Average Salary for Animal Caretakers
SOC 39-2021 · Personal Care and Service Occupations · 2024 data
The median annual wage for Animal Caretakers in the United States is $33,470 ($16.09/hr), based on 2024 BLS OEWS data. Wages range from $24,500 at the 10th percentile to $46,480 at the 90th percentile nationally. An estimated 277,300 people work in this occupation across the country. The national median wage has grown 64.6% since 2014.
Median Annual
$33,470
Mean Annual
$34,750
10th Pct
$24,500
75th Pct
$37,160
Employment
277,300
Salary Distribution
$25k
10th
$29k
25th
$33k
Median
$37k
75th
$46k
90th
Highest Paying Metro Areas
| Metro Area | Median Annual |
|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $43,670 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $42,590 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $39,460 |
| Napa, CA | $38,770 |
| Kahului-Wailuku, HI | $38,420 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $38,210 |
| Salinas, CA | $37,920 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | $37,650 |
| Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA | $37,600 |
| Kennewick-Richland, WA | $37,500 |
| Vallejo, CA | $37,430 |
| Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT | $37,420 |
| Barnstable Town, MA | $37,280 |
| Yuba City, CA | $37,250 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $37,180 |
Salary by State
| State | Median Annual |
|---|---|
| Washington | $38,400 |
| District of Columbia | $37,980 |
| California | $37,200 |
| Massachusetts | $36,910 |
| New York | $36,500 |
| Connecticut | $36,330 |
| Maine | $36,310 |
| Maryland | $35,990 |
| Vermont | $35,600 |
| Alaska | $35,570 |
| Oregon | $35,310 |
| Colorado | $35,300 |
| Arizona | $35,170 |
| Rhode Island | $34,930 |
| New Jersey | $34,530 |
| Illinois | $34,440 |
| Hawaii | $34,410 |
| Minnesota | $33,790 |
| Montana | $32,290 |
| New Hampshire | $32,030 |
| Utah | $31,550 |
| Virginia | $30,830 |
| New Mexico | $30,720 |
| Delaware | $30,460 |
| North Dakota | $30,400 |
| Florida | $30,380 |
| Pennsylvania | $30,260 |
| Nebraska | $29,970 |
| Idaho | $29,910 |
| South Carolina | $29,900 |
| Texas | $29,810 |
| Tennessee | $29,800 |
| Michigan | $29,730 |
| Ohio | $29,700 |
| Iowa | $29,560 |
| Nevada | $29,530 |
| Wisconsin | $29,490 |
| South Dakota | $29,460 |
| Missouri | $29,390 |
| Kentucky | $29,370 |
| Arkansas | $29,370 |
| North Carolina | $28,900 |
| Georgia | $28,880 |
| Indiana | $28,800 |
| Wyoming | $28,780 |
| Oklahoma | $28,370 |
| West Virginia | $28,330 |
| Kansas | $27,970 |
| Alabama | $27,940 |
| Louisiana | $27,630 |
| Virgin Islands | $27,410 |
| Puerto Rico | $26,890 |
| Mississippi | $23,740 |
Salary by Industry
National median wage for Animal Caretakers broken down by industry sector, 2024 data.
