Just a reality check....it's like winning the lottery (odds-wise, not effort-wise!) to become a highly paid herpetologist. Of course, you can accomplish whatever you believe in enough and work hard enough at......but only a fraction of a fraction of biology specialists achieve the kind of income that Jeff Corwin or Ralph Davis enjoy. The success would be in making your life's work that which you are passionate about....not how much money you earn.
What I'd suggest is make your money elsewhere, then come back to this for fun.
I'm now looking at getting a biology degree, but only out of interest now, not because I need the money.