Best cities for an animal care specialist
The best cities for animal care specialists are Fort Wayne, IN, Philadelphia, PA, and Durham, NC, based on factors like average salary and job availability per capita. Jobs and pay for animal care specialists vary across the country, but we've determined the ten best cities for animal care specialists in the U.S.
Whether you're starting your career as an animal care specialist or considering a move, this list of the best cities for animal care specialists to live in will help you decide. These aren't just the best-paying cities for animal care specialists. We also consider how easy it is to find work as an animal care specialist. While the absolute best city for animal care specialists is Fort Wayne, IN, there are plenty of other great places to consider.
Keep reading to learn more about the best cities for animal care specialists in 2024.
If you're looking for an animal care specialist job, here are five companies hiring now:
10 best cities for animal care specialists in 2025
1. Fort Wayne, IN
Total animal care specialist jobs: 3 Average annual salary: $79,692 Lowest 10 percent warn: $26,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $237,000 Location quotient: 4.82 2. Philadelphia, PA
Total animal care specialist jobs: 5 Average annual salary: $88,858 Lowest 10 percent warn: $28,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $279,000 Location quotient: 0.97 3. Durham, NC
Total animal care specialist jobs: 2 Average annual salary: $73,476 Lowest 10 percent warn: $25,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $210,000 Location quotient: 1.15 4. Columbus, OH
Total animal care specialist jobs: 4 Average annual salary: $81,043 Lowest 10 percent warn: $27,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $242,000 Location quotient: 0.84 5. Buffalo, NY
Total animal care specialist jobs: 2 Average annual salary: $87,573 Lowest 10 percent warn: $27,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $278,000 Location quotient: 1.83 6. Madison, WI
Total animal care specialist jobs: 13 Average annual salary: $68,516 Lowest 10 percent warn: $23,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $195,000 Location quotient: 6.70 7. Toledo, OH
Total animal care specialist jobs: 0 Average annual salary: $82,245 Lowest 10 percent warn: $26,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $250,000 Location quotient: 0.00 8. Saint Paul, MN
Total animal care specialist jobs: 2 Average annual salary: $77,660 Lowest 10 percent warn: $28,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $214,000 Location quotient: 0.98 9. Raleigh, NC
Total animal care specialist jobs: 2 Average annual salary: $72,827 Lowest 10 percent warn: $25,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $208,000 Location quotient: 0.72 10. Baltimore, MD
Total animal care specialist jobs: 1 Average annual salary: $109,028 Lowest 10 percent warn: $35,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $335,000 Location quotient: 0.30
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Best cities for animal care specialists
- Fort Wayne, IN
- Philadelphia, PA
- Durham, NC
- Columbus, OH
- Buffalo, NY
- Madison, WI
- Toledo, OH
- Saint Paul, MN
- Raleigh, NC
- Baltimore, MD
- (3 animal care specialist jobs)
- (5 animal care specialist jobs)
- (2 animal care specialist jobs)
- (4 animal care specialist jobs)
- (2 animal care specialist jobs)
- (13 animal care specialist jobs)
- (0 animal care specialist jobs)
- (2 animal care specialist jobs)
- (2 animal care specialist jobs)
- (1 animal care specialist jobs)
Detailed list of the best cities for an animal care specialist
