Animal Caretakers Salary in the United States
The median annual wage for animal caretakers is $35,360, or $17.00 per hour. About 266,910 people work in this occupation nationwide. Wages vary substantially by state — from $44,210 in District of Columbia to $26,970 in Mississippi.
Wage distribution nationwide
Earnings spread across all U.S. workers in this occupation.
Salary by state
All 51 states with published data, ranked by median annual wage.
| # | State | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | $44,210 | $21.25 | 460 | 0.38 |
| 2 | Washington | $40,570 | $19.51 | 6,620 | 1.09 |
| 3 | Hawaii | $40,130 | $19.29 | 570 | 0.53 |
| 4 | Massachusetts | $39,650 | $19.06 | 6,900 | 1.11 |
| 5 | California | $38,700 | $18.60 | 25,710 | 0.82 |
| 6 | Arizona | $38,180 | $18.35 | 6,330 | 1.14 |
| 7 | New York | $37,840 | $18.19 | 12,470 | 0.75 |
| 8 | Colorado | $37,430 | $18.00 | 6,290 | 1.27 |
| 9 | Connecticut | $37,310 | $17.94 | 3,000 | 1.03 |
| 10 | Maine | $37,230 | $17.90 | 1,430 | 1.30 |
| 11 | Rhode Island | $37,120 | $17.85 | 1,020 | 1.19 |
| 12 | Maryland | $36,780 | $17.68 | 5,570 | 1.17 |
| 13 | Alaska | $36,640 | $17.61 | 550 | 0.99 |
| 14 | Oregon | $36,580 | $17.59 | 3,470 | 1.03 |
| 15 | Minnesota | $36,430 | $17.51 | 4,250 | 0.84 |
| 16 | Vermont | $36,090 | $17.35 | 430 | 0.83 |
| 17 | New Jersey | $35,850 | $17.24 | 5,890 | 0.80 |
| 18 | Illinois | $35,570 | $17.10 | 11,070 | 1.06 |
| 19 | New Hampshire | $34,790 | $16.73 | 1,810 | 1.54 |
| 20 | Utah | $34,750 | $16.71 | 2,350 | 0.79 |
| 21 | Virginia | $34,380 | $16.53 | 10,070 | 1.43 |
| 22 | Montana | $34,210 | $16.45 | 1,200 | 1.37 |
| 23 | Florida | $34,150 | $16.42 | 17,210 | 1.01 |
| 24 | North Dakota | $34,040 | $16.37 | 770 | 1.05 |
| 25 | Delaware | $33,910 | $16.30 | 1,230 | 1.48 |
| 26 | New Mexico | $33,570 | $16.14 | 1,710 | 1.14 |
| 27 | Texas | $32,730 | $15.74 | 20,450 | 0.85 |
| 28 | Idaho | $32,170 | $15.47 | 1,760 | 1.20 |
| 29 | Nebraska | $31,680 | $15.23 | 2,100 | 1.19 |
| 30 | Pennsylvania | $31,360 | $15.08 | 9,910 | 0.95 |
| 31 | South Carolina | $31,280 | $15.04 | 4,090 | 1.03 |
| 32 | Missouri | $31,230 | $15.02 | 5,820 | 1.15 |
| 33 | North Carolina | $30,870 | $14.84 | 9,730 | 1.15 |
| 34 | Kentucky | $30,720 | $14.77 | 6,140 | 1.79 |
| 35 | Tennessee | $30,550 | $14.69 | 6,110 | 1.08 |
| 36 | South Dakota | $30,390 | $14.61 | 1,110 | 1.42 |
| 37 | Nevada | $30,320 | $14.58 | 2,470 | 0.93 |
| 38 | Michigan | $30,320 | $14.58 | 6,290 | 0.83 |
| 39 | Ohio | $30,310 | $14.57 | 9,350 | 0.98 |
| 40 | Arkansas | $30,230 | $14.54 | 2,040 | 0.91 |
| 41 | Wisconsin | $30,160 | $14.50 | 5,720 | 1.13 |
| 42 | Iowa | $30,080 | $14.46 | 3,480 | 1.30 |
| 43 | Indiana | $29,990 | $14.42 | 6,420 | 1.17 |
| 44 | Georgia | $29,860 | $14.36 | 9,110 | 1.09 |
| 45 | Kansas | $29,830 | $14.34 | 3,000 | 1.22 |
| 46 | Wyoming | $29,080 | $13.98 | 460 | 0.95 |
| 47 | Oklahoma | $28,940 | $13.92 | 3,170 | 1.08 |
| 48 | West Virginia | $28,550 | $13.73 | 1,160 | 0.96 |
| 49 | Alabama | $28,330 | $13.62 | 4,100 | 1.13 |
| 50 | Louisiana | $27,910 | $13.42 | 2,660 | 0.80 |
| 51 | Mississippi | $26,970 | $12.97 | 1,900 | 0.95 |
Related occupations
Same job family, ranked by national employment.
Frequently asked questions
How much do animal caretakers make?
The median annual wage for animal caretakers in the United States is $35,360, or $17.00 per hour. Entry-level workers (10th percentile) earn $27,250, and the top 10% earn $50,060.
How many animal caretakers are employed in the U.S.?
About 266,910 people work as animal caretakers nationwide.
Which state pays animal caretakers the most?
District of Columbia pays the most at a median of $44,210, followed by Washington ($40,570) and Hawaii ($40,130).
Which state pays animal caretakers the least?
Mississippi has the lowest median at $26,970.
Where are animal caretakers jobs most concentrated?
The location quotient measures employment concentration relative to the national average. The highest is Kentucky at 1.79×.