Wildlife Biology
Everything OPM FedScope (June 2026) reports about the Wildlife Biology occupation series (code 0486): headcount, average salary, length of service, and pay comparison.
The verdict
With 1,868 employees (0.1% of the federal civilian workforce), Wildlife Biology ranks as a smaller, specialized federal occupation within the Biological Sciences Group family, and headcount grew 0.2% from the prior period. Its average salary of $95,468 pays below the $117,339 federal average.
- Employees
- 1,868
- Share of workforce
- 0.1%
- Avg salary
- $95,468
- Avg tenure
- 16.3 yrs
FedScope read on Wildlife Biology (dense series)
Federal agencies employ 1,868 people in the Wildlife Biology occupation (OPM code 0486), accounting for 0.1% of the total federal civilian workforce of 1,953,300 for the June 2026 reporting window. Headcount in this occupation moved up by 0.2% versus the prior period, a modest but trackable signal for anyone considering this specialized federal career path.
Wildlife Biology pays $95,468 per year on average, moving up 0.0% from the prior period (a small shift, within the range of normal year-to-year rounding rather than a broad pay-table change). Employees in this role stay an average of 16.3 years, a long average tenure, typical of career federal roles where employees stay through much of a full career before retirement.
The Biological Sciences Group family (code 04) groups Wildlife Biology together with 30 other related occupations across the federal government. Candidates browsing USAJOBS for Wildlife Biology postings should also review these sibling occupations in the Biological Sciences Group family.
Wildlife Biology makes up 2.7% of the 67,961 employees across the Biological Sciences Group family, ranking #6 of 31 occupations in that family by headcount. Its average salary ranks in the bottom half (35th percentile) of pay among Biological Sciences Group occupations.
Salary Context
How Wildlife Biology pay compares to the federal average of $117,339
Occupation Average
$95,468
Federal Average
$117,339
vs. Federal Avg
-18.6%
Where Wildlife Biology ranks on federal pay
Its average salary of $95,468 is higher than 50% of federal occupation series (270 of 541). The highlighted bar marks where Wildlife Biology sits in the federal pay distribution.
Average-salary distribution across all 541 federal occupation series; Wildlife Biology ranks higher than 50%.
Related Occupations in Biological Sciences Group
10 other occupations in the same family
| Occupation | Employees | Avg Salary | Avg LOS |
|---|---|---|---|
| General Natural Resources Management and Biological Sciences | 23,662 | $124,641 | 14 yrs |
| Forestry Technician | 11,090 | $61,659 | 8.7 yrs |
| Wildland Fire Management | 9,667 | $64,457 | 7 yrs |
| Biological Science Technician | 5,212 | $56,618 | 8.9 yrs |
| Soil Conservation | 4,101 | $89,391 | 13.8 yrs |
| Fish Biology | 1,629 | $116,550 | 16.2 yrs |
| Microbiology | 1,629 | $143,306 | 16.3 yrs |
| Forestry | 1,626 | $88,902 | 15.1 yrs |
| Ecology | 989 | $122,664 | 16.1 yrs |
| Rangeland Management | 692 | $88,317 | 14.6 yrs |
Nationwide peers near this dense headcount
Two peer sets for Wildlife Biology outside the Biological Sciences Group family, on headcount and average salary axes that vary across all OPM occupation series.
Similar dense headcount
Nearest employee counts in other occupation families (1,868 here).
Similar average salary
Nearest average salaries in other occupation families ($95,468 here).
Key takeaways
- Wildlife Biology pays below the federal average by 18.6% ($95,468 vs $117,339 federal-wide), at the 50th percentile for pay among 541 tracked occupation series.
- A smaller, specialized federal occupation by headcount: 1,868 employees, 0.1% of the federal civilian workforce, and headcount grew 0.2% from the prior period.
- According to OPM FedScope June 2026, Wildlife Biology ranks #157 of 663 federal occupation series by headcount (the same employee_count ordering as our occupations directory).
- Wildlife Biology makes up 2.7% of the 67,961 employees across the Biological Sciences Group family, ranking #6 of 31 occupations in that family by headcount.
OPM FedScope and Federal Workforce Data figures are federal civilian headcounts, average salaries, and length-of-service statistics - not job-quality scores, hiring advice, or a live vacancy listing. A larger or higher-paid agency is not a better employer.