15 Best States for Animal Scientists

Call Noah and tell him to float the arc on over because it’s time for the best states for animal scientists! Animals make me giddy. I mean, like really truly happy. I had a dog for 7 years but she died 3 years ago. It’s okay! Now I live with my wife’s cat who is basically a monster that won’t stop puking. Everything sorts itself out, see?

But, seriously I considered adopting a new dog. However, I just really don’t have the time and definitely don’t have the money for an expense like that. I WISH I could afford a dog. Maybe once I make enough to pay for my own food–I will think about adopting a dog whose food I would also have to buy. This is all to say, I am poor and I truly admire folks who donate their lives to animals.

Animal scientists are pretty awesome. If you are one, or are training to become one, you already know that. But do you know where you should do all this? Well, we have the list for you. You might also be interested in the 25 Best States for Anesthesiologists, just in case you want to switch things up or you also need to throw in a quick surgery for yourself sometime soon.

Looking for the best states for animal scientists prompted us to use three main points of value to be used in ranking. The first point is the annual median wage offered by each state for these professionals. Higher wages are always better than lower ones, but we also have to take note that it isn’t just the wages that we should look at. Hence, we have the other two points to consider.

The second point is each state’s employment rates for animal scientists. These statistics would most probably reflect how long it will take for you to get a job in the certain area. The higher, the better, of course. For our last but equally crucial point, we looked for each state’s cost of living rates. Lowest is always best in terms of this one. Why do we have to check these things instead of just focusing on the wages?

The answer is quite simple. You only get to know how much each state has for the gross wages, never for the net. The net income is your wages minus your living expenses. This is what we are looking for, states which balance both earnings and expenses.

Now, the information about each state’s annual median wages and employment rates were sourced from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, while the data of each state’s cost of living index came from The Missouri Economic Research and Information Center.

Each state was first ranked by all three points and then averaged to come up with the cream of the crop.

Read on to know more about the best states for animal scientists.

15. New York

Annual median wage: $63,600

Cost of living: 135.2

Employment: 160

This is most probably the only time that New York’s wages for a job didn’t make it to the national average. It is, in fact, lower than the wages offered by more affordable cities. It could be because the state is very urban and doesn’t have as much animal production facilities usually employing animal scientists. Nevertheless, it still is a great place in which to get any job.

14. New Jersey

Annual median wage: $78,990

Cost of living: 121

Employment: 40

Unlike New York, New Jersey has wages that are higher than the national average. Their low employment rates are worth noting, too. This could reflect their need for more animal scientists as they don’t have a lot of them, hence the high wages. Whatever the reason might be, the state is always very promising when it comes to employment opportunities.

13. Florida

Annual median wage: $44,720

Cost of living: 99

Employment: 90

Despite the low wages, Florida still made it to the list. This is because of the state’s popular cheap living expenses for which The Sunshine State is known. Animal care and raising might not be one of Florida’s strongest industries, but the low cost of living is just so good, it would be impossible to look away.

12. Maryland

Annual median wage: $82,600

Cost of living: 125

Employment: 100

Maryland ranks 12th in our list of best states for animal scientists. It has the second-highest wages for an animal scientist, no wonder as the state seems to always have the best deals for most types of jobs. The state also boasts of employment rates fair enough to be called decent in this field. Being one of the states with the lowest poverty rates, it has always been known that living in Maryland would be an expensive feat, but with some budgeting skills, your wages will certainly get you by.

11. North Carolina

Annual median wage: $56,300

Cost of living: 94.2

Employment: 60

North Carolina’s low cost of living brought it to the list and indeed makes it one of the best states for animal scientists. Agriculture is one of the state’s strongest industries, along with fishing and forestry, which could mean they are in need of more animal scientists in there. North Carolina is also famous as an adventure territory, meaning you could enjoy outdoor fun when you’re not busy working.

