71213/Zoos and Botanical Gardens
US businesses, employees and payroll, 2017 to 2023
43K
employees, 2023
43K
employees, 2023
In 2023, 781 US Zoos and Botanical Gardens business locations employed 42,708 people and paid $1.9 billion in annual payroll, $44,630 per employee on average. Employment was up 9.5% from 2022. California had the most employees.
Updated Oct 9, 2026 · data year 2023
Business locations
781
-6.2% vs 2022
Employees
42,708
+9.5% vs 2022
Annual payroll
$1.9B
+12.6% vs 2022
Average pay
$44,630
+2.9% vs 2022
Over the years
United States, 2017 to 2023
Employees
Paid employees in mid-March
Business locations
Places with paid employees
By state
Employees of Zoos and Botanical Gardens in each state, 2023
Employees by state
States with the most employees
Employees and the share of all the state's jobs
| State | Business locations | Employees | Average pay | Share of state jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| California | 77 | 6,773 | $50,036 | 0.04% |
| Texas | 66 | 3,901 | $39,560 | 0.03% |
| Florida | 71 | 3,380 | $39,394 | 0.03% |
| New York | 53 | 2,796 | $52,994 | 0.03% |
| Illinois | 16 | 2,288 | $55,529 | 0.04% |
| Pennsylvania | 33 | 2,078 | $43,668 | 0.04% |
| Ohio | 22 | 1,980 | $48,022 | 0.04% |
| Arizona | 18 | 1,401 | $41,981 | 0.05% |
| Tennessee | 12 | 1,399 | $36,482 | 0.05% |
| Colorado | 14 | 1,370 | $49,604 | 0.05% |
| Georgia | 20 | 1,351* | $46,742 | 0.03% |
| Missouri | 19 | 1,228 | $40,508 | 0.05% |
| Utah | 10 | 1,015* | $31,746 | 0.06% |
| Michigan | 26 | 931 | $49,010 | 0.02% |
| Louisiana | 12 | 861 | $32,325 | 0.05% |
The 15 states with the most employees. Download the CSV for all 44.
Top metro areas
Metro and micro areas with the most Zoos and Botanical Gardens employees, 2023
Metro areas with the most employees
| Metro area | Locations | Employees | Average pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | 10 | 3,704* | $45,425 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 47 | 2,525 | $54,197 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | 8 | 2,180 | $56,783 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 13 | 1,612 | $37,449 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 17 | 1,534 | $44,073 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | 9 | 1,160* | $49,753 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | 9 | 1,040 | $52,937 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | 9 | 1,028 | $43,813 |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | 5 | 936 | $40,347 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | 16 | 925 | $43,863 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | 27 | 866 | $39,779 |
| Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | 4 | 765 | $41,728 |
| Omaha, NE-IA | 3 | 725* | $43,884 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | 11 | 724 | $58,372 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 26 | 697 | $49,422 |
Business size
US Zoos and Botanical Gardens business locations by number of employees, 2023
Locations by size
| Employees | Locations | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Under 5 | 253 | 32.5% |
| 5 to 9 | 110 | 14.1% |
| 10 to 19 | 119 | 15.3% |
| 20 to 49 | 122 | 15.7% |
| 50 to 99 | 70 | 9.0% |
| 100 to 249 | 57 | 7.3% |
| 250 to 499 | 40 | 5.1% |
| 500 to 999 | 8 | 1.0% |
| 1,000 or more | Not published | - |
Related industries
Zoos and Botanical Gardens and the 1 industry directly below it
Part of Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation 71Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions 712Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions 7121
| Code | Industry | Employees | Average pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| 712130 | Zoos and Botanical Gardens | 42,708 | $44,630 |
Questions and answers
How many people work in Zoos and Botanical Gardens in the US?
42,708 people worked at 781 US Zoos and Botanical Gardens business locations in 2023, up 9.5% from 2022. That is 0.03% of all US private-sector employees.
What is the average pay in Zoos and Botanical Gardens?
$44,630 a year per employee in 2023, from $1.9 billion in annual payroll (up 2.9% from 2022). The average across all US industries was $68,342.
Which state has the most Zoos and Botanical Gardens jobs?
California had the most, with 6,773 employees in 2023, followed by Texas (3,901) and Florida (3,380).
Which metro areas have the most Zoos and Botanical Gardens jobs?
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA (3,704), New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ (2,525), Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN (2,180) had the most Zoos and Botanical Gardens employees in 2023.
Are most Zoos and Botanical Gardens businesses small?
61.9% of the 779 Zoos and Botanical Gardens business locations had fewer than 20 employees in 2023, and 8 had 500 or more.
Official US government statistics, published once a year. Business locations are places with paid employees; employees are counted in mid-March; payroll covers the whole year. Covers most private employers, not the self-employed, most government workers or farm workers on farms. * Less accurate: changed by 5% or more to protect privacy. Changes from the year before are shown only when both years use the same edition of the industry codes.