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Animal Caretaker Salary by State (2026)
How much does an Animal Caretaker make? The median Animal Caretaker salary in the US is about $33,899 per year (roughly $16.00 an hour), across 266,930 jobs (Animal Caretakers). But pay swings widely by state — the median ranges from $26,970 in Mississippi to $44,210 in District of Columbia. Pick your state below for the full pay range and an estimated take-home after taxes.
Median Animal Caretaker salary in every state
| State | Median salary | Jobs |
| District of Columbia | $44,210 | 460 |
| Washington | $40,570 | 6,620 |
| Hawaii | $40,130 | 570 |
| Massachusetts | $39,650 | 6,900 |
| California | $38,700 | 25,710 |
| Arizona | $38,180 | 6,330 |
| New York | $37,840 | 12,470 |
| Colorado | $37,430 | 6,290 |
| Connecticut | $37,310 | 3,000 |
| Maine | $37,230 | 1,430 |
| Rhode Island | $37,120 | 1,020 |
| Maryland | $36,780 | 5,570 |
| Alaska | $36,640 | 550 |
| Oregon | $36,580 | 3,470 |
| Minnesota | $36,430 | 4,250 |
| Vermont | $36,090 | 430 |
| New Jersey | $35,850 | 5,890 |
| Illinois | $35,570 | 11,070 |
| New Hampshire | $34,790 | 1,810 |
| Utah | $34,750 | 2,350 |
| Virginia | $34,380 | 10,070 |
| Montana | $34,210 | 1,200 |
| Florida | $34,150 | 17,210 |
| North Dakota | $34,040 | 770 |
| Delaware | $33,910 | 1,230 |
| New Mexico | $33,570 | 1,710 |
| Texas | $32,730 | 20,450 |
| Idaho | $32,170 | 1,760 |
| Nebraska | $31,680 | 2,100 |
| Pennsylvania | $31,360 | 9,910 |
| South Carolina | $31,280 | 4,090 |
| Missouri | $31,230 | 5,820 |
| North Carolina | $30,870 | 9,730 |
| Kentucky | $30,720 | 6,140 |
| Tennessee | $30,550 | 6,110 |
| South Dakota | $30,390 | 1,110 |
| Michigan | $30,320 | 6,290 |
| Nevada | $30,320 | 2,470 |
| Ohio | $30,310 | 9,350 |
| Arkansas | $30,230 | 2,040 |
| Wisconsin | $30,160 | 5,720 |
| Iowa | $30,080 | 3,480 |
| Indiana | $29,990 | 6,420 |
| Georgia | $29,860 | 9,110 |
| Kansas | $29,830 | 3,000 |
| Wyoming | $29,080 | 460 |
| Oklahoma | $28,940 | 3,170 |
| West Virginia | $28,550 | 1,160 |
| Alabama | $28,330 | 4,100 |
| Louisiana | $27,910 | 2,660 |
| Mississippi | $26,970 | 1,900 |
Frequently asked questions
- How much does an Animal Caretaker make?
- An Animal Caretaker makes a median of about $33,899 per year in the US (roughly $16.00 per hour), according to the latest BLS data. Pay ranges from $26,970 in Mississippi to $44,210 in District of Columbia depending on the state.
- What is the average Animal Caretaker salary in the US?
- The typical (employment-weighted median) Animal Caretaker salary in the US is about $33,899 per year, based on the latest BLS data covering 266,930 jobs nationwide.
- Which state pays Animal Caretakers the most?
- District of Columbia has the highest median Animal Caretaker salary at $44,210 per year. Remember that taxes and cost of living vary — a high gross salary can shrink after state taxes.
- Which state pays Animal Caretakers the least?
- Mississippi has the lowest median at $26,970 per year. Lower-paying states often also have lower living costs and, in some cases, no state income tax.
Sources and methodology
All figures: BLS OEWS May 2025 (state file, released April 2026) (Animal Caretakers, code 39-2021). “Typical pay” is the employment-weighted average of state medians. Take-home estimates on state pages use 2026 federal and verified state tax rules from our PaycheckTally engine.