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The national median salary for Animal Caretakers is $35,360 per year ($17.00/hr) according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2025. The middle 50% of earners make between $29,827 and $40,061 annually. Top earners at the 90th percentile reach $50,066 per year. There are approximately 266,910 animal caretakers employed in the United States.
About This Role
BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018
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. May keep records of feedings, treatments, and animals received or discharged. May clean, disinfect, and repair cages, pens, or fish tanks.
Career Outlook
BLS Employment Projections · 2024-2034
10-year growth
+12.1%
Much faster than average
Annual openings
75K
per year, on avg
Workforce today
392K
as of 2024
Why those openings exist
6% from new growth94% from people leaving the role
Most openings come from replacement, not growth. Retention matters more than recruiting here.
Typical entry requirements
Education
High school diploma or equivalent
Experience
None
On-the-job training
Short-term on-the-job training
Industry Wage Breakdown
Top 5 industries by employment · median annual wage, sector-specific
Industry
Workforce
Median Pay
Other Personal Services
NAICS 812900
146K
$35,190
Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
NAICS 541900
34K
$32,250
Other Miscellaneous Retailers
NAICS 459900
32K
$35,280
Social Advocacy Organizations
NAICS 813300
10K
$34,730
Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions
NAICS 712100
8K
$39,320
Wage range across top 5 industries: $32,250 to $39,320 (22% spread)
Wage Percentiles
Hourly & annualized (2,080 hours)
Percentile
Hourly Rate
Annual Salary
P10
$13.10
$27,248
P25
$14.34
$29,827
P50MEDIAN
$17.00
$35,360
P75
$19.26
$40,061
P90
$24.07
$50,066
Market Context Signal
JOLTS · retail sector
Active
Openings Rate
4.6%
Quits Rate
3.1%
Retail openings rose to 737K (+52K) in March, rate up to 4.6%. Hires increased to 684K (+73K). Frontline turnover persists with quit rate at 3.1%.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average animal caretakers salary?
The national median salary for Animal Caretakers is $35,360 per year ($17.00/hr) according to BLS OEWS May 2025 data. The middle 50% earn between $29,827 and $40,061 annually.
How much do top-earning animal caretakers make?
The 90th percentile salary for Animal Caretakers is $50,066 per year ($24.07/hr). The 75th percentile is $40,061 per year.
What is the entry-level salary for animal caretakers?
Entry-level Animal Caretakers (10th percentile) earn approximately $27,248 per year ($13.10/hr). The 25th percentile is $29,827 per year.
Wage figures on this page come from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2025 release. OEWS surveys roughly 1.1 million establishments annually. It is the most comprehensive employer-reported wage dataset in the United States.
P10 through P90 percentiles represent the wage distribution across all surveyed employers (not self-reported by workers). Geographic adjustments use BLS-derived cost multipliers calibrated from regional wage variation.
Wages are estimates. Individual compensation depends on experience, education, employer size, industry, and negotiation. Use this as benchmark context, not absolute ground truth.
CompSignal is a free labor market intelligence tool built for HR, compensation, and talent acquisition teams. We make BLS data, the same primary source Mercer and Radford cross-reference in their paid surveys, searchable and actionable without an enterprise subscription.
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