Animal Caretakers Salary
BLS May 2025 median wages — with computed take-home after taxes for all 51 reporting states. Tax year 2026.
Quick answer
According to payandtaxes.com's analysis of BLS May 2025 data, the median animal caretakers in the US earns $35,360 per year (266,910 employed). Gross pay is highest in Washington DC ($44,210) and lowest in Mississippi ($26,970) — but what you keep depends on the state's taxes; see the table.
Animal Caretakers pay by stategross median vs take-home
| State | Median wage | After taxes | Monthly net | Kept | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Animal Caretakers in Washington DC | $44,210 | $36,216 | $3,018 | 81.9% | 460 |
| Animal Caretakers in Washington | $40,570 | $34,778 | $2,898 | 85.7% | 6,620 |
| Animal Caretakers in Hawaii | $40,130 | $32,845 | $2,737 | 81.8% | 570 |
| Animal Caretakers in Massachusetts | $39,650 | $32,276 | $2,690 | 81.4% | 6,900 |
| Animal Caretakers in California | $38,700 | $32,738 | $2,728 | 84.6% | 25,710 |
| Animal Caretakers in Arizona | $38,180 | $32,112 | $2,676 | 84.1% | 6,330 |
| Animal Caretakers in New York | $37,840 | $31,138 | $2,595 | 82.3% | 12,470 |
| Animal Caretakers in Colorado | $37,430 | $31,317 | $2,610 | 83.7% | 6,290 |
| Animal Caretakers in Connecticut | $37,310 | $31,405 | $2,617 | 84.2% | 3,000 |
| Animal Caretakers in Maine | $37,230 | $30,727 | $2,561 | 82.5% | 1,430 |
| Animal Caretakers in Rhode Island | $37,120 | $31,231 | $2,603 | 84.1% | 1,020 |
| Animal Caretakers in Maryland | $36,780 | $30,349 | $2,529 | 82.5% | 5,570 |
| Animal Caretakers in Alaska | $36,640 | $31,620 | $2,635 | 86.3% | 550 |
| Animal Caretakers in Oregon | $36,580 | $29,201 | $2,433 | 79.8% | 3,470 |
| Animal Caretakers in Minnesota | $36,430 | $30,321 | $2,527 | 83.2% | 4,250 |
| Animal Caretakers in Vermont | $36,090 | $30,403 | $2,534 | 84.2% | 430 |
| Animal Caretakers in New Jersey | $35,850 | $30,446 | $2,537 | 84.9% | 5,890 |
| Animal Caretakers in Illinois | $35,570 | $29,145 | $2,429 | 81.9% | 11,070 |
| Animal Caretakers in New Hampshire | $34,790 | $30,134 | $2,511 | 86.6% | 1,810 |
| Animal Caretakers in Utah | $34,750 | $28,538 | $2,378 | 82.1% | 2,350 |
| Animal Caretakers in Virginia | $34,380 | $28,642 | $2,387 | 83.3% | 10,070 |
| Animal Caretakers in Montana | $34,210 | $28,817 | $2,401 | 84.2% | 1,200 |
| Animal Caretakers in Florida | $34,150 | $29,620 | $2,468 | 86.7% | 17,210 |
| Animal Caretakers in North Dakota | $34,040 | $29,531 | $2,461 | 86.8% | 770 |
| Animal Caretakers in Delaware | $33,910 | $28,222 | $2,352 | 83.2% | 1,230 |
| Animal Caretakers in New Mexico | $33,570 | $28,677 | $2,390 | 85.4% | 1,710 |
| Animal Caretakers in Texas | $32,730 | $28,479 | $2,373 | 87% | 20,450 |
| Animal Caretakers in Idaho | $32,170 | $27,432 | $2,286 | 85.3% | 1,760 |
| Animal Caretakers in Nebraska | $31,680 | $27,053 | $2,254 | 85.4% | 2,100 |
| Animal Caretakers in Pennsylvania | $31,360 | $26,415 | $2,201 | 84.2% | 9,910 |
| Animal Caretakers in South Carolina | $31,280 | $26,594 | $2,216 | 85% | 4,090 |
| Animal Caretakers in Missouri | $31,230 | $26,743 | $2,229 | 85.6% | 5,820 |
| Animal Caretakers in North Carolina | $30,870 | $26,261 | $2,188 | 85.1% | 9,730 |
| Animal Caretakers in Kentucky | $30,720 | $25,906 | $2,159 | 84.3% | 6,140 |
| Animal Caretakers in Tennessee | $30,550 | $26,727 | $2,227 | 87.5% | 6,110 |
| Animal Caretakers in South Dakota | $30,390 | $26,598 | $2,217 | 87.5% | 1,110 |
| Animal Caretakers in Michigan | $30,320 | $25,504 | $2,125 | 84.1% | 6,290 |
| Animal Caretakers in Nevada | $30,320 | $26,542 | $2,212 | 87.5% | 2,470 |
| Animal Caretakers in Ohio | $30,310 | $26,483 | $2,207 | 87.4% | 9,350 |
| Animal Caretakers in Arkansas | $30,230 | $25,504 | $2,125 | 84.4% | 2,040 |
| Animal Caretakers in Wisconsin | $30,160 | $25,868 | $2,156 | 85.8% | 5,720 |
| Animal Caretakers in Iowa | $30,080 | $25,858 | $2,155 | 86% | 3,480 |
| Animal Caretakers in Indiana | $29,990 | $25,422 | $2,118 | 84.8% | 6,420 |
| Animal Caretakers in Georgia | $29,860 | $25,246 | $2,104 | 84.5% | 9,110 |
| Animal Caretakers in Kansas | $29,830 | $25,261 | $2,105 | 84.7% | 3,000 |
| Animal Caretakers in Wyoming | $29,080 | $25,546 | $2,129 | 87.8% | 460 |
| Animal Caretakers in Oklahoma | $28,940 | $24,677 | $2,056 | 85.3% | 3,170 |
| Animal Caretakers in West Virginia | $28,550 | $24,402 | $2,034 | 85.5% | 1,160 |
| Animal Caretakers in Alabama | $28,330 | $23,788 | $1,982 | 84% | 4,100 |
| Animal Caretakers in Louisiana | $27,910 | $24,143 | $2,012 | 86.5% | 2,660 |
| Animal Caretakers in Mississippi | $26,970 | $23,473 | $1,956 | 87% | 1,900 |
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