Animal Caretakers
Animal Caretakers (SOC 39-2021) earn a median $35,360 a year ($17.00 an hour) in the United States, with 266,910 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is District of Columbia.
What animal caretakers do
Animal caretakers look after pets and other animals kept for reasons other than food, including dogs, cats, race horses, ornamental fish and birds, zoo animals, and mice. They give food and water, groom, bathe, and exercise the animals to protect their well-being. Employers include kennels, shelters, zoos, circuses, and aquariums. Caretakers prepare feed, formulas, and supplements suited to each species, watch for signs of illness or injury, treat sick animals or call a veterinarian, and note weight, condition, medications, and food intake. They clean and disinfect pens, stables, cages, and tanks, do the facility's laundry, and may track animals coming in and going out. Some also answer visitors' questions about behavior, habitat, or breeding. Veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers, and workers tending farm and ranch animals, belong to other codes.
Typical entry: O*NET respondents most often report a high school diploma or equivalent as the usual education level (about 64 percent).
Also called: Animal Care Attendant, Animal Care Giver (ACG), Animal Care Service Worker, Animal Care Specialist, Animal Care Taker.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $13.10 | $14.34 | $17.00 | $19.26 | $24.07 | $17.94 | 266,910 |
| Annual | $27,250 | $29,820 | $35,360 | $40,050 | $50,060 | $37,300 | ||
Employment per 1,000 jobs and the location quotient are area measures; they appear in the state and metro tables below. To see what a wage in this range leaves after tax, use FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Where animal caretakers earn and work most
Five highest-paying states
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| District of Columbia | Hourly | $18.19 | $18.41 | $21.25 | $22.95 | $30.91 | $22.36 | 460 | 0.66 | 0.38 |
| Annual | $37,840 | $38,290 | $44,210 | $47,730 | $64,300 | $46,510 | ||||
| Washington | Hourly | $17.36 | $17.85 | $19.51 | $23.09 | $31.05 | $22.19 | 6,620 | 1.86 | 1.09 |
| Annual | $36,100 | $37,140 | $40,570 | $48,030 | $64,580 | $46,160 | ||||
| Hawaii | Hourly | $14.95 | $15.82 | $19.29 | $24.91 | $31.83 | $21.45 | 570 | 0.91 | 0.53 |
| Annual | $31,100 | $32,910 | $40,130 | $51,810 | $66,200 | $44,620 | ||||
| Massachusetts | Hourly | $15.82 | $17.70 | $19.06 | $22.96 | $30.80 | $21.67 | 6,900 | 1.90 | 1.11 |
| Annual | $32,910 | $36,820 | $39,650 | $47,750 | $64,060 | $45,080 | ||||
| California | Hourly | $17.14 | $17.70 | $18.60 | $21.71 | $27.05 | $20.54 | 25,710 | 1.41 | 0.82 |
| Annual | $35,640 | $36,810 | $38,700 | $45,160 | $56,270 | $42,730 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| California | Hourly | $17.14 | $17.70 | $18.60 | $21.71 | $27.05 | $20.54 | 25,710 | 1.41 | 0.82 |
| Annual | $35,640 | $36,810 | $38,700 | $45,160 | $56,270 | $42,730 | ||||
| Texas | Hourly | $11.18 | $13.69 | $15.74 | $20.16 | $23.87 | $17.30 | 20,450 | 1.45 | 0.85 |
| Annual | $23,260 | $28,460 | $32,730 | $41,930 | $49,660 | $35,970 | ||||
| Florida | Hourly | $13.92 | $14.31 | $16.42 | $18.01 | $24.10 | $17.70 | 17,210 | 1.73 | 1.01 |
| Annual | $28,950 | $29,760 | $34,150 | $37,460 | $50,140 | $36,820 | ||||
| New York | Hourly | $16.25 | $17.14 | $18.19 | $21.05 | $23.43 | $19.49 | 12,470 | 1.29 | 0.75 |
| Annual | $33,800 | $35,640 | $37,840 | $43,780 | $48,740 | $40,540 | ||||
| Illinois | Hourly | $15.00 | $15.42 | $17.10 | $18.19 | $24.12 | $18.59 | 11,070 | 1.82 | 1.06 |