| Industry | Median Annual |
|---|---|
| Warehousing and Storage | $56,150 |
| Warehousing and Storage | $56,150 |
| Transportation and Warehousing | $56,090 |
| Construction of Buildings | $55,450 |
| Construction | $55,450 |
| Grantmaking and Giving Services | $51,130 |
| Technical and Trade Schools | $50,410 |
| Federal Government, including the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) | $50,340 |
| Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) | $50,340 |
| Testing Laboratories and Services | $48,880 |
| Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services | $48,640 |
| Residential Mental Health and Substance Abuse Facilities | $45,990 |
| General Medical and Surgical Hospitals | $45,820 |
| Hospitals | $45,820 |
| Residential Intellectual and Developmental Disability, Mental Health, and Substance Abuse Facilities | $45,710 |
| Scientific Research and Development Services | $44,790 |
| Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences | $44,790 |
| Investigation, Guard, and Armored Car Services | $44,680 |
| Investigation and Security Services | $44,680 |
| State Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $43,900 |
| Miscellaneous Store Retailers (4594 and 4595 only) | $43,470 |
| Offices of All Other Health Practitioners | $43,410 |
| Other Support Services | $43,060 |
| Computer Systems Design and Related Services | $42,920 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | $42,730 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | $42,730 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | $42,730 |
| Real Estate and Rental and Leasing | $42,680 |
| Real Estate | $42,680 |
| Nursing and Residential Care Facilities | $41,070 |
| State Government, including Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $40,720 |
| Elementary and Secondary Schools | $40,600 |
| Specialty (except Psychiatric and Substance Abuse) Hospitals | $39,420 |
| Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools | $38,880 |
| Traveler Accommodation | $38,810 |
| Federal, State, and Local Government, including State and Local Government Schools and Hospitals and the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) | $38,710 |
| Business, Professional, Labor, Political, and Similar Organizations | $38,650 |
| Offices of Other Health Practitioners | $38,460 |
| Federal, State, and Local Government, excluding State and Local Government Schools and Hospitals and the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) | $38,420 |
| Federal, State, and Local Government, excluding State and Local Government Schools and Hospitals and the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) | $38,420 |
| Manufacturing | $38,290 |
| Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions | $38,240 |
| Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions | $38,240 |
| Health Care and Social Assistance | $38,160 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | $38,070 |
| Administrative and Support Services | $38,070 |
| Educational Services | $38,070 |
| Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services | $37,840 |
| Accommodation | $37,810 |
| Local Government, including Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $37,720 |
| Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $37,720 |
| Vocational Rehabilitation Services | $37,440 |
| Performing Arts Companies | $37,190 |
| Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters | $37,190 |
| Civic and Social Organizations | $37,150 |
| Engineering Services | $37,010 |
| Casino Hotels | $36,890 |
| Amusement Parks and Arcades | $36,730 |
| RV (Recreational Vehicle) Parks and Recreational Camps | $36,680 |
| Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods (4241, 4247, and 4249 only) | $36,550 |
| Accommodation and Food Services | $36,230 |
| Offices of Mental Health Practitioners (except Physicians) | $36,230 |
| Ambulatory Health Care Services | $36,230 |
| Wholesale Trade Agents and Brokers | $36,190 |
| Wholesale Trade Agents and Brokers | $36,190 |
| Wholesale Trade | $36,190 |
| Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events | $35,790 |
| Employment Services | $35,750 |
| Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods | $35,710 |
| Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation | $35,700 |
| Independent Artists, Writers, and Performers | $35,660 |
| Amusement, Gambling, and Recreation Industries | $35,640 |
| Educational Services | $35,450 |
| Food Manufacturing | $35,350 |
| Building Material and Garden Equipment and Supplies Dealers | $34,960 |
| Lawn and Garden Equipment and Supplies Retailers | $34,960 |
| Support Activities for Agriculture and Forestry | $34,930 |
| Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | $34,930 |
| Offices of Physical, Occupational and Speech Therapists, and Audiologists | $34,840 |
| Support Activities for Animal Production | $34,790 |
| Animal Food Manufacturing | $34,020 |
| Personal Care Services | $34,000 |
| Other Schools and Instruction | $33,980 |
| Other Amusement and Recreation Industries | $33,800 |
| Performing Arts, Spectator Sports, and Related Industries | $33,730 |
| Spectator Sports | $33,710 |
| Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities | $33,650 |
| Social Assistance | $33,650 |
| Individual and Family Services | $33,620 |
| Other Personal Services | $33,450 |
| Personal and Laundry Services | $33,450 |
| Cross-industry, Private Ownership only | $33,280 |
| Other Services (except Public Administration) | $33,280 |
| Temporary Help Services | $32,240 |
| Other Miscellaneous Retailers | $32,050 |
| Retail Trade | $32,050 |
| Sporting Goods, Hobby, Musical Instrument, Book, and Miscellaneous Retailers | $32,050 |
| Farm Product Raw Material Merchant Wholesalers | $31,990 |
| Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations | $31,590 |
| Social Advocacy Organizations | $31,490 |
| Gambling Industries | $31,420 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | $30,550 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | $30,550 |
| Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | $30,090 |
| Veterinary Services | $30,000 |
| Junior Colleges | $27,840 |
| Repair and Maintenance | $26,980 |
| Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers | $20,990 |
National Wage Trend
View data table
| Year | Median Annual |
|---|---|
| 2024 | $33,470 |
| 2023 | $31,200 |
| 2022 | $29,530 |
| 2021 | $28,600 |
| 2020 | $26,080 |
| 2019 | $24,780 |
| 2018 | $23,760 |
| 2017 | $22,950 |
| 2016 | $21,990 |
| 2015 | $21,010 |
| 2014 | $20,340 |