Sources: Kentucky Personnel Cabinet, Kentucky Classified and Unclassified 37.5 and 40-Hour Salary Schedule (effective September 16, 2026) and Job Class Specifications; U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 — state estimates. Data captured September 30, 2026.
Kentucky state pay plan Sourced
Published rates for each class, lowest first, effective September 16, 2026. These are the ranges Kentucky sets for its own state employees; cities, counties and school districts have their own pay plans.
| Class and grade | Published rate |
|---|---|
| Fisheries Biologist I Class 20001463 · class description Grade 12 · Salary Schedule, 37.5-Hour Work Week | $3,035.50 a month $36,426 a year |
Grade 12 · Salary Schedule, 40-Hour Work Week | $3,237.88 a month $38,855 a year |
| Wildlife Biologist I Class 20001458 · class description Grade 12 · Salary Schedule, 37.5-Hour Work Week | $3,035.50 a month $36,426 a year |
Grade 12 · Salary Schedule, 40-Hour Work Week | $3,237.88 a month $38,855 a year |
| Fisheries Biologist II Class 20001464 · class description Grade 14 · Salary Schedule, 37.5-Hour Work Week | $3,672.84 a month $44,074 a year |
Grade 14 · Salary Schedule, 40-Hour Work Week | $3,917.68 a month $47,012 a year |
| Wildlife Biologist II Class 20001459 · class description Grade 14 · Salary Schedule, 37.5-Hour Work Week | $3,672.84 a month $44,074 a year |
Grade 14 · Salary Schedule, 40-Hour Work Week | $3,917.68 a month $47,012 a year |
| Fisheries Biologist III Class 20001465 · class description Grade 15 · Salary Schedule, 37.5-Hour Work Week | $4,040.24 a month $48,483 a year |
Grade 15 · Salary Schedule, 40-Hour Work Week | $4,309.60 a month $51,715 a year |
| Wildlife Biologist III Class 20001460 · class description Grade 15 · Salary Schedule, 37.5-Hour Work Week | $4,040.24 a month $48,483 a year |
Grade 15 · Salary Schedule, 40-Hour Work Week | $4,309.60 a month $51,715 a year |
| Fisheries Biologist IV Class 20001466 · class description Grade 16 · Salary Schedule, 37.5-Hour Work Week | $4,444.06 a month $53,329 a year |
Grade 16 · Salary Schedule, 40-Hour Work Week | $4,740.32 a month $56,884 a year |
| Wildlife Biologist IV Class 20001461 · class description Grade 16 · Salary Schedule, 37.5-Hour Work Week | $4,444.06 a month $53,329 a year |
Grade 16 · Salary Schedule, 40-Hour Work Week | $4,740.32 a month $56,884 a year |
Rates are as the plan publishes them; "a year" figures are conversions. Classes are matched to this job by title (GovJobsWiki editorial rule).
Source: Kentucky Personnel Cabinet, Kentucky Classified and Unclassified 37.5 and 40-Hour Salary Schedule (effective September 16, 2026) and Job Class Specifications. Data captured September 30, 2026.
Pay in Kentucky, all employers Sourced
Zoologists and Wildlife Biologists (SOC 19-1023) in Kentucky, all employers combined: BLS state estimates do not separate government from private.
| Measure | KY |
|---|---|
| Workers | 150 |
| 10th percentile | $46,960 |
| Median | $61,950 |
| 90th percentile | $83,040 |
| National median, government employers | $78,500 |
Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 — state estimates; U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 — national estimates by ownership. Data captured September 30, 2026.
More about this job
Requirements, hiring process, training, schedule and day-to-day work are on the national Wildlife / Fisheries Biologist page.