| Rank | City | Average salary | Lowest 10% Earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fort Wayne, IN | $79,692 | $26,000 | 264,488 | 3 |
| 2 | Philadelphia, PA | $88,858 | $28,000 | 1,567,872 | 5 |
| 3 | Durham, NC | $73,476 | $25,000 | 263,016 | 2 |
| 4 | Columbus, OH | $81,043 | $27,000 | 860,090 | 4 |
| 5 | Buffalo, NY | $87,573 | $27,000 | 256,902 | 2 |
| 6 | Madison, WI | $68,516 | $23,000 | 252,551 | 13 |
| 7 | Toledo, OH | $82,245 | $26,000 | 278,508 | - |
| 8 | Saint Paul, MN | $77,660 | $28,000 | 302,398 | 2 |
| 9 | Raleigh, NC | $72,827 | $25,000 | 458,880 | 2 |
| 10 | Baltimore, MD | $109,028 | $35,000 | 614,664 | 1 |
| 11 | Cincinnati, OH | $77,426 | $26,000 | 298,800 | - |
| 12 | New York, NY | $92,662 | $28,000 | 8,537,673 | 13 |
| 13 | Cleveland, OH | $83,533 | $27,000 | 385,809 | - |
| 14 | Indianapolis, IN | $76,189 | $26,000 | 855,164 | - |
| 15 | Boston, MA | $88,012 | $26,000 | 673,184 | 1 |
| 16 | Pittsburgh, PA | $84,689 | $27,000 | 303,625 | - |
| 17 | Nashville, TN | $69,100 | $25,000 | 660,388 | - |
| 18 | Brookhaven, NY | $93,910 | $28,000 | 486,040 | - |
| 19 | Islip, NY | $93,555 | $28,000 | 335,543 | - |
| 20 | Detroit, MI | $75,578 | $24,000 | 672,795 | - |
| 21 | Charlotte, NC | $67,060 | $24,000 | 842,051 | 5 |
| 22 | Oyster Bay, NY | $93,295 | $28,000 | 293,214 | - |
| 23 | Greensboro, NC | $72,796 | $25,000 | 287,027 | - |
| 24 | Hempstead, NY | $93,002 | $28,000 | 759,757 | - |
| 25 | Winston-Salem, NC | $72,262 | $25,000 | 242,203 | - |
| 26 | Jersey City, NJ | $93,215 | $29,000 | 264,152 | - |
| 27 | Minneapolis, MN | $77,484 | $28,000 | 413,651 | 1 |
| 28 | Chicago, IL | $76,282 | $26,000 | 2,704,958 | 2 |
| 29 | Newark, NJ | $93,114 | $29,000 | 281,764 | - |
| 30 | Virginia Beach, VA | $79,201 | $26,000 | 452,602 | - |
| 31 | Norfolk, VA | $79,181 | $26,000 | 245,115 | - |
| 32 | Fort Worth, TX | $60,675 | $24,000 | 854,113 | 1 |
| 33 | Chesapeake, VA | $78,488 | $26,000 | 237,940 | - |
| 34 | Milwaukee, WI | $69,752 | $23,000 | 595,047 | - |
| 35 | Dallas, TX | $60,642 | $24,000 | 1,317,929 | 4 |
| 36 | Memphis, TN | $63,886 | $24,000 | 652,717 | - |
| 37 | Saint Louis, MO | $60,853 | $22,000 | 311,404 | 11 |
| 38 | San Antonio, TX | $58,212 | $23,000 | 1,492,510 | 7 |
| 39 | Reno, NV | $63,545 | $24,000 | 245,255 | - |
| 40 | Tucson, AZ | $60,968 | $24,000 | 530,706 | 1 |
| 41 | Lubbock, TX | $60,937 | $24,000 | 252,506 | - |
| 42 | Washington, DC | $87,207 | $28,000 | 681,170 | - |
| 43 | Albuquerque, NM | $69,244 | $27,000 | 559,277 | - |
| 44 | Fremont, CA | $67,215 | $26,000 | 233,136 | 3 |
| 45 | Scottsdale, AZ | $61,562 | $25,000 | 246,645 | - |
| 46 | Irving, TX | $60,675 | $24,000 | 238,289 | - |
| 47 | Phoenix, AZ | $61,550 | $25,000 | 1,615,017 | - |
| 48 | Plano, TX | $60,655 | $24,000 | 286,057 | - |
| 49 | Sacramento, CA | $67,842 | $26,000 | 495,234 | 2 |
| 50 | Garland, TX | $60,652 | $24,000 | 234,943 | - |
Highest paying cities for animal care specialists
| Rank | City | Avg. animal care specialist salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Baltimore, MD | $109,028 |
| 2 | New York, NY | $92,662 |
| 3 | Philadelphia, PA | $88,858 |
| 4 | Worcester, MA | $88,314 |
| 5 | Arlington, VA | $83,836 |
| 6 | Rochester, MN | $77,765 |
| 7 | Chicago, IL | $76,282 |
| 8 | Winston-Salem, NC | $72,262 |
| 9 | Madison, WI | $68,516 |
| 10 | Vallejo, CA | $67,900 |
| 11 | Phoenix, AZ | $61,550 |
| 12 | Saint Louis, MO | $60,853 |
| 13 | Midland, TX | $60,224 |
| 14 | Birmingham, AL | $58,816 |
| 15 | Portland, OR | $57,878 |
| 16 | Clermont, FL | $53,340 |
| 17 | Aurora, CO | $52,194 |
Animal care specialist best cities FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025