Best states for an animal care technician

Q: What is the best state for animal care technicians?

The best state to be an animal care technician is Maine based on animal care technician salaries and job opportunities.

Q: What is the highest paying state for animal care technicians?

The highest paying state for animal care technicians is Georgia based on Zippia’s salary database.

Q: What is the worst state for animal care technicians?

The worst state for animal care technicians is Tennessee, due to a combination of low salaries and few job opportunities.

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Are you thinking of becoming an animal care technician and really want to work at Best Friends Pet Care? Turns out, your chances to become an animal care technician are better in some states than others.Our research found that Maine is the best state for animal care technicians, while Oregon and North Dakota are ranked highest in terms of median salary. Maine has a median salary of $35,040 and Oregon has the highest median salary among all 50 states for animal care technicians.

In order to get you the best states for animal care technicians, we looked at our data on jobs and wages -- specifically the average annual wage and the number of available jobs per capita.If you are currently seeking employment as an animal care technician, you can find open job positions using Zippia's search tools.

10 best states for animal care technicians in 2026

1. Maine
Total animal care technician jobs: 331
Average annual salary: $35,040
Lowest 10 percent earn: $29,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $41,000
Location Quotient:
1.63
Animal care technician jobs in Maine
2. West Virginia
Total animal care technician jobs: 301
Average annual salary: $35,403
Lowest 10 percent earn: $26,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $47,000
Location Quotient:
1.29
Animal care technician jobs in West Virginia
3. Oregon
Total animal care technician jobs: 679
Average annual salary: $39,811
Lowest 10 percent earn: $30,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $51,000
Location Quotient:
1.07
Animal care technician jobs in Oregon
4. North Dakota
Total animal care technician jobs: 157
Average annual salary: $36,501
Lowest 10 percent earn: $29,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $44,000
Location Quotient:
1.11
Animal care technician jobs in North Dakota
5. Minnesota
Total animal care technician jobs: 1,194
Average annual salary: $34,441
Lowest 10 percent earn: $27,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $42,000
Location Quotient:
1.18
Animal care technician jobs in Minnesota
6. Kentucky
Total animal care technician jobs: 640
Average annual salary: $33,981
Lowest 10 percent earn: $25,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $45,000
Location Quotient:
1.14
Animal care technician jobs in Kentucky
7. Idaho
Total animal care technician jobs: 206
Average annual salary: $36,255
Lowest 10 percent earn: $27,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $47,000
Location Quotient:
0.82
Animal care technician jobs in Idaho
8. Iowa
Total animal care technician jobs: 805
Average annual salary: $30,524
Lowest 10 percent earn: $23,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $39,000
Location Quotient:
1.45
Animal care technician jobs in Iowa
9. New Hampshire
Total animal care technician jobs: 307
Average annual salary: $33,435
Lowest 10 percent earn: $27,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $40,000
Location Quotient:
1.15
Animal care technician jobs in New Hampshire
10. Washington
Total animal care technician jobs: 999
Average annual salary: $36,107
Lowest 10 percent earn: $28,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $45,000
Location Quotient:
0.9
Animal care technician jobs in Washington

Animal care technician jobsNear Columbus, OH

How Zippia determines the best states to be an animal care technician

You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.

