Aquatic Biologist 2 pay range
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania · class code 14720
- Class code
- 14720
- Pay scale group
- ST 07
- Pay unit
- Year
- Bargaining unit
- B4
- State
- Pennsylvania
- The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania published pay range for Aquatic Biologist 2 is $60,538 to $92,010 per year.
- Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Office of Administration keys this classification as class code 14720.
- This is the range the plan authorises, not the salary of any individual employee.
Class specification
The Commonwealth job specification for this class is published by Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Office of Administration. The passages below are quoted from it as published, not paraphrased, and cut to their opening sentences; the full specification is the authority on duties and qualifications. It was last revised 05/31/2023.
What the state says the job is
This is advanced professional or lead work in the field of aquatic biology. An employee in this job independently plans and conducts complex surveys and comprehensive field studies in a regional or district office; performs data management and analysis work to develop water standards, monitoring techniques, and training in the central office; or serves as a lead worker over Aquatic Biologists 1 or positions at a comparable level. In a regional office, mineral resource district office, or oil and gas district office, typical assignments include conducting or leading lake and wetland surveys, investigations, and in-stream comprehensive evaluations; conducting environmental analyses to provide technical input on permit applications that impact waterways and wetlands; assessing the impact of point source and nonpoint source pollution on aquatic life and habitat; conducting cause and effect s ...
Examples of the work
• Plans and conducts routine and advanced scientific studies to assess aquatic communities and water quality in lakes, streams, and wetlands. • Gathers background data on waterways for use in developing a field study or biological survey plan. • Develops, initiates, designs, plans, and leads a variety of field investigations, biological surveys, and ecological studies of aquatic habitat and environmental conditions. • Identifies and delineates wetlands, including the identification of hydrophytic plant species, hydric soils, and hydrologic indicators.
Minimum qualifications
• One year as an Aquatic Biologist 1 (commonwealth title); or • One year of professional experience in aquatic biology or water pollution biology and a bachelor's degree with a major in a biological science, natural science, environmental science, or natural resource management, including or supplemented by six college credits in freshwater aquatic biology, aquatic ecology, aquatic botany, water pollution biology, entomology, limnology, or closely related aquatic science coursework; or • An equivalent combination of experience and training that includes six college credits in freshwater aquatic biology, aquatic ecology, aquatic botany, water pollution biology, entomology, limnology, or close ...
Special requirements
• All positions require possession of a valid motor vehicle license.
Quoted from the Commonwealth job specification, read 2026-10-21.
Where this comes from
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Office of Administration publishes this figure in Classification and Pay Plan (online, current annual salary ranges). Every number on this page is read from that document; nothing is estimated, modelled or averaged.
The Commonwealth also links this class code to its own job title and specification. That page is the official description of the classification; this page publishes its pay range.
The listed pay scale is available in the Commonwealth's current ST schedule.