Personal Care and Service Occupations

Animal Caretakers Salary in the United States

DOL-verified data from 724 government filings, with BLS survey comparison.

DOL Median Salary
$24,523
BLS median: $33,470
DOL Median Salary
$24,523
From 724 DOL filings
BLS Median Salary
$33,470
BLS OEWS 2024 survey
Total Employers
275
Companies with DOL filings
Total Employment
277,300
Estimated US workers (BLS)

DOL Filings vs BLS Survey

What Employers File with DOL

$24,523
DOL-Filed Salary Range
$17,014$20,842$24,523$28,000$55,000

This figure comes from 724 employer filings with the US Department of Labor under legal obligation. Employers file this salary when sponsoring workers for PERM green cards or H-1B visas.

What BLS Says the Market Pays

$33,470
BLS Survey Salary Range
$24,500$28,870$33,470$37,160$46,480

This figure comes from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey of 277,300 establishments. This is an independent survey-based estimate of what all workers in this occupation earn.

DOL-filed salaries are 26.7% lower than BLS survey data, which may reflect that sponsored positions concentrate in high-cost locations or experience-intensive roles.

Salary Distribution

Top Paying Employers for Animal Caretakers

Ranked by median salary from DOL filings

View all companies hiring Animal Caretakers

Salary by Metro Area

Metro AreaMedianvs NationalFilingsEmployers
Shakopee, MI$31,970+30.4%121
Tampa, FL$27,581+12.5%111
BERKELEY, CA$25,210+2.8%147
ELMONT, NE$24,565+0.2%3110
ARCADIA, CA$24,565+0.2%2314
Elkton, MA$22,048-10.1%385

Salary by State

StateMedianvs NationalFilings
Illinois$40,790+18.4%4
Michigan$31,970+7.5%14
Washington$31,440-18.1%2
Minnesota$31,000-8.3%2
Florida$27,581-9.2%29
Virginia$27,248-11.6%2
Nebraska$26,187-12.6%41
California$25,210-32.2%68
Idaho$25,043-16.3%1
Louisiana$24,523-11.3%5
Wisconsin$24,000-18.6%1
New York$22,901-37.3%12
Kentucky$22,485-23.4%2
Oklahoma$22,173-21.8%7
New Jersey$21,892-36.6%2
Massachusetts$21,757-41.1%49
Maryland$20,842-42.1%8
Alabama$20,800-25.6%1
Texas$19,760-33.7%3
Ohio$18,554-37.5%1
Delaware$18,491-39.3%4

Salary Trend - DOL Data

Education Requirements

From PERM filings

For Animal Caretakers positions, 0% of PERM filings required a Bachelor's degree, 0% required a Master's degree, and 100% required no formal degree.

Education by Top Employer

Most common minimum education from PERM filings
EmployerMost Common EducationMedian Salary
Herringswell StablesNone$21,757
John W. Sadler Racing, Inc.None$25,938
Delacour StablesNone$20,842
BERNELL RHONENone$27,581
John C Kimmel Racing StableNone$25,366
Vintage Farm CorporationNone$25,563
Fair Hill Equine Therapy Center, LLCNone$22,048
Todd A Pletcher Racing Stables, Inc.None$28,267
The Stachowski Farm, IncNone$28,746
C. R. McGaughey Racing StableNot specifiedN/A

Salary by Industry

Same occupation, different industries (NAICS)

The highest-paying industry for Animal Caretakers is Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing at $27,493. The lowest-paying industry with significant hiring is Arts, Entertainment, Recreation at $25,223.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does a Animal Caretakers make?

Based on 724 DOL filings, the median salary for a Animal Caretakers is $24,523, ranging from $20,842 to $28,000.

What is the highest salary for a Animal Caretakers?

The 90th percentile salary is $46,480 according to BLS data.

Which city pays the most for Animal Caretakers?

Based on DOL filings, Shakopee, MI offers the highest median at $31,970.

Does this data include all Animal Caretakers salaries or only visa-sponsored workers?

DOL filing data covers positions where the employer filed for PERM green card sponsorship or an H-1B visa. These filings represent a subset of all Animal Caretakers positions. We compare this data against BLS OEWS data which covers all workers in this occupation.

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Source: US Department of Labor, Office of Foreign Labor Certification (OFLC) public disclosure files (PERM Form ETA-9089 and LCA Form ETA-9035), and US Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS). Salary figures represent employer filings and government survey estimates, not individual worker pay.