| Annual | $31,200 | $32,080 | $35,570 | $37,840 | $50,160 | $38,670 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Kahului-Wailuku, HI | Hourly | $15.30 | $17.93 | $22.24 | $24.00 | $31.20 | $21.95 | 90 | 1.25 | 0.73 |
| Annual | $31,820 | $37,300 | $46,270 | $49,920 | $64,900 | $45,650 | ||||
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | Hourly | $19.07 | $20.20 | $21.19 | $22.92 | $29.68 | $23.04 | 1,090 | 0.96 | 0.56 |
| Annual | $39,670 | $42,020 | $44,070 | $47,670 | $61,740 | $47,930 | ||||
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | Hourly | $17.81 | $18.43 | $21.19 | $23.43 | $32.00 | $22.99 | 3,950 | 1.89 | 1.10 |
| Annual | $37,040 | $38,340 | $44,060 | $48,730 | $66,560 | $47,810 | ||||
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | Hourly | $18.54 | $19.61 | $20.98 | $22.90 | $29.25 | $22.58 | 3,440 | 1.45 | 0.85 |
| Annual | $38,570 | $40,780 | $43,640 | $47,630 | $60,840 | $46,960 | ||||
| Barnstable Town, MA | Hourly | $17.36 | $17.99 | $20.93 | $23.03 | $29.76 | $22.07 | 250 | 2.64 | 1.54 |
| Annual | $36,100 | $37,410 | $43,540 | $47,910 | $61,910 | $45,910 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | $16.46 | $17.30 | $18.22 | $21.22 | $24.90 | $19.94 | 11,430 | 1.21 | 0.70 |
| Annual | $34,230 | $35,990 | $37,900 | $44,130 | $51,790 | $41,480 | ||||
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Hourly | $17.11 | $17.68 | $18.52 | $21.06 | $24.82 | $20.05 | 9,000 | 1.43 | 0.84 |
| Annual | $35,590 | $36,770 | $38,520 | $43,810 | $51,630 | $41,710 | ||||
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | Hourly | $15.00 | $16.42 | $17.36 | $18.29 | $26.81 | $19.10 | 8,510 | 1.89 | 1.10 |
| Annual | $31,200 | $34,160 | $36,110 | $38,030 | $55,770 | $39,720 | ||||
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | Hourly | $14.50 | $16.67 | $18.13 | $21.36 | $26.45 | $19.67 | 6,590 | 2.10 | 1.22 |
| Annual | $30,160 | $34,670 | $37,710 | $44,420 | $55,020 | $40,900 | ||||
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | Hourly | $13.00 | $14.20 | $16.49 | $21.87 | $24.12 | $18.19 | 6,110 | 1.51 | 0.88 |
| Annual | $27,040 | $29,530 | $34,310 | $45,490 | $50,180 | $37,840 | ||||
Top industries employing animal caretakers
Other Personal Services employ 54.8% of animal caretakers nationally (146,190 jobs) at a median $35,190 a year ($16.92 an hour), followed by Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services (12.8%) and Other Miscellaneous Retailers (12.2%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Other Personal Services NAICS 812900 | 146,190 | 54.8% | $35,190 | $16.92 |
| Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services NAICS 541900 | 34,170 | 12.8% | $32,250 | $15.51 |
| Other Miscellaneous Retailers NAICS 459900 | 32,480 | 12.2% | $35,280 | $16.96 |
| Social Advocacy Organizations NAICS 813300 | 10,170 | 3.8% | $34,730 | $16.70 |
| Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions NAICS 712100 | 8,250 | 3.1% | $39,320 | $18.91 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (266,910). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $28,600 for animal caretakers in May 2021 and $35,360 in May 2025, with employment of 225,680 and 266,910.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $28,600 | $13.75 | 225,680 |
| May 2022 | $29,530 | $14.20 | 256,670 |
| May 2023 | $31,200 | $15.00 | 268,830 |
| May 2024 | $33,470 | $16.09 | 277,300 |
| May 2025 | $35,360 | $17.00 | 266,910 |
BLS does not design OEWS as a time series: each release pools three years of samples, and occupational classifications, area definitions and estimation methods change between releases, so a difference between two releases is not a measure of change over time. The figures are shown as published, side by side, and nothing is computed from them. See how often OEWS is updated.
