Animal Control Workers
Animal Control Workers (SOC 33-9011) earn a median $45,660 a year ($21.95 an hour) in the United States, with 12,070 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is Washington.
What animal control workers do
Animal control workers handle animals for the purpose of investigating mistreatment, or controlling abandoned, dangerous or unattended animals. They capture and remove stray, uncontrolled or abused animals from undesirable conditions, using nets, nooses or tranquilizer darts as necessary, and they place captured animals in shelter cages or other enclosures. They investigate reports of animal attacks or animal cruelty, interviewing witnesses, collecting evidence and writing reports. They examine animals for injuries or malnutrition and arrange any necessary medical treatment, and they contact owners to tell them their pets are at animal holding facilities. They educate the public about animal welfare and animal control laws and regulations, answer public inquiries about animal control operations, and write reports of their activities and keep files on impoundments and the disposition of animals. O*NET alternate titles include animal control officer, animal cruelty investigator, animal enforcement officer and animal ordinance enforcement officer. About 65 percent of respondents report a high school diploma, 19 percent a postsecondary certificate and 12 percent an associate degree. The work combines field enforcement with animal handling.
Typical entry: O*NET respondents most often report a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical level of education for this occupation (65 percent).
Also called: ACO (Animal Control Officer), Animal Attendant, Animal Control Specialist, Animal Cop, Animal Cruelty Investigator.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $15.91 | $18.15 | $21.95 | $27.44 | $32.72 | $23.29 | 12,070 |
| Annual | $33,090 | $37,750 | $45,660 | $57,060 | $68,070 | $48,440 | ||
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 control workers 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 | ||||||
| Washington | Hourly | $18.93 | $25.19 | $31.94 | $37.86 | $42.40 | $31.72 | 180 | 0.05 | 0.67 |
| Annual | $39,370 | $52,400 | $66,440 | $78,750 | $88,180 | $65,980 | ||||
| Oregon | Hourly | $26.42 | $29.23 | $31.79 | $34.86 | $39.72 | $32.22 | 40 | 0.02 | 0.26 |
| Annual | $54,950 | $60,800 | $66,130 | $72,500 | $82,620 | $67,020 | ||||
| Alaska | Hourly | $22.18 | $22.51 | $30.45 | $33.68 | $35.78 | $29.20 | 30 | 0.09 | 1.19 |
| Annual | $46,140 | $46,820 | $63,340 | $70,050 | $74,420 | $60,730 | ||||
| California | Hourly | $22.87 | $26.41 | $30.11 | $34.63 | $37.92 | $30.62 | 1,210 | 0.07 | 0.85 |
| Annual | $47,570 | $54,940 | $62,630 | $72,020 | $78,880 | $63,690 | ||||
| Massachusetts | Hourly | $21.33 | $24.10 | $29.29 | $35.10 | $37.59 | $29.74 | 280 | 0.08 | 0.98 |
| Annual | $44,370 | $50,130 | $60,930 | $73,010 | $78,180 | $61,860 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Texas | Hourly | $16.56 | $18.15 | $20.79 | $22.47 | $26.23 | $20.70 | 1,300 | 0.09 | 1.19 |
| Annual | $34,440 | $37,750 | $43,250 | $46,730 | $54,550 | $43,060 | ||||
| California | Hourly | $22.87 | $26.41 | $30.11 | $34.63 | $37.92 | $30.62 | 1,210 | 0.07 | 0.85 |
| Annual | $47,570 | $54,940 | $62,630 | $72,020 | $78,880 | $63,690 | ||||
| New York | Hourly | $16.73 | $18.71 | $23.28 | $29.60 | $35.27 | $25.83 | 870 | 0.09 | 1.16 |
| Annual | $34,800 | $38,920 | $48,420 | $61,570 | $73,360 | $53,720 | ||||
| Florida | Hourly | $16.88 | $18.40 | $22.05 | $26.71 | $29.68 | $23.17 | 640 | 0.06 | 0.83 |
| Annual | $35,100 | $38,280 | $45,860 | $55,560 | $61,730 | $48,190 | ||||
| North Carolina | Hourly | $16.90 | $18.27 | $21.12 | $23.52 | $27.52 | $21.23 | 460 | 0.09 | 1.19 |