Detailed list of the best states for an animal care technician

Rank	State	Average salary	Lowest 10% earn	Population	Job count
1	Maine	$35,040	$29,000	1,335,907	331
2	West Virginia	$35,403	$26,000	1,815,857	301
3	Oregon	$39,811	$30,000	4,142,776	679
4	North Dakota	$36,501	$29,000	755,393	157
5	Minnesota	$34,441	$27,000	5,576,606	1,194
6	Kentucky	$33,981	$25,000	4,454,189	640
7	Idaho	$36,255	$27,000	1,716,943	206
8	Iowa	$30,524	$23,000	3,145,711	805
9	New Hampshire	$33,435	$27,000	1,342,795	307
10	Washington	$36,107	$28,000	7,405,743	999
11	Delaware	$32,694	$24,000	961,939	238
12	Vermont	$32,226	$26,000	623,657	153
13	South Dakota	$31,477	$25,000	869,666	180
14	Rhode Island	$33,555	$26,000	1,059,639	165
15	Nevada	$30,344	$21,000	2,998,039	442
16	Illinois	$30,706	$23,000	12,802,023	2,554
17	Wyoming	$31,610	$24,000	579,315	90
18	Alaska	$33,847	$28,000	739,795	122
19	Nebraska	$30,609	$23,000	1,920,076	387
20	Arizona	$29,231	$20,000	7,016,270	1,218
21	California	$35,610	$24,000	39,536,653	3,804
22	Wisconsin	$29,642	$23,000	5,795,483	1,043
23	Michigan	$28,667	$22,000	9,962,311	1,704
24	Massachusetts	$33,716	$27,000	6,859,819	793
25	Colorado	$31,325	$23,000	5,607,154	959
26	Utah	$30,986	$22,000	3,101,833	483
27	Missouri	$28,292	$21,000	6,113,532	1,365
28	Montana	$28,936	$23,000	1,050,493	220
29	New York	$33,022	$25,000	19,849,399	1,281
30	Indiana	$29,060	$22,000	6,666,818	908
31	Pennsylvania	$29,504	$22,000	12,805,537	964
32	Mississippi	$25,194	$18,000	2,984,100	456
33	Kansas	$28,074	$20,000	2,913,123	453
34	North Carolina	$25,094	$18,000	10,273,419	2,066
35	Ohio	$25,381	$19,000	11,658,609	1,980
36	Oklahoma	$26,908	$19,000	3,930,864	555
37	Connecticut	$29,252	$22,000	3,588,184	340
38	District of Columbia	$30,335	$22,000	693,972	145
39	New Jersey	$28,930	$22,000	9,005,644	876
40	Maryland	$27,655	$20,000	6,052,177	1,019
41	New Mexico	$22,682	$16,000	2,088,070	365
42	Virginia	$25,157	$18,000	8,470,020	1,527
43	Alabama	$22,908	$16,000	4,874,747	738
44	South Carolina	$21,334	$15,000	5,024,369	889
45	Louisiana	$23,008	$16,000	4,684,333	554
46	Florida	$24,824	$18,000	20,984,400	1,985
47	Arkansas	$24,605	$18,000	3,004,279	239
48	Georgia	$20,924	$15,000	10,429,379	1,875
49	Hawaii	$24,287	$19,000	1,427,538	124
50	Texas	$23,482	$16,000	28,304,596	2,006
51	Tennessee	$21,476	$15,000	6,715,984	729

Highest paying states for animal care technicians

Rank	State	Avg. Animal Care Technician Salary
1	Maine	$35,040
2	West Virginia	$35,403
3	Oregon	$39,811
4	North Dakota	$36,501
5	Minnesota	$34,441
6	Kentucky	$33,981
7	Idaho	$36,255
8	Iowa	$30,524
9	New Hampshire	$33,435
10	Washington	$36,107
11	Delaware	$32,694
12	Vermont	$32,226
13	South Dakota	$31,477
14	Rhode Island	$33,555
15	Nevada	$30,344
16	Illinois	$30,706
17	Wyoming	$31,610
18	Alaska	$33,847
19	Nebraska	$30,609
20	Arizona	$29,231
21	California	$35,610
22	Wisconsin	$29,642
23	Michigan	$28,667
24	Massachusetts	$33,716
25	Colorado	$31,325
26	Utah	$30,986
27	Missouri	$28,292
28	Montana	$28,936
29	New York	$33,022
30	Indiana	$29,060
31	Pennsylvania	$29,504
32	Mississippi	$25,194
33	Kansas	$28,074
34	North Carolina	$25,094
35	Ohio	$25,381
36	Oklahoma	$26,908
37	Connecticut	$29,252
38	District of Columbia	$30,335
39	New Jersey	$28,930
40	Maryland	$27,655
41	New Mexico	$22,682
42	Virginia	$25,157
43	Alabama	$22,908
44	South Carolina	$21,334
45	Louisiana	$23,008
46	Florida	$24,824
47	Arkansas	$24,605
48	Georgia	$20,924
49	Hawaii	$24,287
50	Texas	$23,482
51	Tennessee	$21,476

Animal care technician best states FAQs

What is the best state for animal care technicians?

What is the highest paying state for animal care technicians?

What is the worst state for animal care technicians?

Have more questions? See all answers to common personal care and attendants questions.

Search for animal care technician jobs

Updated January 8, 2025

Browse personal care and attendants jobs

Total animal care technician jobs:	331
Average annual salary:	$35,040
Lowest 10 percent earn:	$29,000
Highest 10 percent earn:	$41,000
Location Quotient:	1.63

Best states for an animal care technician

10 best states for animal care technicians in 2026

1. Maine

2. West Virginia

3. Oregon

4. North Dakota

5. Minnesota

6. Kentucky

7. Idaho

8. Iowa

9. New Hampshire

10. Washington