Animal Care Technician Salary in the United States

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

As of January 01, 2026, the average salary for an Animal Care Technician in the United States is $41,459 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $20.

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

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $48,734
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $37,864 to $45,267
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $34,591
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View as table View as graph 25% $37,864 10% $34,591 90% $48,734 75% $45,267 $41,459 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click

Animal Care Technician Salaries by Percentile

Annual
Salary
Monthly
Pay
Weekly
Pay
Hourly
Wage
75th Percentile $45,267 $3,772 $871 $22
Average $41,459 $3,455 $797 $20
25th Percentile $37,864 $3,155 $728 $18
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Key Factors That Influence Animal Care Technician Salaries

An Animal Care Technician'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 Technician Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of an Animal Care Technician'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): $39,980
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $40,772
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $42,253
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $42,411
  • Expert (over 8 years): $42,517
Levels Salary
Entry Level Animal Care Technician$39,980
Intermediate Level Animal Care Technician$40,772
Senior Level Animal Care Technician$42,253
Specialist Level Animal Care Technician$42,411
Expert Level Animal Care Technician$42,517
$39,980 0 yr
$40,772 < 2 yrs
$42,253 2-4 yrs
$42,411 5-8 yrs
$42,517 > 8 yrs
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What Am I Worth?

Top Paying Cities for Animal Care Technicians

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: $52,293
  • San Francisco: $51,779
  • Oakland: $50,630

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

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Customer Service (Mentioned in 10.29% Job Postings): Customer service is the provision of service to customers before, during and after a purchase. The perception of success of such interactions is dependent on employees "who can adjust themselves to the personality of the guest". Customer service concerns the priority an organization assigns to customer service relative to components such as product innovation and pricing. In this sense, an organization that values good customer service may spend more money in training employees than the average organization or may proactively interview customers for feedback. From the point of view of an overall sales process engineering effort, customer service plays an important role in an organization's ability to generate income and revenue. From that perspective, customer service should be included as part of an overall approach to systematic improvement. One good customer service experience can change the entire perception a customer holds towards the organization.
  • Housekeeping (Mentioned in 2.21% Job Postings): Housekeeping department is keeping the venue clean and sanitary as part of customer service. Cleaners vacuum rugs and furniture in hallways, rooms and public areas. They collect trash and empty wastebaskets, change the sheets and make the beds.
  • Reserve Management (Mentioned in 1.44% Job Postings): Reserve management is a process that ensures that adequate official public sector foreign assets are readily available to and controlled by the authorities for meeting a defined range of objectives for a country or union.
See More Skills
Skills Demand Percentage
Customer Service 10.29%
Housekeeping 2.21%
Reserve Management 1.44%
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 Technician's salary.
  • Reserve Management: Can increase your salary by up to 42%.
  • Leadership: Can increase your salary by up to 25%.
  • Initiative: Can increase your salary by up to 13%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Reserve Management
$58,872
42%
Leadership
$51,824
25%
Initiative
$46,849
13%
Workday
$46,435
12%
Presentation
$46,020
11%
SOP
$44,776
8%
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How Education impacts an Animal Care Technician's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Animal Care Technicians 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 Technician with a High School Diploma or Technical Certificate is between $40,851 and $41,957).

Animal Care Technician Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Animal Care Technician
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 1.3%
High School 30.0%
Associates 33.2%
Bachelors 29.7%
Masters 4.8%
Doctorate 1.0%
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Animal Care Technician Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how an Animal Care Technician'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 January 01, 2026

Salary Trends for Animal Care Technician

Salaries for an Animal Care Technician can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $44,024 in 2023 to around $43,559 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Animal Care Technician salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Animal Care Technician Over Time

2022
$???
2023
$44,024
2024
$44,023
2025
$43,559
2026
$???
2027
$???
Year Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023 $44,024
2024 $44,023
2025 $43,559
2026
View More
2027
View More

Most common benefits for Animal Care Technician

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

Here are companies hiring for Animal Care Technician and their salaries, click below for more details.

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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.)

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