Animal Scientists
SOC Code: 19-1011 Job Zone 5: Extensive Preparation Needed
Conduct research in the genetics, nutrition, reproduction, growth, and development of domestic farm animals.
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Prevailing Wage Levels (National)
DOL/OFLC prevailing wage thresholds for Animal Scientists. Hourly rates x 2,080 = annual.
FY2027 Weighted Lottery Impact
| Level | Lottery Entries | Est. Selection Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Level I (Entry) | 1 entry | ~16% |
| Level II (Qualified) | 2 entries | ~31% |
| Level III (Experienced) | 3 entries | ~45% |
| Level IV (Expert) | 4 entries | ~61% |
Prevailing Wages by Metro Area
| Metro Area | Level I | Level II | Level III | Level IV |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $104,936 | $150,696 | $196,477 | $242,237 |
| Modesto, CA | $104,582 | $150,384 | $196,165 | $241,966 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | $99,986 | $147,181 | $194,376 | $241,571 |
| Joplin, MO-KS | $97,906 | $143,437 | $188,968 | $234,499 |
| Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR | $166,088 | $185,474 | $204,838 | $224,224 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $89,232 | $133,203 | $177,174 | $221,146 |
| Stockton-Lodi, CA | $88,712 | $132,309 | $175,926 | $219,523 |
| North Arkansas nonmetropolitan area | $114,005 | $147,534 | $181,085 | $214,614 |
| Fort Smith, AR-OK | $91,166 | $131,602 | $172,016 | $212,451 |
| Eastern Sierra-Mother Lode Region of California nonmetropolitan area | $84,677 | $127,046 | $169,437 | $211,806 |
H-1B Filing Data
Top H-1B Employers
| Employer | Filings | Avg Wage |
|---|---|---|
| MURPHY-BROWN LLC | 17 | $51,374 |
| Riverview, LLP | 15 | $59,955 |
| Zoetis, Inc. | 14 | $90,808 |
| Texas A&M AgriLife Research | 11 | $59,461 |
| Cargill, Incorporated | 9 | $95,555 |
| Mississippi State University | 9 | $69,866 |
| Auburn University | 9 | $59,761 |
| Vytelle, LLC | 9 | $61,245 |
| Colorado State University | 8 | $66,500 |
| Cornell University | 8 | $69,674 |
Filing Trend
| Year | Filings | Avg Wage |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 23 | $58,030 |
| 2021 | 20 | $77,317 |
| 2022 | 25 | $75,868 |
| 2023 | 55 | $78,310 |
| 2024 | 89 | $73,527 |
| 2025 | 138 | $68,148 |
| 2026 | 25 | $71,493 |
Key Skills
| Skill | Importance | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Reading Comprehension | 4.1 | |
| Writing | 4.0 | |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 4.0 | |
| Critical Thinking | 4.0 | |
| Complex Problem Solving | 4.0 | |
| Science | 4.0 | |
| Active Learning | 3.9 | |
| Active Listening | 3.9 | |
| Speaking | 3.9 | |
| Monitoring | 3.8 |
Knowledge Areas
| Knowledge | Importance |
|---|---|
| Biology | 4.6 |
| Mathematics | 4.1 |
| English Language | 4.1 |
| Chemistry | 4.0 |
| Food Production | 3.8 |
| Education and Training | 3.5 |
| Customer and Personal Service | 3.4 |
| Computers and Electronics | 3.4 |
Education Requirements
| Education Level | % of Workers |
|---|---|
| Post-first professional | 43.5% |
| Doctoral degree | 21.7% |
| Bachelor's degree | 13.0% |
| Other | 13.0% |
| Some college | 4.3% |
| Associate's degree | 4.3% |
Typical Tasks
- Conduct research concerning animal nutrition, breeding, or management to improve products or processes.
- Advise producers about improved products and techniques that could enhance their animal production efforts.
- Study nutritional requirements of animals and nutritive values of animal feed materials.
- Study effects of management practices, processing methods, feed, or environmental conditions on quality and quantity of animal products, such as eggs and milk.
- Develop improved practices in feeding, housing, sanitation, or parasite and disease control of animals.
- Research and control animal selection and breeding practices to increase production efficiency and improve animal quality.
- Write up or orally communicate research findings to the scientific community, producers, and the public.
Technology Skills
Green = Hot Technology in demand
Autodesk AutoCAD ESRI ArcGIS software Microsoft Access Microsoft Excel Microsoft Office software Microsoft PowerPoint Microsoft Word Oracle PeopleSoft SAS Structured query language SQL Tableau Best Linear Unbiased Prediction BLUP COWGAME Cowculator DAGRIS
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