How much does a animal caretaker make?

The median pay is $17.00 per hour — roughly $35,500 a year, with the real range running from about $13.10/hr (10th percentile) to $24.07/hr (90th percentile). Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Do you need a degree to be a animal caretaker?

The typical entry-level education is: High school diploma. Overall preparation level: some preparation (Job Zone 2 of 5).

What does a animal caretaker actually do all day?

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.

Personal Care & Service

Animal Caretakers

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.

What it pays
Animal Caretakers earn a median of $17.00/hr — about $35,500 a year. The lowest-paid 10% earn $13.10/hr; the top 10% earn $24.07/hr. (Annual figures are approximate: hourly × 2,080.)

What you'd actually do

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.

How you get there

Typical entry-level education: High school diploma. Overall preparation: some preparation (Job Zone 2 of 5).

The feel of the work

Much of the work happens outdoors. (Compared against the other 818 careers in the guide.)

Working for yourself

About 25.2% of animal caretakers are self-employed.

Who it tends to fit

This work tends to fit people who are hands-on, people-focused and organized and detail-focused.

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Quick questions

How much does a animal caretaker make?: The median pay is $17.00 per hour — roughly $35,500 a year, with the real range running from about $13.10/hr (10th percentile) to $24.07/hr (90th percentile). Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Do you need a degree to be a animal caretaker?: The typical entry-level education is: High school diploma. Overall preparation level: some preparation (Job Zone 2 of 5).
What does a animal caretaker actually do all day?: 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.

Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS. Tasks & interests: O*NET. Career pathways shown in the app are draft archetypes — verify before relying on them. Trailhead is a free career guide for students — honest numbers, no hype.

Trailhead is operated by FLEXVermont LLC. It is intended for high-school students age 13 and older, and the educators and families who support them, and is not directed to children under 13. Trailhead is provided for general informational and educational purposes only. It does not offer professional, financial, or career advice, and its wage figures and pathways are estimates that may not fit your situation — they should not be relied on as the sole basis for any decision.