12.1% higher than the US national median ($35,360)
Verified BLS OEWS data · Updated May 18, 2026
Is this a competitive Animal Caretakers salary in Massachusetts in 2026?
Based on BLS OEWS wage percentiles, JOLTS August 2026 demand signals, and ECI Q2 2026 wage growth.
$Competitive · ~P50
P10$33K
P25$37K
P50$40K
P75$48K
P90$64K
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Demand: ACTIVE. Demand is active -- retail openings are at 4.7% (JOLTS, August 2026). A balanced market where the median is a solid, competitive anchor.
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Merit budget: Wages in retail trade are rising about 3.4% a year (BLS ECI, Q2 2026). Budget a 3.0-3.5% merit increase to hold this role at market.
Our read
For a competitive 2026 offer, target $39,645 to $47,757 (market median to the 75th percentile). The median-to-P75 range keeps offers competitive.
Figures are market benchmarks from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics; apply professional judgment before making pay decisions.
How Animal Caretakers pay is moving in 2026
Trend, demand, and spread context from BLS OEWS, JOLTS, and ECI
Pay trend
Median pay for this role rose 5.7% between the May 2024 and May 2025 BLS surveys, outpacing the 3.4% wage growth of Retail Trade (BLS ECI).
Hiring demand · MODERATE
Retail Trade is running a 4.7% job-openings rate with quits at 3.0% (BLS JOLTS). The openings rate has drifted up from 4.5% to 4.7% over the past quarter.
Pay spread
Top earners (P90) make about 1.8 times what entry-level (P10) workers make in this role. That spread is narrower than typical, so pay is fairly standardized; small differences move a candidate across the market.
What changed recently
Sep 29, 2026JOLTS August 2026: sector openings rose to 4.7% (up 54K), the highest this year. Quits held at 3.0% (July revised from 3.1%). Hourly churn pressure persists.
Sep 1, 2026JOLTS July 2026: sector openings held at 4.5% (June revised down from 4.8%); quits crept up to 3.1%, the highest of the year. Hourly churn pressure persists.
Aug 4, 2026JOLTS June 2026: sector openings climbed to 4.8% and quits returned to 3.0%. Frontline churn pressure is building again.
Commentary is generated from published BLS figures (OEWS May 2025 vs May 2024, JOLTS August 2026, ECI Q2 2026) and refreshed each release. It is interpretation, not a BLS product.
Source: BLS OEWS · Published May 15, 2026
Next refresh: May 2027
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The median salary for Animal Caretakers in Massachusetts is $39,645 per year ($19.06/hr). This is 12.1% higher than the national median of $35,360.
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.
Wage Percentiles: Massachusetts
Hourly & annualized (2,080 hours) · National adjusted
Percentile
Hourly Rate
Annual Salary
vs National
P10Entry level
$15.82
$32,906
+20.8%
P25
$17.70
$36,816
+23.4%
P50MEDIAN
$19.06
$39,645
+12.1%
P75
$22.96
$47,757
+19.2%
P90Top earners
$30.80
$64,064
+28.0%
How Massachusetts compares for Animal Caretakers
Computed from this state's own BLS distribution against national
Pay for Animal Caretakers in Massachusetts sits above the national range at every level: +20.8% at entry, +12.1% at the median and +28.0% at the top. The gap is larger at the top than at entry.
An offer at the national median of $35,360 would sit at about the 18th percentile in Massachusetts.
The top of the range earns 1.95 times the bottom here against 1.84 times nationally, so pay for this role varies more between entry and senior levels in Massachusetts.
Massachusetts employs 6,900 people in this role, 2.6% of the national total.
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P10–P90 breakdown, career outlook, industry wages, and JOLTS market signal for Animal Caretakers
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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 2 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
See the complete picture
Full percentile breakdown · JOLTS market signals · Geographic comparison · AI analyst briefs
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the median animal caretakers salary in Massachusetts?
The median (P50) annual salary for Animal Caretakers in Massachusetts is approximately $39,645, based on BLS OEWS May 2025 data. This is 12.1% higher than the national median of $35,360. For the full P10–P90 breakdown and market context, open CompSignal.
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.
Built and maintained by Falcon Incentives, a compensation strategy and incentive design consultancy.
