39
Animal Caretakers is a notable career in the 39 category. This page provides verified data from BLS OEWS 2024 + O*NET 29.0 (2024), helping you compare Animal Caretakers against similar careers and make data-driven decisions.
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13
| soc | 39-2021 |
| title | Animal Caretakers |
| onet code | 39-2021.00 |
| description | 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. |
| job zone | 2 |
| major group | 39 |
| tot emp | 277,300 |
| a mean | 34,750 |
| a median | 33,470 |
| a pct10 | 24,500 |
| a pct25 | 28,870 |
| a pct75 | 37,160 |
| a pct90 | 46,480 |
| h mean | 16 |
| h median | 16 |
The day-to-day work of a animal caretakers typically centers on feed and water animals according to schedules and feeding instructions. Every task listed below is classified as Core in O*NET — they collectively define the role. Task descriptions below are quoted from the U.S. Department of Labor's O*NET 29.0 occupation profile.
Workers in this occupation rely most on Monitoring, Active Listening, and Reading Comprehension. Across the top 6 skills, the average O*NET importance score is 3.02 out of 5 — moderately weighted for this role. Importance reflects how essential each skill is for adequate job performance.
Among working animal caretakers, the most common entry qualification is a High School Diploma (63.5%). Bachelor's-degree-or-higher credentials are reported by 13% of incumbents. Most workers enter without a four-year degree, making this a relatively accessible career path.
Median annual pay is highest in Washington at $38,400 and lowest in Mississippi at $23,740 — a 1.6× spread. The top five states (Washington, District of Columbia, California, Massachusetts, New York) average $37,398. Figures reflect BLS OEWS May 2024 state-level wage estimates; percentiles shown are for full-time wage-earners in each state.
| State | Median | Mean | 10th % | 90th % | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | $38,400 | $43,330 | $34,820 | $58,290 | 6,320 |
| District of Columbia | $37,980 | $41,360 | $35,360 | $48,140 | 430 |
| California | $37,200 | $40,310 | $34,420 | $48,150 | 26,200 |
| Massachusetts | $36,910 | $38,290 | $32,050 | $45,490 | 7,470 |
| New York | $36,500 | $39,190 | $31,390 | $48,270 | 11,970 |
| Connecticut | $36,330 | $40,280 | $32,640 | $52,060 | 3,250 |
| Maine | $36,310 | $38,810 | $30,680 | $47,880 | 1,390 |
| Maryland | $35,990 | $39,540 | $31,200 | $48,750 | 6,380 |
| Vermont | $35,600 | $36,170 | $30,920 | $44,430 | 570 |
| Alaska | $35,570 | $37,600 | $27,550 | $49,140 | 560 |
| Oregon | $35,310 | $36,610 | $30,890 | $44,710 | 3,750 |
| Colorado | $35,300 | $38,740 | $30,470 | $53,130 | 6,530 |
| Arizona | $35,170 | $36,760 | $30,860 | $45,070 | 5,450 |
| Rhode Island | $34,930 | $36,420 | $29,850 | $45,110 | 1,030 |
| New Jersey | $34,530 | $38,340 | $31,470 | $49,410 | 6,010 |
| Illinois | $34,440 | $36,090 | $29,120 | $48,240 | 10,660 |
| Hawaii | $34,410 | $39,170 | $29,380 | $61,320 | 690 |
| Minnesota | $33,790 | $35,660 | $28,870 | $45,820 | 4,610 |
| Montana | $32,290 | $34,590 | $26,110 | $47,060 | 1,150 |
| New Hampshire | $32,030 | $34,700 | $26,820 | $47,570 | 1,790 |
| Utah | $31,550 | $35,990 | $22,010 | $59,380 | 2,370 |
| Virginia | $30,830 | $33,820 | $27,800 | $44,500 | 9,610 |
| New Mexico | $30,720 | $33,410 | $27,040 | $43,140 | 1,650 |
| Delaware | $30,460 | $33,420 | $27,560 | $39,990 | 1,140 |
| North Dakota | $30,400 | $31,720 | $26,410 | $36,710 | 730 |
| Florida | $30,380 | $35,280 | $27,310 | $48,810 | 17,610 |
| Pennsylvania | $30,260 | $32,320 | $22,390 | $46,310 | 10,330 |
| Nebraska | $29,970 | $34,560 | $24,960 | $49,080 | 2,170 |
| Idaho | $29,910 | $32,150 | $22,050 | $45,350 | 1,890 |
| South Carolina | $29,900 | $31,200 | $22,080 | $42,920 | 5,280 |
| Texas | $29,810 | $32,350 | $22,970 | $44,620 | 22,690 |
| Tennessee | $29,800 | $31,750 | $23,500 | $38,370 | 7,000 |
| Michigan | $29,730 | $32,960 | $26,250 | $43,730 | 6,480 |
| Ohio | $29,700 | $34,220 | $23,210 | $56,790 | 9,750 |
| Iowa | $29,560 | $31,500 | $21,780 | $44,690 | 3,460 |
| Nevada | $29,530 | $32,350 | $25,640 | $46,120 | 2,500 |
| Wisconsin | $29,490 | $32,590 | $22,870 | $45,580 | 5,600 |
| South Dakota | $29,460 | $32,260 | $24,100 | $44,970 | 1,030 |
| Missouri | $29,390 | $31,970 | $26,650 | $37,840 | 6,570 |
| Arkansas | $29,370 | $32,080 | $26,030 | $38,700 | 2,270 |
| Kentucky | $29,370 | $31,250 | $21,830 | $44,870 | 6,980 |
| North Carolina | $28,900 | $31,480 | $22,150 | $39,520 | 10,810 |
| Georgia | $28,880 | $29,550 | $18,910 | $38,880 | 9,620 |
| Indiana | $28,800 | $30,650 | $21,650 | $44,270 | 6,200 |
| Wyoming | $28,780 | $31,040 | $19,990 | $44,900 | 430 |
| Oklahoma | $28,370 | $30,050 | $18,760 | $46,810 | 3,780 |
| West Virginia | $28,330 | $29,030 | $21,330 | $37,110 | 1,220 |
| Kansas | $27,970 | $30,210 | $19,240 | $46,620 | 3,010 |
| Alabama | $27,940 | $30,110 | $20,590 | $44,420 | 4,170 |
| Louisiana | $27,630 | $28,620 | $21,210 | $37,440 | 3,060 |
| Mississippi | $23,740 | $26,070 | $17,670 | $34,220 | 1,750 |
Recruiters and job boards use several alternate titles for animal caretakers. Knowing these variants widens your job search — listings for Animal Care Attendant or Animal Care Giver (ACG) frequently describe the same role. The list below is a sample of the most common industry variants.
This data helps you understand how Animal Caretakers compares to others in the 39 category. Use it to make informed decisions based on verified data from BLS OEWS 2024 + O*NET 29.0.
careers with the closest data values to Animal Caretakers
The CertifyWize editorial team aggregates and verifies careers data from BLS OEWS 2024 + O*NET 29.0. Every statistic on this site is cross-referenced against the official source before publication, with quarterly re-verification cycles.
Read our full methodology or contact us with corrections.