Every state, by median wage
51 states and DC publish a row for this occupation. A linked state has its own page with the within-state metro table and comparison; the others appear here only.
| Rank | State | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia profile | $21.25 | $44,210 | $37,840 | $64,300 | 460 | 0.66 | 0.38 |
| 2 | Washington profile | $19.51 | $40,570 | $36,100 | $64,580 | 6,620 | 1.86 | 1.09 |
| 3 | Hawaii profile | $19.29 | $40,130 | $31,100 | $66,200 | 570 | 0.91 | 0.53 |
| 4 | Massachusetts profile | $19.06 | $39,650 | $32,910 | $64,060 | 6,900 | 1.90 | 1.11 |
| 5 | California profile | $18.60 | $38,700 | $35,640 | $56,270 | 25,710 | 1.41 | 0.82 |
| 6 | Arizona profile | $18.35 | $38,180 | $33,320 | $68,090 | 6,330 | 1.96 | 1.14 |
| 7 | New York profile | $18.19 | $37,840 | $33,800 | $48,740 | 12,470 | 1.29 | 0.75 |
| 8 | Colorado profile | $18.00 | $37,430 | $32,070 | $55,300 | 6,290 | 2.19 | 1.27 |
| 9 | Connecticut profile | $17.94 | $37,310 | $35,150 | $62,540 | 3,000 | 1.77 | 1.03 |
| 10 | Maine profile | $17.90 | $37,230 | $31,360 | $48,530 | 1,430 | 2.23 | 1.30 |
| 11 | Rhode Island profile | $17.85 | $37,120 | $31,510 | $63,120 | 1,020 | 2.04 | 1.19 |
| 12 | Maryland profile | $17.68 | $36,780 | $31,500 | $56,730 | 5,570 | 2.02 | 1.17 |
| 13 | Alaska profile | $17.61 | $36,640 | $27,030 | $58,400 | 550 | 1.70 | 0.99 |
| 14 | Oregon profile | $17.59 | $36,580 | $33,510 | $54,510 | 3,470 | 1.77 | 1.03 |
| 15 | Minnesota profile | $17.51 | $36,430 | $29,440 | $48,050 | 4,250 | 1.44 | 0.84 |
| 16 | Vermont profile | $17.35 | $36,090 | $31,990 | $47,360 | 430 | 1.43 | 0.83 |
| 17 | New Jersey profile | $17.24 | $35,850 | $32,220 | $49,620 | 5,890 | 1.37 | 0.80 |
| 18 | Illinois profile | $17.10 | $35,570 | $31,200 | $50,160 | 11,070 | 1.82 | 1.06 |
| 19 | New Hampshire profile | $16.73 | $34,790 | $27,830 | $51,040 | 1,810 | 2.65 | 1.54 |
| 20 | Utah profile | $16.71 | $34,750 | $26,310 | $56,730 | 2,350 | 1.35 | 0.79 |
| 21 | Virginia profile | $16.53 | $34,380 | $28,050 | $46,180 | 10,070 | 2.45 | 1.43 |
| 22 | Montana profile | $16.45 | $34,210 | $26,170 | $49,080 | 1,200 | 2.35 | 1.37 |
| 23 | Florida profile | $16.42 | $34,150 | $28,950 | $50,140 | 17,210 | 1.73 | 1.01 |
| 24 | North Dakota profile | $16.37 | $34,040 | $29,960 | $62,170 | 770 | 1.80 | 1.05 |
| 25 | Delaware profile | $16.30 | $33,910 | $31,200 | $42,500 | 1,230 | 2.53 | 1.48 |
| 26 | New Mexico profile | $16.14 | $33,570 | $27,980 | $44,020 | 1,710 | 1.96 | 1.14 |
| 27 | Texas profile | $15.74 | $32,730 | $23,260 | $49,660 | 20,450 | 1.45 | 0.85 |
| 28 | Idaho profile | $15.47 | $32,170 | $22,000 | $46,990 | 1,760 | 2.05 | 1.20 |
| 29 | Nebraska profile | $15.23 | $31,680 | $28,080 | $52,010 | 2,100 | 2.05 | 1.19 |
| 30 | Pennsylvania profile | $15.08 | $31,360 | $23,430 | $47,960 | 9,910 | 1.63 | 0.95 |
| 31 | South Carolina profile | $15.04 | $31,280 | $22,880 | $46,160 | 4,090 | 1.77 | 1.03 |
| 32 | Missouri profile | $15.02 | $31,230 | $28,600 | $44,930 | 5,820 | 1.98 | 1.15 |
| 33 | North Carolina profile | $14.84 | $30,870 | $23,210 | $46,120 | 9,730 | 1.97 | 1.15 |
| 34 | Kentucky profile | $14.77 | $30,720 | $22,600 | $47,290 | 6,140 | 3.07 | 1.79 |