| Annual | $35,150 | $37,990 | $43,940 | $48,930 | $57,230 | $44,160 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | Hourly | $31.70 | $31.90 | $37.86 | $42.40 | $45.35 | $37.76 | 80 | 0.04 | 0.49 |
| Annual | $65,940 | $66,360 | $78,750 | $88,180 | $94,330 | $78,540 | ||||
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | Hourly | $27.84 | $29.09 | $37.28 | $37.98 | $45.47 | $36.41 | 120 | 0.05 | 0.63 |
| Annual | $57,900 | $60,500 | $77,540 | $78,990 | $94,580 | $75,730 | ||||
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | Hourly | $27.75 | $32.14 | $35.70 | $37.15 | $44.13 | $35.86 | 30 | 0.03 | 0.38 |
| Annual | $57,720 | $66,860 | $74,260 | $77,270 | $91,800 | $74,580 | ||||
| Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT | Hourly | $16.99 | $24.46 | $33.85 | $38.25 | $45.33 | $31.75 | 40 | 0.10 | 1.30 |
| Annual | $35,330 | $50,870 | $70,410 | $79,550 | $94,290 | $66,030 | ||||
| Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | Hourly | $15.00 | $28.27 | $32.62 | $34.83 | $39.56 | $29.68 | 60 | 0.05 | 0.70 |
| Annual | $31,200 | $58,810 | $67,860 | $72,450 | $82,290 | $61,730 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Hourly | $23.64 | $29.90 | $30.20 | $34.63 | $41.95 | $32.18 | 430 | 0.07 | 0.89 |
| Annual | $49,170 | $62,180 | $62,810 | $72,020 | $87,250 | $66,930 | ||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | $18.88 | $21.40 | $26.82 | $33.44 | $39.55 | $28.48 | 400 | 0.04 | 0.54 |
| Annual | $39,260 | $44,510 | $55,790 | $69,550 | $82,270 | $59,240 | ||||
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | Hourly | $19.20 | $21.02 | $21.97 | $23.96 | $27.19 | $22.63 | 350 | 0.09 | 1.10 |
| Annual | $39,940 | $43,710 | $45,690 | $49,830 | $56,560 | $47,070 | ||||
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | Hourly | $15.77 | $19.48 | $23.74 | $30.75 | $37.71 | $25.64 | 210 | 0.05 | 0.60 |
| Annual | $32,810 | $40,510 | $49,370 | $63,970 | $78,440 | $53,330 | ||||
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | Hourly | $18.26 | $18.93 | $20.60 | $22.77 | $24.89 | $21.07 | 200 | 0.07 | 0.88 |
| Annual | $37,970 | $39,380 | $42,840 | $47,370 | $51,760 | $43,830 | ||||
Top industries employing animal control workers
Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) employ 91.8% of animal control workers nationally (11,080 jobs) at a median $45,520 a year ($21.88 an hour), followed by Social Advocacy Organizations (2.9%) and Other Personal Services (2.6%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) NAICS 999300 | 11,080 | 91.8% | $45,520 | $21.88 |
| Social Advocacy Organizations NAICS 813300 | 350 | 2.9% | $48,310 | $23.23 |
| Other Personal Services NAICS 812900 | 310 | 2.6% | $44,040 | $21.18 |
| State Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) NAICS 999200 | 90 | 0.7% | $55,220 | $26.55 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (12,070). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $39,160 for animal control workers in May 2021 and $45,660 in May 2025, with employment of 11,600 and 12,070.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $39,160 | $18.83 | 11,600 |
| May 2022 | $39,320 | $18.90 | 11,490 |
| May 2023 | $43,170 | $20.75 | 11,600 |
| May 2024 | $45,830 | $22.03 | 11,790 |
| May 2025 | $45,660 | $21.95 | 12,070 |
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
44 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 | Washington profile | $31.94 | $66,440 | $39,370 | $88,180 | 180 | 0.05 | 0.67 |
| 2 | Oregon profile | $31.79 | $66,130 | $54,950 | $82,620 | 40 | 0.02 | 0.26 |
| 3 | Alaska profile | $30.45 | $63,340 | $46,140 | $74,420 | 30 | 0.09 | 1.19 |
| 4 | California profile | $30.11 | $62,630 | $47,570 | $78,880 | 1,210 | 0.07 | 0.85 |
