Animal Care Professional Salary in the United States

How much does an Animal Care Professional make in the United States?

As of July 01, 2026, the average salary for an Animal Care Professional in the United States is $50,176 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $24.

However, an Animal Care Professional's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $58,334
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $46,101 to $54,446
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $42,390
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View as table View as graph 25% $46,101 10% $42,390 90% $58,334 75% $54,446 $50,176 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click

Animal Care Professional Salaries by Percentile

Annual
Salary
Monthly
Pay
Weekly
Pay
Hourly
Wage
75th Percentile $54,446 $4,537 $1,047 $26
Average $50,176 $4,181 $965 $24
25th Percentile $46,101 $3,842 $887 $22
Check out Animal Care Professional Job Openings in the United States
Veterinarian

Worthington Woods Animal Care Center - Minerva Park, OH

Medical Director

Worthington Woods Animal Care Center - Minerva Park, OH

ANIMAL CARE PROVIDER ENTRY

Montgomery County, OH - Dayton, OH

Animal Care Specialist

Petco Health and Wellness - Beachwood, OH

Search More Animal Care Professional Jobs in the United States

Key Factors That Influence Animal Care Professional Salaries

An Animal Care Professional's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location, education and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects Animal Care Professional Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of an Animal Care Professional's salary. As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases. Here's how the average salary grows at different career stages:

  • Entry-Level (less than 1 year): $47,336
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $47,661
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $49,583
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $51,244
  • Expert (over 8 years): $51,540
Levels Salary
Entry Level Animal Care Professional$47,336
Intermediate Level Animal Care Professional$47,661
Senior Level Animal Care Professional$49,583
Specialist Level Animal Care Professional$51,244
Expert Level Animal Care Professional$51,540
$47,336 0 yr
$47,661 < 2 yrs
$49,583 2-4 yrs
$51,244 5-8 yrs
$51,540 > 8 yrs
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What Am I Worth?

How Do Animal Care Professional Salaries Vary from State to State?

Your salary can change significantly depending on where you work. States with a higher cost of living and strong industrial sectors often pay more to attract Animal Care Professionals. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:

  • District of Columbia: $55,555.
  • California: $55,344.
  • Massachusetts: $54,607.

Top Paying Cities for Animal Care Professionals

Salaries can also vary between different cities. Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay. Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:

  • San Jose: $63,287
  • San Francisco: $62,594
  • Oakland: $61,275

What Skills Can Increase an Animal Care Professional's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Leadership (Mentioned in 10.47% Job Postings): Knowledge of and ability to employ effective strategies that motivate and guide other members within our business to achieve optimum results.
  • Water Safety (Mentioned in 2.01% Job Postings): Water safety refers to the procedures, precautions and policies associated with safety in, on, and around bodies of water, where there is a risk of injury or drowning
  • Fundraising (Mentioned in 1.09% Job Postings): Fundraising or fund-raising (also known as "development" or "advancement") is the process of seeking and gathering voluntary financial contributions by engaging individuals, businesses, charitable foundations, or governmental agencies. Although fundraising typically refers to efforts to gather money for non-profit organizations, it is sometimes used to refer to the identification and solicitation of investors or other sources of capital for for-profit enterprises. Traditionally, fundraising consisted mostly of asking for donations on the street or at people's doors, and this is experiencing very strong growth in the form of face-to-face fundraising, but new forms of fundraising, such as online fundraising, have emerged in recent years, though these are often based on older methods such as grassroots fundraising.
See More Skills
Skills Demand Percentage
Leadership 10.47%
Water Safety 2.01%
Fundraising 1.09%
What skills can make your compensation higher?
Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay. Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on an Animal Care Professional's salary.
  • Casting: Can increase your salary by up to 16%.
  • Staff Development: Can increase your salary by up to 13%.
  • Chemistry: Can increase your salary by up to 12%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Casting
$58,204
16%
Staff Development
$56,699
13%
Chemistry
$56,197
12%
Negotiating
$55,695
11%
Budgeting
$54,692
9%
Coaching
$54,190
8%
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Animal Care Professional Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Animal Care Professional roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential by as much as 55% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the Biotechnology and Healthcare sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 30% above the average. In contrast, Animal Care Professional positions in Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit or Chemicals typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view Animal Care Professional as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industries for an Animal Care Professional

Industry Sector Average Annual Salary Average Hourly Rate Pay vs.Avg
Biotechnology$65,229$31.030%
Healthcare$52,685$25.05%

How Education impacts an Animal Care Professional's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Animal Care Professionals enter the field with a High School Diploma or Technical Certificate degree, higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.

According to our 100% employer-reported salary data, the median salary for an Animal Care Professional with a High School Diploma or Technical Certificate is between $48,783 and $50,386).

Animal Care Professional Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Animal Care Professional
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 2.1%
High School 27.8%
Associates 40.2%
Bachelors 26.8%
Masters 2.1%
Doctorate 1.0%
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Animal Care Professional Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how an Animal Care Professional's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting. Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role. Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.

Last Updated on July 01, 2026

Salary Trends for Animal Care Professional

Salaries for an Animal Care Professional can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $48,523 in 2023 to around $48,189 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Animal Care Professional salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Animal Care Professional Over Time

2022
$???
2023
$48,523
2024
$48,603
2025
$48,189
2026
$???
2027
$???
Year Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023 $48,523
2024 $48,603
2025 $48,189
2026
View More
2027
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Most common benefits for Animal Care Professional

Social Security
401(k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
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Common company salaries for Animal Care Professional

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Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.

We offer detailed salary information across multiple percentiles for your reference. (Click here to learn Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial for Achieving Pay Equity.)

With the most extensive online, real-time compensation data available, Salary.com helps you pinpoint your exact pay target.

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