| 35 | Tennessee profile | $14.69 | $30,550 | $23,980 | $47,020 | 6,110 | 1.86 | 1.08 |
| 36 | South Dakota profile | $14.61 | $30,390 | $27,260 | $44,960 | 1,110 | 2.43 | 1.42 |
| 37 | Michigan profile | $14.58 | $30,320 | $27,770 | $45,480 | 6,290 | 1.43 | 0.83 |
| 38 | Nevada profile | $14.58 | $30,320 | $27,280 | $51,040 | 2,470 | 1.59 | 0.93 |
| 39 | Ohio profile | $14.57 | $30,310 | $24,130 | $49,450 | 9,350 | 1.68 | 0.98 |
| 40 | Arkansas profile | $14.54 | $30,230 | $27,290 | $47,990 | 2,040 | 1.57 | 0.91 |
| 41 | Wisconsin profile | $14.50 | $30,160 | $23,920 | $47,700 | 5,720 | 1.95 | 1.13 |
| 42 | Iowa profile | $14.46 | $30,080 | $22,450 | $45,610 | 3,480 | 2.23 | 1.30 |
| 43 | Indiana profile | $14.42 | $29,990 | $22,440 | $43,270 | 6,420 | 2.01 | 1.17 |
| 44 | Georgia profile | $14.36 | $29,860 | $21,370 | $47,260 | 9,110 | 1.86 | 1.09 |
| 45 | Kansas profile | $14.34 | $29,830 | $21,720 | $49,450 | 3,000 | 2.09 | 1.22 |
| 46 | Wyoming profile | $13.98 | $29,080 | $21,330 | $50,290 | 460 | 1.63 | 0.95 |
| 47 | Oklahoma profile | $13.92 | $28,940 | $21,320 | $43,880 | 3,170 | 1.86 | 1.08 |
| 48 | West Virginia profile | $13.73 | $28,550 | $22,050 | $44,810 | 1,160 | 1.65 | 0.96 |
| 49 | Alabama profile | $13.62 | $28,330 | $21,740 | $45,860 | 4,100 | 1.94 | 1.13 |
| 50 | Louisiana profile | $13.42 | $27,910 | $21,600 | $40,000 | 2,660 | 1.37 | 0.80 |
| 51 | Mississippi profile | $12.97 | $26,970 | $21,160 | $36,970 | 1,900 | 1.64 | 0.95 |
Part of Personal Care and Service Occupations. Compare any area in the wage explorer.
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS 39-2021 Animal Caretakers.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.
- Top industries: nat4d_M2025_dl.xlsx in oesm25in4.zip (BLS OEWS May 2025, national, 4-digit NAICS, cross-ownership). Employment is the industry's rounded total for this occupation; industries whose employment BLS withheld (**) are not ranked.
- Published medians: national_M2021_dl.xlsx to national_M2024_dl.xlsx in oesm21nat.zip to oesm24nat.zip (BLS OEWS May 2021 to May 2024, national, cross-industry, all ownerships) and the May 2025 spine. Each release is shown as published; nothing is computed between them.
Sources
- BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018, definition of 39-2021, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 39-2021.00, National Center for O*NET Development, USDOL/ETA (CC BY 4.0).
- OEWS May 2025 national industry-specific estimates, 4-digit NAICS (oesm25in4.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2021 national estimates (oesm21nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2022 national estimates (oesm22nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2023 national estimates (oesm23nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2024 national estimates (oesm24nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2025 national estimates (oesm25nat.zip), the site's data spine, US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
Includes information from O*NET 30.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Description written 2026-10-17 in our own words from the sources above.