ($71,270) and 14% less than the U.S. average ($83,020). At the median the gap is -11% against the U.S. median of $76,780.

AreaAverageMedian10th pct.90th pct.Jobs
Phoenix$71,610$67,970$49,970$95,780180
Arizona$71,270$66,880$48,400$96,100410
United States$83,020$76,780$49,100$126,44018,120

State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.

Zoologists and Wildlife Biologists salary after taxes in Phoenix

On the average salary of $71,610, a single filer in Phoenix takes home about $57,811 a year, or $4,818 a month and $2,224 every two weeks. Taxes take 19% of gross pay.

Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules).

Arizona paycheck calculator: try your own salary

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Is Phoenix a good place for zoologists and wildlife biologists? Pay vs. cost of living

Prices in the Phoenix area are 3% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 103.3), so the average $71,610 buys what about $69,312 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.3 times the median wage of all jobs in Phoenix ($51,380). A typical home costs $448,352, or 6.3 years of this average salary before tax.

See what $71,610 is worth in another city

Zoologists and Wildlife Biologists salary in other Arizona cities

Phoenix ranks 2nd of 3 Arizona metro areas for this job; Flagstaff pays the most ($74,020).

All Zoologists and Wildlife Biologists salaries in Arizona

Highest-paying cities for zoologists and wildlife biologists

Santa Cruz, CA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($122,660).

Zoologists and Wildlife Biologists salary by city

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Zoologists and Wildlife Biologists salary in Phoenix: questions

How much do zoologists and wildlife biologists make an hour in Phoenix?

$34.43 an hour on average, and $32.68 at the median (BLS, May 2025).

What is the entry-level zoologists and wildlife biologists salary in Phoenix?

The lowest-paid 10% earn about $49,970 a year and the 25th percentile is $52,250, a fair guide to starting pay.

What is the zoologists and wildlife biologists take-home pay in Phoenix?

About $57,811 a year ($4,818 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $71,610.

Do zoologists and wildlife biologists earn more in Phoenix than elsewhere?

The average here is 14% less than the U.S. average for this job ($83,020).

Sources and how to read this page

  • Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 19-1023; area Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ (38060). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 6.9%.
  • U.S. and statewide figures: BLS OEWS national and state estimates, May 2025, every employer including rural areas.
  • Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
  • Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
  • Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules).
  • Job concentration: location quotient 0.65, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.65).

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