10. Minnesota

Annual median wage: $63,880

Cost of living: 101.1

Employment: 170

Having the third-highest employment rates for animal scientists, this state is truly one of these professionals’ safest bets. Their wages might not equate that of the national average, but its cost of living rates that stay cheap wouldn’t need that large of a paycheck to survive a comfortable life in Minnesota. The great amenities offered by the Twin Cities are worth it, too.

9. Arkansas

Annual median wage: $50,920

Cost of living: 88.5

Employment: 40

Arkansas ranks 9th in our list of best states for animal scientists. It pretty much scored low on this occupation–low wages, low cost of living, and low employment rates. Their low cost of living rate is usually everyone’s biggest reason for moving to Arkansas. With rural areas thriving on outdoor activities, the state could probably use a lot more animal scientists in the area. Plus, with food production being a stable job market, no job shortage could be expected even in Arkansas.

8. Ohio

Annual median wage: $64,700

Cost of living: 93

Employment: 60

Ohio’s business district is continuously improving, and it shows through the wages they offer their professionals. With their low living expenses and stable economy, more and more people choose to move to Ohio to make a living. Their wages for animal scientists look promising, you should most definitely get yourself a job there. It is also known that Ohio’s food production industry is booming, resulting to more jobs in the future for these people.

7. Missouri

Annual median wage: $61,510

Cost of living: 90.8

Employment: 70

People choose Missouri as their home because of their low cost of living rates and stable employment opportunities. As more and more businesses invest in Missouri, wages steadily increase and improve to the benefit of their resident professionals. True enough, the salary they have for animal scientists is one of the highest in the US.

6. Iowa

Annual median wage: $68,770

Cost of living: 93

Employment: 120

Iowa’s edge over the other states in the country proves how much its economy and business district have improved over the years. More and more companies have invested in Iowa’s stable economy, resulting to even more employment opportunities for various occupations. It also has low cost of living expenses and is known to be one of the country’s safest states. And now, let’ see what else we have in our list of best states for animal scientists.

5. Wisconsin

Annual median wage: $68,600

Cost of living: 96.9

Employment: 280

Having the highest employment rates for animal scientists, Wisconsin sure holds a lot of promise for these professionals. The wages they offer are a bit lower than the national average, but could still make do when you consider their affordability. With agriculture and healthcare industries, they sure have more room for animal scientists.

4. Oklahoma

Annual median wage: $64,360

Cost of living: 88.6

Employment: 40

They might have low employment rates, but their low living expenses never fail to drive more and more people in their area. Oklahoma is also famous for their cultural festivals and strong industries including oil and gas production, aviation, and food processing–which needs more animal scientists in the state.

3. Texas

Annual median wage: $68,370

Cost of living: 90.7

Employment: 150

While there is not as much demand for animal scientists in Texas as compared to other jobs, the fact remains that the state has an economy that’s strong enough to produce a steadfast job flow for various occupations. Agriculture is also one of the state’s strongest industries, which could be a positive thing for animal scientists.

2. Nebraska

Annual median wage: $105,840

Cost of living: 91.3

Employment: 110

Nebraska ranks second in our list of best states for animal scientists. It is not all rural area, but a huge part of the state is very rural indeed, and full of farms. This reflects well on their employment rates for animal scientists. The wages they have for these professionals is, in fact, the highest in the US, no wonder they kind of flock in Nebraska. Add to that their affordable cost of living, and you get yourself an irresistible deal.

1. Michigan

Annual median wage: $58,080

Cost of living: 88.2

Employment: 180

Michigan’s claim to fame (and to this list) is its low cost of living rates. It is so affordable to have a comfortable life in the state and is also quite easy to land a job regardless of your occupation. Tourism and aerospace might be their biggest industries, but the employment rates they have for animal scientists still has so much potential you should definitely give it a try.

Animal scientists are bound to their complex duties in making sure animals are at their best. Their work environment is not very ideal and might be too much for most of us, which is precisely why they are entitled to really take their time in choosing where they want to practice. Whatever their priorities are, it is always wise to pick one from the best states for animal scientists.