Animal Scientists
SOC Code: 19-1011.00
Life, Physical & Social ScienceAnimal scientists research the biology, genetics, nutrition, reproduction, and management of livestock and poultry to improve the efficiency, sustainability, and profitability of animal agriculture. With a median salary around $74,170, these scientists work at universities, government agencies like the USDA, and private companies developing solutions that affect how meat, milk, eggs, and fiber are produced worldwide. Their research spans from molecular genetics and microbiology to whole-animal nutrition and farm management — all aimed at improving animal productivity while addressing welfare, environmental, and food safety concerns.
Salary Overview
Median
$79,120
25th Percentile
$59,610
75th Percentile
$128,450
90th Percentile
$235,750
Salary Distribution
Job Outlook (2024–2034)
Growth Rate
+5.8%
New Openings
200
Outlook
As fast as average
Key Skills
Knowledge Areas
What They Do
- 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.
- Study effects of management practices, processing methods, feed, or environmental conditions on quality and quantity of animal products, such as eggs and milk.
- Research and control animal selection and breeding practices to increase production efficiency and improve animal quality.
- Determine genetic composition of animal populations and heritability of traits, using principles of genetics.
Tools & Technology
★ = Hot Technology (in-demand)
Education Requirements
Typical entry-level education: Related Work Experience
Related Careers
Top Career Pivot Targets
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A Day in the Life
A university animal scientist's day might begin with checking on a beef cattle feeding trial — recording weights, evaluating body condition scores, adjusting ration formulations based on recent performance data. Back at the office, they review laboratory results from a rumen microbiome study, analyzing how different fiber sources affect methane emissions and feed efficiency. A late-morning lecture covers livestock reproduction for undergraduate animal science students. After lunch, a meeting with the department head discusses a USDA grant proposal on the impact of heat stress on dairy cow fertility. Afternoon lab work involves training a graduate student on gene expression analysis techniques for a muscle growth project. A nutrition company scientist spends their day differently — formulating and testing feed additive products, analyzing field trial data from commercial farms, and preparing technical presentations for feed company customers. The common thread is applying biological science to improve animal production.
Work Environment
Animal scientists work across laboratories, offices, research farms, and commercial agriculture settings. Laboratory work involves molecular biology techniques, chemical analysis of feeds and animal products, and data analysis. Farm work means outdoor exposure to weather, animal handling, and agricultural conditions — research farms with cattle, swine, poultry, and sheep require hands-on management. University environments balance research, teaching, and extension responsibilities. Industry scientists travel to commercial farms, feed mills, and customer facilities. Conference travel to professional meetings (ASAS, ADSA, PSA) is important for presenting research, networking, and staying current with advances. The work can be physically demanding when conducting animal experiments and managing research herds, but significant time is also spent writing, analyzing data, and communicating results.
Career Path & Advancement
A bachelor's degree in animal science is the starting point, followed by a master's (MS) or doctoral (PhD) degree for research positions. BS graduates may work in feed company technical roles, breeding companies, or livestock production management, but research scientist positions require graduate degrees. PhD programs (4-5 years) develop expertise in specialized disciplines — nutrition, genetics, reproductive physiology, meat science, or animal behavior/welfare. Postdoctoral research positions (1-3 years) strengthen publication records and research independence before tenure-track faculty positions or industry research director roles. Government scientists at ARS (Agricultural Research Service) research centers conduct long-term, mission-oriented research. Industry scientists at companies like Cargill, Purina, Zoetis, and Tyson develop commercial products and production solutions.
Specializations
Animal nutritionists formulate diets, study nutrient metabolism, and develop feed additives to optimize growth, lactation, and reproduction. Animal geneticists improve genetic merit through selection, genomic evaluation, and gene editing technologies. Reproductive physiologists study fertility, embryo development, and assisted reproductive technologies including AI, embryo transfer, and in vitro fertilization. Meat scientists evaluate carcass quality, meat tenderness, shelf life, and food safety from packing plant to consumer plate. Animal behaviorists and welfare scientists study stress, housing systems, and social behavior to improve animal welfare outcomes. Dairy scientists specialize in lactation physiology, milk quality, and dairy farm management systems. Poultry scientists address genetics, nutrition, health, and production systems for broilers, layers, and turkeys.
Pros & Cons
Advantages
- ✓Contributing to global food security through improved animal production efficiency
- ✓Combining intellectual research with practical agricultural application
- ✓Diverse career settings — university, government, private industry
- ✓Advancing technology (genomics, precision farming, AI) makes research increasingly sophisticated
- ✓International collaboration opportunities — animal agriculture is global
- ✓Academic positions offer intellectual freedom and flexible schedules
- ✓Growing demand for sustainability and welfare solutions creates new research opportunities
Challenges
- ✗PhD required for most research positions — lengthy training pipeline
- ✗Academic tenure track is highly competitive with uncertain outcomes
- ✗Government and academic salaries lag behind industry pay for comparable expertise
- ✗Grant writing is time-consuming with low success rates for federal funding
- ✗Field research involves outdoor conditions, physical demands, and animal handling risks
- ✗Geographic limitations — research positions concentrate at land-grant universities and ag hubs
- ✗Public perception of animal agriculture can create social pressures
Industry Insight
Animal science research is shaped by several converging pressures. Environmental sustainability demands reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, manure nutrient management, and land use efficiency in livestock production. Genomic technologies are accelerating genetic improvement rates dramatically. Antimicrobial resistance concerns are driving research on alternatives to antibiotics — probiotics, prebiotics, phytochemicals, and management strategies. Precision livestock farming uses sensors, cameras, and AI to monitor individual animal health, behavior, and productivity. Cell-cultured meat research poses both a competitive threat and a collaborative opportunity for traditional animal science. Consumer preferences for animal welfare, organic production, and transparency are influencing research priorities. NIH-funded One Health research bridging animal and human health is expanding funding opportunities beyond traditional USDA sources.
How to Break Into This Career
Strong academic performance in animal science, biology, chemistry, and statistics is essential for graduate school admission. Undergraduate research experience — working in a faculty member's lab or assisting with farm trials — demonstrates research aptitude and provides essential graduate school application material. Graduate programs value applicants with both academic credentials and practical animal experience. During MS or PhD programs, publishing peer-reviewed papers and presenting at national conferences builds the professional reputation necessary for research career placement. Industry positions at feed, genetics, and pharmaceutical companies may accept MS graduates, while university and USDA research positions typically require PhDs. Strong data analysis skills (R, SAS, Python) are increasingly important. Livestock judging team participation, international experience, and leadership in organizations like ASAS Student Member Division strengthen candidates.
Career Pivot Tips
Animal scientists have research methodology, data analysis, biology, and agricultural knowledge that transfers to food industry R&D, pharmaceutical animal health (Zoetis, Merck Animal Health, Elanco), biotechnology, environmental consulting, regulatory science (FDA, EPA), and science policy. Nutrition expertise translates to human nutrition research and food science. Genetics knowledge applies to human genomics, plant genetics, and biotech companies. The teaching and communication skills developed by academic scientists transfer to extension education, science journalism, and corporate training. Industry scientists pivot to marketing, regulatory affairs, and business development within agricultural companies. Career changers entering animal science research should have a strong biology or chemistry background and pursue graduate programs at land-grant universities with active research programs and farm facilities.
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