How much does a Animal Caretakers make?

The median annual wage for Animal Caretakers is $35,360 ($17 per hour). Pay ranges from about $27,250 at the 10th percentile to $50,060 at the 90th percentile.

What is the average salary for a Animal Caretakers?

The average (mean) annual salary is $37,300, which is higher than the median because a small number of high earners pull the average up.

Which state pays Animal Caretakerss the most?

District of Columbia has the highest median annual wage for this occupation at $44,210.

Is Animal Caretakers a growing occupation?

BLS employment data for May 2025 counts about 267K people in this occupation. Projected growth is published separately in the BLS Employment Projections program.

What does a Animal Caretakers do?

Examine and observe animals to detect signs of illness, disease, or injury.; Mix food, liquid formulas, medications, or food supplements according to instructions, prescriptions, and knowledge of animal species.; Collect and record animal information, such as weight, size, physical condition, treatments received, medications given, and food intake..

Animal Caretakers Salary

Personal Care and Service Occupations · 267K employed in the U.S.

Median annual

$35,360

Median hourly

$17

Average annual

$37,300

Typical range

$27,250–$50,060

Pay distribution

10th to 90th percentile, with the median marked.

10th$27,250

25th$29,820

Median$35,360

75th$40,050

90th$50,060

What this role pays

The median annual salary for Animal Caretakers is $35,360 as of May 2025, based on the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey. That works out to about $17 an hour at a full-time schedule.

Feed, water, groom, bathe, exercise, or otherwise provide care to promote and maintain the well-being of pets and other animals that are not raised for consumption, such as dogs, cats, race horses, ornamental fish or birds, zoo animals, and mice. Work in settings such as kennels, animal shelters, zoos, circuses, and aquariums.

Most earn between $27,250 and $50,060 a year. There are roughly 267K people employed as animal caretakers in the United States. Use the state and metro pages below to see how pay changes by location, and the calculator to convert any hourly or annual figure.

Salary calculator

Convert your pay and see where it lands for Animal Caretakers.

Pay amountPay period

Hours / weekWeeks / year

Hourly: $17.00
Daily: $136
Weekly: $680
Bi-weekly: $1,360
Monthly: $2,947
Annual: $35,360

$35,360 a year is around the 50th percentile for Animal Caretakerss. The median is $35,360.

Animal Caretakers — U.S., May 2025
Percentile	Hourly	Annual
10th percentile	$13.10	$27,250
25th percentile	$14.30	$29,820
Median	$17.00	$35,360
75th percentile	$19.30	$40,050
90th percentile	$24.10	$50,060
Average (mean)	$17.90	$37,300
Employment	266,910 people

Key skills

Monitoring
Reading Comprehension
Active Listening
Coordination
Service Orientation
Judgment and Decision Making
Speaking
Writing
Critical Thinking
Social Perceptiveness

Highest-paying states

Median annual wage by state.

1District of Columbia$44,210
2Washington$40,570
3Hawaii$40,130
4Massachusetts$39,650
5California$38,700
6Arizona$38,180
7New York$37,840
8Colorado$37,430
9Connecticut$37,310
10Maine$37,230
11Rhode Island$37,120
12Maryland$36,780

Top-paying metro areas

Median annual wage by metro area.

1Kahului-Wailuku, HI$46,270
2San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$44,070
3Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA$44,060
4San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$43,640
5Barnstable Town, MA$43,540
6Burlington-South Burlington, VT$41,330
7El Centro, CA$40,880
8Amherst Town-Northampton, MA$39,870
9Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA$39,870
10Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH$39,850
11Vallejo, CA$39,520
12Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA$39,100

Related job titles

Employers advertise Animal Caretakers roles under these titles.

Related occupations

What a Animal Caretakers does

Examine and observe animals to detect signs of illness, disease, or injury.
Mix food, liquid formulas, medications, or food supplements according to instructions, prescriptions, and knowledge of animal species.
Collect and record animal information, such as weight, size, physical condition, treatments received, medications given, and food intake.
Feed and water animals according to schedules and feeding instructions.
Provide treatment to sick or injured animals, or contact veterinarians to secure treatment.
Exercise animals to maintain their physical and mental health.
Perform animal grooming duties, such as washing, brushing, clipping, and trimming coats, cutting nails, and cleaning ears.
Do facility laundry and clean, organize, maintain, and disinfect animal quarters, such as pens and stables, and equipment, such as saddles and bridles.

Frequently asked questions

How much does a Animal Caretakers make?: The median annual wage for Animal Caretakers is $35,360 ($17 per hour). Pay ranges from about $27,250 at the 10th percentile to $50,060 at the 90th percentile.
What is the average salary for a Animal Caretakers?: The average (mean) annual salary is $37,300, which is higher than the median because a small number of high earners pull the average up.
Which state pays Animal Caretakerss the most?: District of Columbia has the highest median annual wage for this occupation at $44,210.
Is Animal Caretakers a growing occupation?: BLS employment data for May 2025 counts about 267K people in this occupation. Projected growth is published separately in the BLS Employment Projections program.
What does a Animal Caretakers do?: Examine and observe animals to detect signs of illness, disease, or injury.; Mix food, liquid formulas, medications, or food supplements according to instructions, prescriptions, and knowledge of animal species.; Collect and record animal information, such as weight, size, physical condition, treatments received, medications given, and food intake..