| 5 | Massachusetts profile | $29.29 | $60,930 | $44,370 | $78,180 | 280 | 0.08 | 0.98 |
| 6 | Nevada profile | $28.27 | $58,810 | $32,100 | $74,610 | 100 | 0.07 | 0.85 |
| 7 | Colorado profile | $28.11 | $58,470 | $43,870 | $74,230 | 170 | 0.06 | 0.75 |
| 8 | Connecticut profile | $27.47 | $57,130 | $37,270 | $82,000 | 220 | 0.13 | 1.66 |
| 9 | Rhode Island profile | $26.47 | $55,060 | $35,650 | $64,420 | 70 | 0.15 | 1.88 |
| 10 | Iowa profile | $26.05 | $54,190 | $42,120 | $62,040 | 80 | 0.05 | 0.66 |
| 11 | Wyoming profile | $25.90 | $53,870 | $40,390 | $60,540 | 40 | 0.14 | 1.78 |
| 12 | Maryland profile | $25.64 | $53,330 | $39,420 | $81,450 | 140 | 0.05 | 0.66 |
| 13 | New Jersey profile | $25.03 | $52,050 | $36,890 | $81,240 | 260 | 0.06 | 0.78 |
| 14 | Pennsylvania profile | $25.00 | $52,000 | $47,740 | $67,370 | ** | ** | ** |
| 15 | Montana profile | $24.29 | $50,530 | $40,230 | $57,190 | 50 | 0.10 | 1.26 |
| 16 | Maine profile | $23.87 | $49,660 | $38,050 | $59,530 | 90 | 0.14 | 1.80 |
| 17 | Virginia profile | $23.56 | $49,010 | $37,010 | $60,340 | 430 | 0.11 | 1.35 |
| 18 | New Hampshire profile | $23.48 | $48,840 | $35,000 | $64,610 | 60 | 0.08 | 1.07 |
| 19 | New York profile | $23.28 | $48,420 | $34,800 | $73,360 | 870 | 0.09 | 1.16 |
| 20 | Michigan profile | $23.24 | $48,340 | $36,090 | $60,960 | 260 | 0.06 | 0.77 |
| 21 | Arizona profile | $22.91 | $47,650 | $35,200 | $58,070 | 210 | 0.07 | 0.85 |
| 22 | Utah profile | $22.70 | $47,210 | $33,280 | $64,860 | 200 | 0.12 | 1.49 |
| 23 | Florida profile | $22.05 | $45,860 | $35,100 | $61,730 | 640 | 0.06 | 0.83 |
| 24 | South Dakota profile | $21.89 | $45,530 | $32,670 | $56,900 | 50 | 0.11 | 1.40 |
| 25 | Ohio profile | $21.74 | $45,220 | $31,940 | $59,470 | 290 | 0.05 | 0.68 |
| 26 | North Carolina profile | $21.12 | $43,940 | $35,150 | $57,230 | 460 | 0.09 | 1.19 |
| 27 | Idaho profile | $21.12 | $43,930 | $32,890 | $57,470 | 50 | 0.06 | 0.76 |
| 28 | Texas profile | $20.79 | $43,250 | $34,440 | $54,550 | 1,300 | 0.09 | 1.19 |
| 29 | Indiana profile | $20.68 | $43,000 | $29,120 | $59,890 | 340 | 0.11 | 1.37 |
| 30 | Tennessee profile | $20.66 | $42,970 | $27,240 | $51,640 | 280 | 0.09 | 1.09 |
| 31 | Illinois profile | $20.42 | $42,480 | $32,510 | $73,470 | 410 | 0.07 | 0.86 |
| 32 | Missouri profile | $20.08 | $41,760 | $31,300 | $58,840 | 440 | 0.15 | 1.95 |
| 33 | Kansas profile | $19.00 | $39,520 | $35,010 | $53,620 | 190 | 0.14 | 1.74 |
| 34 | Georgia profile | $18.99 | $39,500 | $33,060 | $51,760 | 430 | 0.09 | 1.14 |
| 35 | South Carolina profile | $18.65 | $38,790 | $28,800 | $47,470 | 180 | 0.08 | 0.98 |
| 36 | Louisiana profile | $18.28 | $38,020 | $28,090 | $56,240 | 120 | 0.06 | 0.78 |
| 37 | New Mexico profile | $18.17 | $37,800 | $31,250 | $46,380 | 260 | 0.30 | 3.89 |
| 38 | Oklahoma profile | $18.00 | $37,450 | $27,300 | $49,940 | 380 | 0.22 | 2.85 |
| 39 | Wisconsin profile | $17.97 | $37,380 | $29,840 | $69,790 | 120 | 0.04 | 0.51 |
| 40 | Alabama profile | $17.95 | $37,340 | $27,880 | $54,060 | 290 | 0.14 | 1.75 |
| 41 | Kentucky profile | $17.00 | $35,360 | $27,600 | $47,580 | 190 | 0.10 | 1.23 |
| 42 | West Virginia profile | $16.89 | $35,120 | $27,660 | $41,590 | 90 | 0.12 | 1.57 |
| 43 | Mississippi profile | $16.77 | $34,890 | $27,390 | $47,940 | 160 | 0.14 | 1.81 |
| 44 | Arkansas profile | $16.54 | $34,410 | $24,390 | $43,890 | 180 | 0.14 | 1.73 |
Part of Protective 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 33-9011 Animal Control Workers.
**- Employment estimate not available.
- 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 33-9011, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 33-9011.00, 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.