Science
Animal Scientists
Conduct research in the genetics, nutrition, reproduction, growth, and development of domestic farm animals.
Median salary (BLS)
$68,940
10th–90th percentile (BLS)
$44k – $166k
Job outlook
+6% (faster than average)
AI exposure
Early-career check: graduates of the matching programs below typically earn $119,000 ten years after starting college — an early-career figure, vs. the all-experience BLS median above. Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard.
Plan a path to Animal Scientists
Education
Typical entry: Master's degree
Plan my path to this →Typical progression
Animal Scientists Intern
Internship
$36,000
~4 mos to advance
Junior Animal Scientists
Entry / Junior
$44,350
~2 yrs to advance
Animal Scientists
Established
$68,940
~3 yrs to advance
Senior Animal Scientists
Senior
$117,470
Internships are a common on-ramp here — they speed up landing that first role and improve your odds, which is why the Safe and High-ceiling plans build one in.
Key skills
A typical day
- •Study nutritional requirements of animals and nutritive values of animal feed materials.
- •Write up or orally communicate research findings to the scientific community, producers, and the public.
- •Develop improved practices in feeding, housing, sanitation, or parasite and disease control of animals.
- •Advise producers about improved products and techniques that could enhance their animal production efforts.
- •Conduct research concerning animal nutrition, breeding, or management to improve products or processes.
Fields of study
Any field
Top colleges for Science
Explore all- Massachusetts Institute of Technology4% admit · $124,000 grad pay
- California Institute of Technology3% admit · $112,000 grad pay
- Harvard University4% admit · $119,000 grad pay
- Stanford University4% admit · $122,000 grad pay
- University of California, Berkeley11% admit · $97,000 grad pay
Reputation-based selection; stats shown are outcome data per school.