Animal Caretakers — Career Decision Dashboard
United States
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Report generated from official BLS OEWS and O*NET data — United States.
Median annual wage
$35,360
United States, 2025
Employment
266,910
United States, 2025
Typical education
High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)
Job Zone 2
Skills identified
35
10 related careers
Career overview
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.
- O*NET code
- 39-2021.00
- Job zone
- 2
- Experience required
- Over 1 month, up to and including 3 months
Typical tasks
- Feed and water animals according to schedules and feeding instructions.
- Provide treatment to sick or injured animals, or contact veterinarians to secure treatment.
- 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.
- Do facility laundry and clean, organize, maintain, and disinfect animal quarters, such as pens and stables, and equipment, such as saddles and bridles.
- Exercise animals to maintain their physical and mental health.
- Collect and record animal information, such as weight, size, physical condition, treatments received, medications given, and food intake.
- Respond to questions from patrons, and provide information about animals, such as behavior, habitat, breeding habits, or facility activities.
Choose a location
Salary analysis — United States
10th percentile
$27,250
25th percentile
$29,820
75th percentile
$40,050
90th percentile
$50,060
Most important skills
- Monitoring3.1
- Judgment and Decision Making3.0
- Service Orientation3.0
- Coordination3.0
- Active Listening3.0
- Reading Comprehension3.0
- Speaking2.9
- Writing2.8
- Critical Thinking2.8
- Social Perceptiveness2.8
- Complex Problem Solving2.6
- Time Management2.5
What skills do you need?
Select the skills you already have
Skills listed are those O*NET rates at importance 3.0 or above for this occupation. Set your own level on the same 0–7 O*NET scale.
Skill coverage
0%
0 of 6 identified skills
Matched
0
Missing
6
Your selected skills cover approximately 0% of the skills identified for this occupation in O*NET. This is a coverage measure of listed skills only — it is not a qualification, hiring or interview outcome.
Skills to develop
| Skill | Importance | Required level | Your level | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Active Listening | 3.0 | 3.0 | Not selected | 3.0 |
| Monitoring | 3.1 | 2.9 | Not selected | 2.9 |
| Service Orientation | 3.0 | 2.9 | Not selected | 2.9 |
| Reading Comprehension | 3.0 | 2.9 | Not selected | 2.9 |
| Coordination | 3.0 | 2.5 | Not selected | 2.5 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 3.0 | 2.1 | Not selected | 2.1 |
Ordered by required level gap multiplied by O*NET importance. No prediction or recommendation is implied.
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Compare with Animal CaretakersHow salary varies by location
| Location | Median | Employment | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kahului, HI | $46,270 | 90 | 2025 |
| DC | $44,210 | 460 | 2025 |
| San Jose, CA | $44,070 | 1,090 | 2025 |
| Seattle, WA | $44,060 | 3,950 | 2025 |
| San Francisco, CA | $43,640 | 3,440 | 2025 |
| Barnstable Town, MA | $43,540 | 250 | 2025 |
| Burlington, VT | $41,330 | 170 | 2025 |
| El Centro, CA | $40,880 | 40 | 2025 |
| WA | $40,570 | 6,620 | 2025 |
| HI | $40,130 | 570 | 2025 |
| Santa Cruz, CA | $39,870 | 200 | 2025 |
| Amherst Town, MA | $39,870 | 150 | 2025 |
| Boston, MA | $39,850 | 5,590 | 2025 |
| MA | $39,650 | 6,900 | 2025 |
| Vallejo, CA | $39,520 | 230 | 2025 |
| Bremerton, WA | $39,100 | 260 | 2025 |
| Phoenix, AZ | $39,030 | 4,480 | 2025 |
| Santa Rosa, CA | $38,840 | 600 | 2025 |
| Napa, CA | $38,750 | 100 | 2025 |
| CA | $38,700 | 25,710 | 2025 |
Career transition paths
Compare the skills of a career you hold today with Animal Caretakers to see shared skills, target-only skills and skill overlap.
Build a transition comparisonCareer and skills data: O*NET 31.0.
Salary and employment data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS, 2025 (May 2025 release).
Figures are periodic published survey snapshots, not real-time market rates.